Watering/ in the news/ Thursday compost+seedlings/ pests/ places to learn more

Hi everyone,

Are the community gardens providing you with a chance to get outside, enjoy the flowers, and harvest something for dinner? I hope you are finding a small piece of calm when much of the world around us feels unstable. I have heard from many folks visiting and working in the gardens about how much they appreciate being able to enjoy the spaces we all work to maintain. So thank you for being part of this community. If you are unable to tend your garden, please get in touch with me so I can help out: jkoch@presidiotrust.gov

 


As the regular rains have ended, make sure to add once or twice a week watering to your routine. Seeds and seedlings are vulnerable to drying out.

ABC7 came to the garden and produced a small story about how we're adapting and supporting essential workers in the park. Check it out here

This Thursday from 2-5pm I will again be at the Ft Scott Community Garden giving out compost and any seedlings that are ready. For sure there is lettuce, chicory, radicchio, and kale. If you have more food in your garden than you and your neighbors can eat, feel free to bring it to share.

What's happening in the gardens?
Chard, kale, lettuce, beets, mustard greens and other crops are starting to bolt- that means they are getting taller (and in the case of lettuce, very bitter) so that their flowers are closer to the bees. If your plants are doing this, it's time to harvest and pull them out.

The new growth on kale attracts aphids by the hundreds. Read here to learn what that looks like and what to do.

You may also see necrotic tissue on spinach, chard, and beet greens. That is the result of leaf miner larvae eating the tissue inside the leaves. Read here to learn more about that.

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/

*Due to the pandemic, we at Alemany Farm are taking our spring workshop series online. On May 2 we're hosting a video and then Zoom Q&A titled Organic Gardening 101. 

Details here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-your-garden-growing-introduction-to-spring-vegetable-gardening-with-alemany-farm-tickets-102325297720 

Spring planting cut-off waived/ Good hygiene at the gardens/ Compost and seedlings/ Applesauce Muffins

Hi everyone,

I've added a few notes to the previous post about spots to find supplies for the gardens. I'll continue to update that as I have new information.

Spring Planting Cut-off: scheduled for 4/14, but following SF Rec and Park lead, I'll be suspending plot use requirements for the spring. However, if your plot is overgrown with weeds, full of flowering vegetables, or infested with pests, I'll be contacting you about clearing it out-it's still important to prevent problems by staying on top of plot maintenance. If you are unable to care for your plot, please let me know and we can find a solution. I do expect to have summer plot checks in July.

Iris at the Portola Garden

hummingbird in the Ft Scott garden

Shared garden spaces: a reminder that if you are tending your plot, you will likely be touching shared surfaces. Please be mindful of gate latches, water faucets, hoses, community tools etc. as surfaces that could be of increased risk of exposure. Please use good hygiene around shared surfaces. The best advice is to wear gloves and wash them in hot water between uses, bring your own tools, and avoid touching your face while in the garden. You can also bring disinfecting wipes or spray to the garden to clean surfaces prior to touching them. There is no cleaning being done by the Trust at the community gardens. As always, and as covered by the membership agreement, use of the community garden spaces is at your own risk. Please maintain recommended physical distancing while in the garden.

Compost and seedlings: I will continue to have compost available for pick up at the Ft Scott Community garden on Thursday afternoons from 2-5pm. If there are seedlings ready, they will be available then as well. This week there is lettuce. Please plan to return borrowed buckets and plant pots for reuse. Thanks!

Recipe: using pantry staples- quick, easy, and good!
Applesauce Muffins
inspired by chocolatecoveredkatie.com

1 c applesauce
3 T oil
2-3 T milk
2 t vanilla
2 t white/cider vinegar
--> whisk together

1 c flour
2 T flax seed/powder
2 T chia seeds
2 T oats
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t b. soda
1/2 t b. powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
--> mix together, add wet to dry

Bake 350F, about 20 mins. This recipe made 10 muffins in my tins and are around 115 calories each. I found it to be very flexible- almond milk, regular milk, add raisins, use white, white whole wheat, whole wheat, oat flour... I added the flax, chia, and oats which they aren't in the original recipe. She also suggests coconut or walnuts. Great with an afternoon cup of tea! Enjoy-

Presidio Community Gardens update: compost/ seedlings/ maintenance/ pests/ Chard Pie

Hi everyone,

After being asked not to go to work on 3/16, some of us have been asked to come back to work if possible. So I'd like to continue to support all of you as much as possible during this challenging time. I hope that one bright side to being sequestered at home is more time to be outside tending your garden plots and practicing your gardening skills! And I hope you are all healthy and well.

I've looked around to see what supplies might be available. If you have any to add, please email me.
I saw some tomato plants and herbs for sale at the Marina Safeway.
Rainbow Grocery usually has seedlings and seeds.
Large stores such as Home Depot are open, with shorter hours.
Baker Creek Seeds: shipping seeds, with delays: https://www.rareseeds.com/
Territorial Seeds: doesn't have any notices about changes https://territorialseed.com/pages/vegetables
Johnny's Seeds: only shipping to commercial customers
Sloat: from their Facebook page "We have a wide selection of vegetables, herbs, and flowers in our stores -- plus seeds! Call our stores directly to inquire about curbside pickup and delivery."
Garden for the Environment has also posted some sources for garden supplies: https://www.gardenfortheenvironment.org/growing-gardeners

*added 4/6/20
OAEC “open” according to schedule for online pre-orders. For the safety of our staff, residents, and customers, we are not accepting drop-in visitors at any time. Please do not show up to the nursery without pre-ordering and getting a confirmation with a designated pick up time from us first. https://oaec.org/plant-nursery/

*as of 4/11/20 the Grand Lake Ace Hardware in Piedmont (Oakland) had some vegetable starts, but pretty much no seeds. It was a really nice nursery with a lot of other useful supplies- trellises, Safer insecticidal soap, etc.

COMPOST
I will set out compost in buckets for you to come pick up at the Ft Scott Community Garden during the following times. If you come and someone else is there, please wait in your vehicle for them to load up and leave. 
Tuesday 4/7        2-5pm
Wednesday 4/8  10am-1pm
Thursday 4/9      2-5pm
Please plan to return the empty buckets on the same day- I'll need them to refill for the next round. 

SEEDLINGS
I don't have many seedlings to give away right now, but seeing how short gardening supplies are (victory gardening is taking off around the country), I'll work on getting more starts to give away. That will take about 6-8 weeks.

GARDEN MAINTENANCE
I've been visiting most of the gardens to install plot numbers on the outside of the beds. While there I have done a lot of pathway weeding, which I'd like to remind you is each individual gardeners responsibility. I have no volunteers helping take care of our common spaces, so please, please find some weeds (in this case a weed is any plant) in the pathways of your neighborhood garden and pull them. 

Additionally, I've been looking over the beds and sending out messages to folks whose plots are weedy or overgrown. I'm offering assistance to those who need it- please contact me if you are away, sick, or feeling overwhelmed with life! I'm willing to help out to prevent weeds or vegetables from going to seed and creating more and bigger problems in the future. We're all in this together.

PESTS
Warm weather, new growth and changing seasons mean that lots of critters are feasting on your plants. Pests can just be a gross annoyance, or they can debilitate your plant and mean you won't get to harvest anything. Don't be the source of pests that will spread around your garden- find them and treat or remove them.

Leaf miners: spinach, chard, beet leaves- remove eggs
Grey aphids: kales, broccoli family plants- use Safer insecticidal soap or similar
Black aphids: onions, garlic, leeks, chives, fava beans- ditto
UCIPM Aphids

Need a bug or plant identified? Take a photo and email or text it to me! 

RECIPE
Last year's chard plants are starting to bolt- they are getting tall and ready to flower. That means it's time to harvest all the leaves and pull out the plant. What to do with lots of chard? 
My favorite way to use up a whole brown bag of Swiss Chard (about 3 bunches) is Chard Pie!

Martha Stewart's olive oil crust:
2 1/2 c flour (I used white and white whole wheat. we liked whole wheat better)
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1/3 c olive oil (I've also used avocado oil)
1/2 c cold water
*combine ingredients in bowl, stir with fork, turn out and knead 1 minute
*cover with plastic wrap (I use a ziplock bag so I can wash and reuse it) and rest at room temperature 30 minutes
*Roll 2/3 of dough to 12 1/2" round, Fit into 8" round cake pan at least 2" deep. 

Filling:
oil to saute 
1 medium red onion
4 garlic cloves
3 pounds of chard- small dice on stems, leaves cut into ribbons
1-2 oz feta
1/3 c chopped black olives
lemon zest and 1 Tbsp juice
1-2 eggs
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

I saute the onions, then add the garlic and the chopped stems. Since it's a lot of greens, I add them in batches and empty into a colander in the sink as the pan gets full. You want to get out a lot of the moisture (squeeze cooled greens). Then put in large bowl and add everything else. 
*Add filling to crust.
*Roll rest of dough to 9 1/2" round- place on top. Pinch and seal edges. Cut vents. Brush top with milk or egg. 
*You can freeze the whole thing at this point. Or bake 375F about 1 hour. I freeze leftover baked, cut slices.

All community garden events canceled until further notice

After today’s shelter in place decision, all upcoming compost and seedling give-aways are canceled until further notice.

I leave it to each of you to decide what the request from city officials means in regards to working in individual garden plots. I hope that having access to a hyper-local food supply in your own plot cements the importance of our garden program. Food security is not just a catch-phrase, it’s one of the many reasons I built this program. Thank you for sharing the vision with me.

Be safe and stay well
Yours in community, jean

March updates-weeds, rain, and calendar changes

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all staying well and are glad to have a place outside to spend some time. If you have extra gardening time, or extra hands (I heard SFUSD is closed starting Monday), the community spaces and pathways around the plots in some of the gardens can really use some help. This is officially your responsibility as a garden member. But any mulched pathways can be weeded by anyone, so lend a hand to maintain the work that volunteers have put into the gardens over the last year. Thanks in advance for helping tend our neighborhood garden gems!

It looks like we are poised to get some rain, which is great! But it also looks like it's happening this Saturday-Tuesday. I will still be at the Ft Scott Garden with compost and seedlings on Saturday from 11am-2pm. In acknowledgement of the rain, and the fact that many people are working from home, compost and seedlings will also be available at the Ft Scott Garden on Wednesday 3/18 from 3-6pm, and Friday 3/20 from 11am-2pm. If you borrow buckets, please plan to return them same day so they are available for the next give-away.

Seedlings that will be available: kale, cabbage-red and green, broccoli- green and purple, lettuce, Romanesco, and chard.

The West Washington Garden compost evening is scheduled for 3/17. I'll email the garden members that afternoon if it's raining to reschedule.

Finally, I think it's only best to cancel our Spring Pizza Potluck scheduled for 3/28. This is one of my favorite events- we'll reschedule once it seems reasonable to do so.

we tried growing tatsoi for the first time

gorgeous spring flowers at West Washington

Garden Resource Days/ Spring Garden Potluck/ Garden Updates/ classes

Calendar updates
Compost and seedling giveaways continue at the Ft Scott Community Garden this Thursday from 2-5pm and this Saturday from 11am-2pm. Rain is in the forecast every day from March 9-17, so now is the time to weed and plant and let nature water for you. See the calendar for upcoming dates and evening garden visits. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the calendar (using a phone? you'll need to click "view as web version" at the bottom to find the calendar).

Don't forget- if you haven't planted yet, the use-it-or-lose-it cut-off for spring plantings is April 14. Don't wait- plant now!

Spring Pizza Party Potluck- Saturday March 28
We're celebrating spring at the Ft Scott Garden- open to any community garden member with RSVP. Please bring a potluck dish to share for lunch. RSVP here

Happenings in the gardens
Our cover crops are all turned in and ready for planting. We've planted peas, onions, leeks, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, lettuce, beets, and radicchio seedlings and carrot, radish, and turnip seeds. I'll be planting our cucumbers, beans, and summer squash this week. The irises are starting to flower and the garden is green! I also had some help from our Trust roofer to install gutters on the greenhouse and hook them up to a rain water harvesting barrel that I found next to a dumpster. Looks like we'll get to see how it works in the next few weeks.

Ranunculus in bloom at Ft Scott Garden

We've had some great volunteer days in the gardens- weeding and mulching paths at Baker Beach garden #2 and Ft Scott in February, plus individual volunteers planting, weeding, clearing vines from our California Buckeye tree, and helping me build a replacement bed at Portola. I'm also working with our Integrated Pest Manager and her intern to install 1/4" hardware cloth at the West Washington garden- the wire extends 2 feet above and below ground. We hope that this discourages rodents from crossing into the garden area from the iceplant-covered hill next to it.

In Union Square this Saturday there will be free tulip bulbs on American tulip day from 1-4:30p.






Places to learn more:
Click for upcoming classes at Garden for the Environment, a 3/11 vegetable preservation class in Alameda, and a 3/16 fundraising dinner for Alemany Farm at Zuni Cafe.

Sunny days ahead/ Spring Compost give-aways/ Gardening in SF Guide

Hi everyone,

MLK Day of Service volunteers clearing ivy

It looks like we're in for some nice weather after today's rain moves through- just in time for February planting! We've been busy in the gardens- I have 3 volunteers that took the Garden for the Environment fall gardening class series and they will be working with me regularly to plant, harvest, and maintain the vegetable beds we use for volunteer and restaurant produce. We also had 35 folks help out on MLK Day at the Ft Scott Garden and we filled 3 dump trucks with branches, weeds and ivy!

winter sun on Bergenia flowers

Calendar

It's time to put some weekday and evening compost give-away dates on the calendar. The Google calendar at the bottom of the page has been updated. Please make note of the dates and times compost will be available- I'm sorry I can't fulfill any requests for compost outside of these times. Planned times are subject to change due to weather and schedule conflicts.

2/3,  2-5pm- compost at Ft Scott Garden (for all members)

2/8,  11am-2pm- Garden Resource Day at Ft Scott Garden: compost + seedlings for all members

2/20, 2-5pm- compost at Ft Scott Garden (for all members)

3/5,   2-5pm- compost at Ft Scott Garden (for all members)

3/10, 5-7pm- compost at South Baker Beach Gardens

3/14, 11am-2pm- Garden Resource Day at Ft Scott Garden: compost + seedlings for all members

3/16, 2-5pm- compost at Ft Scott Garden (for all members)

winter greens at Ft Scott garden

3/17, 5-7pm- compost at West Washington Garden

3/19, 5-7pm- compost at Baker Beach Garden #1

3/23, 5-7pm- compost at Baker Beach Garden #2

3/24, 5-7pm- compost at Portola Garden

3/31, 5-7pm- compost at MacArthur Garden

4/7,  5-7pm- compost at Lendrum Ct Garden

4/9,  5-6pm- compost at Baker Beach Garden #3

4/9,  6-7pm- compost at Baker Beach Garden #4

4/11 11am-2pm Garden Resource Day at Ft Scott Garden- compost + seedlings for all members

4/14- Spring Planting Cut-off: garden plots will all be checked to see that they are weeded, no plants are flowering/seeding that shouldn't be, and there are spring crops growing. If plots are not actively used and maintained on this date, you will LOSE it. If you have questions prior to the cut-off date, please contact me: jkoch@presidiotrust.gov 

Looking for hands-on garden learning? See what Garden for the Environment has on offer!

Click to find a document former intern Kasey put together with a lot of helpful information about gardening in SF:

Happy New Year- Garden resource day/ plot checks/ volunteering

Welcome to 2020!

 

Our first garden resource day of the new year is this Saturday from 11am-2pm at the Ft Scott Community Garden. Come by to borrow a shovel and turn your soil, then add some compost to your plot. You'll be ready to plant!

Garden resource days will happen monthly, generally on the second Saturday if my schedule permits (May will be on the 16th, not the 9th). 

Check the Google calendar on this blog for updates (scroll down to find it).

Winter plot checks are just around the corner- starting next Tuesday the 14th I'll be visiting the gardens to make sure things are looking tidy and weeded. Warnings will go out if you haven't cleaned up the remains of summer crops like tomatoes, or if your plot has too many weeds, vegetables overgrown and flowering, or generally looks like you haven't touched it since November. The weeds grow fast, so if you haven't been out in the past month, I'd recommend a visit soon. Don't forget to spend time weeding the pathways while the plants are tiny- we all need to work together to have well-tended and inviting neighborhood spaces!

the narcissus are in full bloom
at Ft Scott Garden right now

• 1/13 - Ft Scott 
• 1/14 - MacArthur, Portola 
• 1/20 - Baker Beach, South Baker Beach 
• 1/21 - Lendrum Ct, West Washington

What to plant in January (Golden Gate Gardening)

Collard greens, kohlrabi, leeks, mustard greens, onion seeds and sets, turnip seeds

What to plant in February

Fava beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrot seeds, chard, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsnip seeds, peas, potatoes, radish seeds, spinach, turnips

Garden updates

Thanks to all the garden members who joined in the fun of winter wreath making in December! 

 

Once or twice a month there are Trust sponsored Garden Stewards days when we host volunteer programs at the neighborhood community garden sites. This month we'll be at MacArthur on 1/9 and Ft. Scott on 1/23- come out and lend a hand! Plus there are snacks :)

Drop in volunteer hours at the Ft Scott Community Garden- many thanks to the small, but dedicated group of volunteers who help make the Ft. Scott Community Garden such a lovely place. In the first 3 months of this fiscal year they contributed 120 hours! I'm also looking for a few people who would like to help harvest for the restaurant program- one or two hours of low-impact activity and a chance to learn more about gardening- sounds great, doesn't it? If you are interested in helping out, get in touch! 

Bill rescuing the CA Buckeye from vines