Spring weather ahead- a good time for planting/ 5/4 save the date

Hi all,

A reminder that the spring planting cut-off is coming up on April 16. This is a use-it or lose-it date. If you haven't visited your garden since the winter plot checks in January, you might be super surprised at how big the weeds are, again. Plan time to pull them, turn the soil, add compost, and apply Sluggo or Sluggo Plus when you plant or your new seeds and seedlings will be gobbled up by all the pests that have been happily living under the carpet of weeds. Even with all the pest control and regular harvesting I do, I  just moved a piece of lumber in our lettuce bed and found about 20 slugs hanging out, plus lots more hiding inside the lettuce leaves. Yuck!

This is a great weekend for gardening- sunshine and dry weather, followed by more rain in the forecast next week. If you are planning to rely mostly on seeds directly sown into the soil, please plant now so they have sprouted before April 16. If your plot looks empty, I'll have to assume that it is.

You may also find that many of your vegetables held over from last year or earlier this winter are starting to flower. Remember we need to remove most plants once they start to flower. Plants likely to be flowering now are: kale, lettuce, mustards, parsley, cabbage and any root crops you didn't harvest (carrots, radish, beets). Make sure they are pulled before the April 16 cut off as well. Most of the greens are still edible, although lettuce tends to get bitter as it bolts and the root crops get very woody. And look closely at the kale flower stalks- many of them are covered in aphids since they like the tender new growth.

If you have questions about your plot, please get in touch before 4/16! Thanks and have a great weekend!!

P.S.: Save the date for a "May the Fourth be with you/ Cuatro de Mayo" garden party announcement- we're hoping to host a pizza potluck that Saturday over lunchtime. Fun!!

Upcoming dates/ aphids + weed links

Hi Presidio Community Gardeners!

First, thanks to those of you who let me know that the blog posts arrive in your email the day after I post them. That's really good for me to know. I'm sorry to those of you who missed the bonus seedling give-away day- it was really a last minute decision to work on Saturday once I saw how much rain was expected today.

Upcoming calendar dates:

The next planned seedling and compost give-away will be on Saturday, March 9 at the Ft. Scott Community Garden. I'm going to extend the hours from 10am to 3pm. Please mark this on your calendar if you want to come, as I'll be on vacation from tomorrow until March 7 so won't be able to send a reminder until the day before.

April 16 is the spring planting cut-off but March is the best time to plant (if you didn't do it in February).

What's happening in the garden?

Aphids! They are starting to be out in force, covering the bottom of kale and all sorts of other plants in the Brassicaceae family. Check the underside of leaves and the tender growing centers. You can try to wash or brush them off, spray with insecticidal soap, or remove severely infested leaves.  

Here are links about many of the common weeds you may find in your plot. Understanding weed ecology is key to effective weed management! Does it spread via runners? Underground bulblets? Seeds? UC IPM is a good starting place. [IPM = integrated pest management]
Chickweed
Popweed
Oxalis
Sowthistle
Bindweed
Groundsel
Woodsorrel

We're also clearing out last year's crops to make space for spring planting. Here is a cabbage and a potato- they gave us a laugh!

Enjoy your gardens!!

Saturday 2/23 seedling give-away/ GFE March classes

There are a few more sunny days ahead, before another round of wet weather. We've been busy filling our garden beds with lettuce, chard, spinach, mustard greens, onions, peas, zucchini, and brassica seedlings + radish & carrot seeds.

Good news! if you want another chance to pick up vegetable seedlings, I'll be at the Ft. Scott Community Garden tomorrow, Saturday 2/23, from 10am-1pm with leftover seedlings. There won't be any compost however. If you haven't returned pots and buckets from last Saturday- please drop them off for re-use. Thanks!

Seedlings available:
Red cabbage
Green cabbage
Chinese cabbage
Lettuce
Romanesco (only 5)
Cauliflower
Chard
Kale (only 3)
Mustard greens

Spring at the historic Ft. Scott Community Garden

Spring Learning at Garden for the Environment

Garden for the Environment will offer the following workshops in March 2019. All will be at Garden for the Environment, San Francisco’s teaching garden, at 7th Avenue and Lawton Street (1590 7^th Avenue). Founded in 1990, our garden offers informative, hands-on workshops on most Saturdays that teach Bay Area residents how to grow climate-appropriate gardens and food, make compost, and conserve water. 

For more information, visit our website at www.gardenfortheenvironment.org.

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UPCOMING VOLUNTEER DAYS, WORKSHOPS, AND EVENTS

Regular Educational Volunteer Hours

When: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 3pm

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, March 2nd, 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. Come learn what you can do to improve your garden and prevent organic waste from ending up in the landfill.

Beginning Beekeeping: The Basics and Starting a Hive (rescheduled)

When: Saturday, March 2^nd, 10am to 12pm

Cost: $25

Register: bit.ly/GFEBeekeepingMar2019

So you're thinking of becoming a beekeeper? This workshop is an introduction to bees and beekeeping practices whether you're starting a backyard hive or are just curious about bees. We'll cover equipment and tools needed, bee biology basics, and provide practical knowledge to get your beekeeping journey started.

The class is designed for absolute beginners so no prerequisite knowledge is required. There will be a hands-on hive inspection, weather permitting. Protective clothing will be provided.

The Edible Garden in March

When: Saturday, March 9^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 growing your own transplants, what seeds to start indoors and outdoors, and successful transplanting of seedlings. Bring questions and we'll do our best to answer them so you can reap a bountiful harvest!

NEW! -- Family Urban Nature (FUN) Afternoon in the Garden

When: Saturday, March 23^rd, 1 to 3pm

Cost: FREE

Register: http://bit.ly/GFEFunUrbanNature

During this FUN two-hour workshop, families will learn together about the natural world. Garden Educators from GFE will lead our educational hands-on activities where you will have the chance to do a tasting tour of the garden, turn garden scraps into compost, observe our worms doing important work, plant food for the urban farm and pot up a pollinator plant to take home!

FUN workshops are for children ages 5-12 and all children must be accompanied by an adult.

This FREE workshop is sponsored by the EPA, in partnership with Education Outside.

Introduction to Sustainable Gardening Series – ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!

When: Saturdays, March 9^th, 16^th, and 23^rd -- 10am to 12pm

Cost: $30 for the full 3-part series. You’ll receive $30 in gift cards (One $10 gift card for either the Urban Farmer Store or Cole Hardware at each workshop for a total of $30 in gift cards if you attend all three workshops).

Register: http://bit.ly/GFESustainableMar2019
Sponsored by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
The Introduction to Sustainable Gardening series is a three-part workshop series designed to help you transform your backyard into a thriving, sustainable garden. This course will teach you everything you need to know to plant flourishing perennial gardens that save water and attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

San Francisco is a beautiful and unique city, with mild temperatures year-round and dry, foggy summers. Learn what plants are adapted to our coastal climate and grow without the need for toxic pesticides or large amounts of water. This course will focus on native and drought-tolerant ornamental gardens, but will cover broad topics that can also apply to vegetable gardening.

Dig In! - Six-Part Edible Gardening Series – ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!

When: Saturdays, March 30^th – May 4^th, 10am to 12pm

Where: Garden for the Environment, 1590 7^th Ave. at Lawton St., San Francisco

Cost: $175

Register: bit.ly/GFEDigIn2019

Do you want to get your hands dirty? Learn how to garden this spring! This six-part workshop series is designed after our renowned Get Up! training program and will teach you everything you need to start growing food in your backyard.

San Francisco provides a perfect climate for growing food year-round food! Even a small backyard space can be enough to grow healthy veggies. In this six-part workshop series, we will first build a raised bed together, and then you will learn how to make healthy soil, build a simple irrigation system, plant and care for veggies, and harvest your crops.

Garden for the Environment

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