Happy Summer Solstice!/ Dates for summer plot checks

Hi everyone,

I hope you've all had a great transition from spring into summer. As the seasons change here are some changes to look for in your gardens:

• broccoli ready to harvest
• lettuce bolting (getting tall, forming flowers, becoming bitter)
• chard bolting (same as above, except not bitter)
• dry soil- water deeply once or twice a week
• aphids, leaf miners, cabbage white butterfly larvae and other pests
• various spring greens flowering and making seeds: arugula, mustards, spinach, lettuce...

We had great success with cabbages this year. This is the first time I'm trying kohlrabi- it's super cute!

Garden plot checks

Plus a new season means it's time for another round of plot checks! Please make a note of the date that I'll be visiting YOUR garden. 

Tuesday, July 23:  West Washington and South Baker Beach gardens

Friday, July 26: Lendrum Ct and Ft. Scott gardens

Monday, July 29: Portola and MacArthur gardens

Tuesday, July 30: Baker Beach gardens

In order to avoid getting a warning:

• garden plots are free of weeds
• gardens have actively growing crops
• no vegetables are flowering or making seeds that indicate they are past harvesting stage
• plots look tended, watered, and used

If you have any questions about your plants, need to contact a neighboring gardener to ask for watering help, or want to share your amazing harvests, please get in touch!

Ft. Scott Community Garden update

The Salesforce Foundation has continued to support our gardening program by providing funds for a brand new tool shed at the Ft Scott Community Garden. This week, with the help of two of our carpenters, we built a lovely new addition to the garden! 

before- the foundation of an old shed from the original garden

after- our new 8x8 cedar shed inside the old foundation

Places to learn more

Master Gardeners are now offering in-person Helpline hours every Wednesday from 10:30am-2pm at the San Francisco Botanical Garden library. This is a wonderful resource for getting free gardening advice and pest and plant identification from trained volunteers. No appointment needed.

http://smsf-mastergardeners.ucanr.edu/

Garden for the Environment

7th Avenue and Lawton Street, San Francisco, CA 94122
www.gardenfortheenvironment.org
(415) 558-8246

Regular Educational Volunteer Hours

When: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 3pm

·       Please note that we will be closed on Saturday, July 6^th, in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

Cost: Free

More Information: bit.ly/GFEVolunteer

Join us in the garden on Wednesdays and Saturdays to help with garden maintenance tasks. You’ll work alongside staff and fellow volunteers on a range of activities like composting, vegetable planting and harvesting, pruning, and weeding. The best way to learn is by doing, and we promise you’ll learn a lot working in the garden with us. No registration needed -- you can come and go at any time, and volunteering at GFE will always be free. Bring lunch and picnic with us at noon!

Urban Composting

When: Saturday, July 13^th, 10am to 12pm

Cost: Free!

Sponsored by the Department of the Environment

Register: bit.ly/GFEComposting2019

Learn how to make your very own compost! The backbone of every healthy garden, compost improves all soil types and can be the difference between success and failure with many plants. In this class, we will teach you how to make compost in your backyard, and introduce you to our worms that make their own special fertilizer. We will also give you tips on using your city compost bin. Come learn what you can do to improve your garden and prevent organic waste from ending up in the landfill.

The Edible Garden in July

When: Saturday, July 20^th, 10am to 12pm

Cost: $25

Register: bit.ly/GFEEdibleGarden2019

Learn to take full advantage of the unique San Francisco gardening climate, where you can grow your own fruits and vegetables year-round. This workshop will focus on planning for your fall and winter garden and summer pests and diseases to look out for.

Bring questions and we'll do our best to answer them so you can reap a bountiful harvest!

Beginning Beekeeping: The Basics and Focus on Urban Beekeeping

When: Saturday, July 27^th, 10am to 12pm

Cost: $25

Register: bit.ly/July2019GFEBeekeepingClass

Whether you're already keeping bees or simply curious about what beekeeping involves, there will be something for you in this class. We'll cover some basics on bees, the progress of bees through the seasons, how to keep bees healthy, and what to look for at this time of year. We’ll also talk about swarming, pest management, and more. 

The class will also address specials concerns of beekeeping in urban areas. What do you need to do to be sure you, your bees, and your neighbors live in harmony? Are there city or county restrictions on beekeeping where you live? How can you be the best bee steward possible in an area where bees and people will inevitably meet? Weather permitting, students will get to look inside of one of GFE’s beehives.

Summer Fruit Tree Pruning

When: Saturday, July 27^th, 10am to 12pm

Cost: $25

Register: bit.ly/GFESummerFruitTreePruning

Fruit trees require care year-round, and summer pruning can be just as useful as winter pruning! Summer pruning allows air and light reach fruits and lower branches, controls growth on vigorous trees, lets you work on the shape and form of your trees, and is another chance to remove dead, damaged, and dying wood. In this workshop, our expert instructors will go over general pruning technique, discuss the differences between summer and winter pruning, and lead a hands-on demonstration so that you can learn which cuts will keep your trees healthy and productive.