Posts
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Community Gardeners have a sense of whimsy
I found this adorable planting at the corner of one plot, I think it was plot #44. Some have planted bird houses, and a pair of purple finches have moved in to one already.
Check out plot 17 for a pair of hands reaching out of the garden, and stroll through looking for whirlygigs marking some plots, and American flags marking others.
A number of clever trellis systems have been installed. Take a look and see how creative they are!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Top 10 Vegetable Garden Mistakes
Top 10 Vegetable Garden Mistakes – by Brenda Fish, Master Gardener
One of the most rewarding parts of beginning a vegetable garden is the experience we gain. All gardeners have made mistakes, it is often said that we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. Some gardeners talk about planting mint in their garden and then pulling it out like weeds for the next ten years, others mention that they planted their first garden in the shade because that was where space was available. I’ve selected the top ten mistakes that may affect community gardeners at OSU Unger Farms in Crawford County, Ohio. Many may be applicable to home gardeners, as well. Read through and see how many mistakes you’ve avoided!
Mistake 1: Planting too closely together
This is very common. When plants are small, they look better if they are closer together – and the needed space around them seems wasted. It’s human nature to want to use all the available garden space. Unfortunately, when the plant matures, it can be a sprawling monster or tangle of vines that can be hard to work around.
Probable result if not corrected: Reduced yield, small or no fruits, poor root development
How to prevent: Consult the seed package or information tag on plants for recommended spacing. You can use a reference such as “Square Foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew or Extension resources such as http://www.ohioline.osu.edu/ or check with local Master Gardeners for specific crop recommendations.
How to correct: Remove extra plants, find them a new home if possible. Otherwise, compost them. If desired, plant other quick-growing plants that you can harvest as larger plants mature. For example, if you plant a row of radishes early in the spring in the same block as your tomatoes, the radishes will be grown and harvested before the tomatoes reach their mature size.
Mistake 2: Disregarding the best season for the plant.
All plants have a best “season” for optimum growth. The temperature and day-length combination, and even the amount of moisture the plant receives, can affect growth. Some plants such as peas, potatoes, lettuce, cole crops like kale, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower; radishes are “cool season” crops. They do best if planted early (Mid-March) so that they can mature before the hot weather in June and July force them into bolting and producing seed. Other plants like tomatoes, peppers, and curcurbits are warm-season plants that just don’t grow if it’s not warm enough. Onions are extremely sensitive to day-length, with the leafy growth changing to bulb growth at a certain point in the year. Radishes can take as few as 30 days to produce a crop, but pumpkins might take 110.
Probable result if not corrected: Some warm-season crops may become excessively hardened if they are exposed to cold temperatures too early in the season and yields may be reduced.
Lettuce and cole crops will bolt (go to seed) in hot weather and leaves may turn bitter. Radishes may not form bulbs.
How to prevent: The early-season plants do best if planted early (Mid-March) so that they can mature before the hot weather in June and July force them into bolting. They can also be planted later in the year, in mid-late July, so that they mature in the cooler fall weather.
How to correct: You can go ahead and let cool-season crops grow out, or remove and compost. They can also be planted later in the year, in mid-late July, so that they mature in the cooler fall weather. Some commercial growers have found they can lower the air temperature by applying misting systems for evaporative cooling, however, this may not be cost-effective in a home garden.
Mistake 3: Choosing overly mature or leggy plants at the garden center.
Seeing that first tomato on the vine is exciting, and it seems that you will be assured of success if you choose a plant that is already bearing fruit. What could go wrong?
Probable result if not corrected: When you transplant that plant into the garden, it will experience transplant shock. If there are blossoms, they may fall off, or the plant will put its energy into vegetative growth, roots and leaves, instead of forming more fruit.
How to prevent: Choose plants that are young and tender. The root ball should just fill the pot to the edge; you should not see roots trailing out the top or bottom of the container.
How to correct: For plants in the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants), trim or pinch the top of plants when transplanting, and rough up or disturb the root ball, especially if the container is root-bound, to stimulate new root growth. Plant these plants deeper than they were in the original container. Vine crops like pumpkins cannot be trimmed.
Mistake 4: Planting transplants for short-season, heat-loving plants -zucchini, cucumber, or melons - instead of seeds.
Probable result if not corrected: These plants are sensitive to transplant shock, and growth may be delayed while they recover.
How to prevent: Plant these plants from seed, direct-sown in the garden. Planting in mid-May often yields fruit by mid- to late- July.
How to correct: If you planted transplants, no correction is necessary unless plant appears to be struggling. Eventually the plant may recover and begin growing again. If it’s not too late (very early June), remove and replace with seeds.
Mistake 5: Overwatering (or underwatering)
Most vegetable plants should have about an inch of rain a week. It is important to water deeply and less often, rather than shallowly on a more frequent basis. Frequent shallow watering means roots will not grow deep. It is better to water in the morning to avoid fungal disease that can occur when watering at night.
Probable result if not corrected: If the plant gets too much water, the soil can become waterlogged, the roots will fail to get enough oxygen, and the plant may die, or not develop a deep root system that will pull up water and nutrients. If not enough water, the plant will wilt. If wilting proceeds too far the plant may die.
How to prevent: Buy a rain gauge so that you can monitor how much water your garden is receiving. Be relaxed about this, even if the garden doesn’t receive an inch of rain in one week, the soil may contain enough moisture to supply the plant if the drought is not extended. Use a trowel to determine how far down the soil has dried out.
Choose appropriate varieties of plants for your climate or microclimate, cactus do not often survive next to a stream. Many herbs prefer dry soil.
How to correct: If there is a period of extended drought or dryness, water the plants if they are showing obvious signs of distress, such as wilting or leaves curling.
Mistake 6: Over-treating with insecticides.
Probable result if not corrected: Overuse or misuse of broad-spectrum insecticides can lead to death or illness of species other than the intended plant pests – namely, beneficial insects may be affected, or so could pets, children and people. When pesticides are over-applied, they may wash off with the rain, or drift off with the wind, and become pollutants to the water supply. In addition, just as with human antibiotic treatments, insects may become resistant to some products.
How to prevent: Use only as directed on the label, or find alternative controls. Use integrated pest management – meaning use only the least amount needed for effective control, and apply it at only the appropriate time in the insect’s life cycle to have the maximum impact.
How to correct: Observe your garden plants carefully. Look at underside of leaves as well as the tops and stems to find evidence of damage or potential damage such as insect egg sacs. The first step in controlling any pest is to correctly identify the pest. If you are unable to identify it, bring to OSU Extension office for help. Never randomly apply any product to a pest (weed, insect or disease) without identification otherwise you may be using the wrong product and could cause damage to vegetable plants and the environment. Educate yourself on pest biology to determine how and when the pest can be controlled. This information is available at http://ohioline.osu.edu/. Sometimes less-toxic alternatives such as diatomaceous earth, neem oil, pheromes, and beneficial insects can be effective, if applied at the correct insect or disease state of growth. Newer forms of traditional products are available, such as Sevin with bait (Adios)TM that allow you to use less of the toxic chemical. Always thoroughly read and follow pesticide label directions. Consider the use of floating row covers or mulch to provide a physical barrier against the insect or disease.
Mistake 7: Choosing the wrong varieties
Probable result if not corrected: Disappointing results. For example, if you plant pole beans instead of bush beans, you may not be prepared with a bean teepee when they start climbing into the air. Or if you plant Seven-top turnips, you may be disappointed to find that the bulb is not as big as a Purple Globe variety would have been. Some varieties of tomatoes are ready in 60 days but others may take 80 or more days to produce a vine-ripened, juicy tomato.
How to prevent: Research varieties through seed catalogs or garden magazines or the internet. Go to http://crawford.osu.edu/ online for varieties that have done well in Crawford County, or ask Master Gardeners for varieties that have done well in your area. One indicator of a popular variety that others have had success with all across the U.S. is the All-America selection winner designation.
How to correct: Pick different varieties next time.
Mistake 8: Allowing plants to go to seed or grow too big
When a plant reaches the stage of producing blossoms and fruit, and then producing seed, it is reaching the end of its life and trying to reproduce. If the seeds become mature, the plant has fulfilled its purpose in life, and releases hormones that make it produce less and eventually die.
Probable result if not corrected:
Reduced yields resulting from early plant decline.
How to prevent: Pick early and often. Zucchini and cucumber, especially, can double in size in a day, or hide under a leaf for a day or two beyond their prime. Observe the size of the zucchini in the produce market at your local grocery and aim for picking them at that size. If possible, check twice a day.
How to correct: It is not a sin to pull up a zucchini plant and put it in the compost pile. Then you can put in some more beets and still have time to have them by October.
Mistake 9: Not keeping up with the weeding
Probable result if not corrected: Garden plants compete with weeds for sunlight, soil nutrients, water and air circulation. You may have reduced yields or you may just not be able to find your cucumbers! No one likes to work in a messy garden, and as the weeds grow you may find yourself avoiding the garden to avoid the mess. As weeds go to seed you have just set yourself up for more problems in the next garden cycle.
How to prevent: Hoeing and mulching are recommended techniques for reducing weeds. Weeds are much easier to hoe when small. Be sure to use an appropriate mulch for your plants. Remember that if you use an organic mulch like hardwood, you may need to add additional nitrogen since the breakdown of the mulch does use soil nitrogen. Also be aware that slugs and snails like mulch, too. You might also try planting in wide beds instead of rows, so that the garden plants shade out weed seedlings and prevent them from developing.
How to correct: Hoe, Hoe, Hoe! Catch weeds when they are small and easy to hoe out, don’t wait until they are big and you have to pull them.
Mistake 10: Under-fertilizing (or over-fertilizing)
Many people think that growing vegetables “organically” or naturally means not using fertilizer at all. In fact, for people choosing to avoid chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers are available, and the soil can be fertilized by amendment with compost and composted manures. Other alternatives may be available. At Unger Farm Community gardens, we have Bucyrus City Sludge, a fertilizer that AFTER TRAINING will be made available to gardeners.
Probable result if not corrected: Plants will show signs of nutrient deficiencies if the soil does not have essential nutrients. Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant signal a nitrogen deficiency, while “burnt”-looking leaf tips can sometimes signal a phosphorus deficiency. New leaves that are reddish or purplish in color, if not typical for the plant, can also signal a phosphorus deficiency. Yellowing of the leaves between the veins can signal a potassium shortage, and the edges of the leaves may look brown or scorched. Nitrogen affects vegetative growth, phosphorus supports strong blossom and bulb development, and potassium affects water movement in plants. Typically, in this area, nitrogen is the most common deficiency because it is easily lost from the soil. Less common are the micro nutrient deficiencies in other essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc; or trace minerals such as molybdenum, copper, boron, or selenium. Minerals like calcium can alter the soil’s pH and this can also affect plant growth.
Too much fertilizer can also be harmful and can burn the leaves: the plants are reacting to a salt toxicity. These symptoms can mimic the effect of some deficiencies. How do you know whether you have too much or too little? See “how to prevent”!
How to prevent: Have soil tested before starting to garden and amend the soil only as indicated by the test results. At our community garden in Bucyrus, the soil has been tested and found not to have any deficiencies in micronutrients, phosphorus, or potassium.
How to correct: Side-dress with appropriate fertilizers. Be careful not to burn the roots of the plants by applying too heavily. The community gardeners at our garden in Bucyrus should only apply Nitrogen fertilizers such as urea, which has been made available and will be available.
Conclusion: So, what’s your score? Don’t despair, many of the mistakes can still be corrected. Mother Nature is nothing if not forgiving. Relax, enjoy the sunshine and fellowship, have fun, and try again, there’s plenty of gardening season left, and always next year!
One of the most rewarding parts of beginning a vegetable garden is the experience we gain. All gardeners have made mistakes, it is often said that we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. Some gardeners talk about planting mint in their garden and then pulling it out like weeds for the next ten years, others mention that they planted their first garden in the shade because that was where space was available. I’ve selected the top ten mistakes that may affect community gardeners at OSU Unger Farms in Crawford County, Ohio. Many may be applicable to home gardeners, as well. Read through and see how many mistakes you’ve avoided!
Mistake 1: Planting too closely together
This is very common. When plants are small, they look better if they are closer together – and the needed space around them seems wasted. It’s human nature to want to use all the available garden space. Unfortunately, when the plant matures, it can be a sprawling monster or tangle of vines that can be hard to work around.
Probable result if not corrected: Reduced yield, small or no fruits, poor root development
How to prevent: Consult the seed package or information tag on plants for recommended spacing. You can use a reference such as “Square Foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew or Extension resources such as http://www.ohioline.osu.edu/ or check with local Master Gardeners for specific crop recommendations.
How to correct: Remove extra plants, find them a new home if possible. Otherwise, compost them. If desired, plant other quick-growing plants that you can harvest as larger plants mature. For example, if you plant a row of radishes early in the spring in the same block as your tomatoes, the radishes will be grown and harvested before the tomatoes reach their mature size.
Mistake 2: Disregarding the best season for the plant.
All plants have a best “season” for optimum growth. The temperature and day-length combination, and even the amount of moisture the plant receives, can affect growth. Some plants such as peas, potatoes, lettuce, cole crops like kale, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower; radishes are “cool season” crops. They do best if planted early (Mid-March) so that they can mature before the hot weather in June and July force them into bolting and producing seed. Other plants like tomatoes, peppers, and curcurbits are warm-season plants that just don’t grow if it’s not warm enough. Onions are extremely sensitive to day-length, with the leafy growth changing to bulb growth at a certain point in the year. Radishes can take as few as 30 days to produce a crop, but pumpkins might take 110.
Probable result if not corrected: Some warm-season crops may become excessively hardened if they are exposed to cold temperatures too early in the season and yields may be reduced.
Lettuce and cole crops will bolt (go to seed) in hot weather and leaves may turn bitter. Radishes may not form bulbs.
How to prevent: The early-season plants do best if planted early (Mid-March) so that they can mature before the hot weather in June and July force them into bolting. They can also be planted later in the year, in mid-late July, so that they mature in the cooler fall weather.
How to correct: You can go ahead and let cool-season crops grow out, or remove and compost. They can also be planted later in the year, in mid-late July, so that they mature in the cooler fall weather. Some commercial growers have found they can lower the air temperature by applying misting systems for evaporative cooling, however, this may not be cost-effective in a home garden.
Mistake 3: Choosing overly mature or leggy plants at the garden center.
Seeing that first tomato on the vine is exciting, and it seems that you will be assured of success if you choose a plant that is already bearing fruit. What could go wrong?
Probable result if not corrected: When you transplant that plant into the garden, it will experience transplant shock. If there are blossoms, they may fall off, or the plant will put its energy into vegetative growth, roots and leaves, instead of forming more fruit.
How to prevent: Choose plants that are young and tender. The root ball should just fill the pot to the edge; you should not see roots trailing out the top or bottom of the container.
How to correct: For plants in the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants), trim or pinch the top of plants when transplanting, and rough up or disturb the root ball, especially if the container is root-bound, to stimulate new root growth. Plant these plants deeper than they were in the original container. Vine crops like pumpkins cannot be trimmed.
Mistake 4: Planting transplants for short-season, heat-loving plants -zucchini, cucumber, or melons - instead of seeds.
Probable result if not corrected: These plants are sensitive to transplant shock, and growth may be delayed while they recover.
How to prevent: Plant these plants from seed, direct-sown in the garden. Planting in mid-May often yields fruit by mid- to late- July.
How to correct: If you planted transplants, no correction is necessary unless plant appears to be struggling. Eventually the plant may recover and begin growing again. If it’s not too late (very early June), remove and replace with seeds.
Mistake 5: Overwatering (or underwatering)
Most vegetable plants should have about an inch of rain a week. It is important to water deeply and less often, rather than shallowly on a more frequent basis. Frequent shallow watering means roots will not grow deep. It is better to water in the morning to avoid fungal disease that can occur when watering at night.
Probable result if not corrected: If the plant gets too much water, the soil can become waterlogged, the roots will fail to get enough oxygen, and the plant may die, or not develop a deep root system that will pull up water and nutrients. If not enough water, the plant will wilt. If wilting proceeds too far the plant may die.
How to prevent: Buy a rain gauge so that you can monitor how much water your garden is receiving. Be relaxed about this, even if the garden doesn’t receive an inch of rain in one week, the soil may contain enough moisture to supply the plant if the drought is not extended. Use a trowel to determine how far down the soil has dried out.
Choose appropriate varieties of plants for your climate or microclimate, cactus do not often survive next to a stream. Many herbs prefer dry soil.
How to correct: If there is a period of extended drought or dryness, water the plants if they are showing obvious signs of distress, such as wilting or leaves curling.
Mistake 6: Over-treating with insecticides.
Probable result if not corrected: Overuse or misuse of broad-spectrum insecticides can lead to death or illness of species other than the intended plant pests – namely, beneficial insects may be affected, or so could pets, children and people. When pesticides are over-applied, they may wash off with the rain, or drift off with the wind, and become pollutants to the water supply. In addition, just as with human antibiotic treatments, insects may become resistant to some products.
How to prevent: Use only as directed on the label, or find alternative controls. Use integrated pest management – meaning use only the least amount needed for effective control, and apply it at only the appropriate time in the insect’s life cycle to have the maximum impact.
How to correct: Observe your garden plants carefully. Look at underside of leaves as well as the tops and stems to find evidence of damage or potential damage such as insect egg sacs. The first step in controlling any pest is to correctly identify the pest. If you are unable to identify it, bring to OSU Extension office for help. Never randomly apply any product to a pest (weed, insect or disease) without identification otherwise you may be using the wrong product and could cause damage to vegetable plants and the environment. Educate yourself on pest biology to determine how and when the pest can be controlled. This information is available at http://ohioline.osu.edu/. Sometimes less-toxic alternatives such as diatomaceous earth, neem oil, pheromes, and beneficial insects can be effective, if applied at the correct insect or disease state of growth. Newer forms of traditional products are available, such as Sevin with bait (Adios)TM that allow you to use less of the toxic chemical. Always thoroughly read and follow pesticide label directions. Consider the use of floating row covers or mulch to provide a physical barrier against the insect or disease.
Mistake 7: Choosing the wrong varieties
Probable result if not corrected: Disappointing results. For example, if you plant pole beans instead of bush beans, you may not be prepared with a bean teepee when they start climbing into the air. Or if you plant Seven-top turnips, you may be disappointed to find that the bulb is not as big as a Purple Globe variety would have been. Some varieties of tomatoes are ready in 60 days but others may take 80 or more days to produce a vine-ripened, juicy tomato.
How to prevent: Research varieties through seed catalogs or garden magazines or the internet. Go to http://crawford.osu.edu/ online for varieties that have done well in Crawford County, or ask Master Gardeners for varieties that have done well in your area. One indicator of a popular variety that others have had success with all across the U.S. is the All-America selection winner designation.
How to correct: Pick different varieties next time.
Mistake 8: Allowing plants to go to seed or grow too big
When a plant reaches the stage of producing blossoms and fruit, and then producing seed, it is reaching the end of its life and trying to reproduce. If the seeds become mature, the plant has fulfilled its purpose in life, and releases hormones that make it produce less and eventually die.
Probable result if not corrected:
Reduced yields resulting from early plant decline.
How to prevent: Pick early and often. Zucchini and cucumber, especially, can double in size in a day, or hide under a leaf for a day or two beyond their prime. Observe the size of the zucchini in the produce market at your local grocery and aim for picking them at that size. If possible, check twice a day.
How to correct: It is not a sin to pull up a zucchini plant and put it in the compost pile. Then you can put in some more beets and still have time to have them by October.
Mistake 9: Not keeping up with the weeding
Probable result if not corrected: Garden plants compete with weeds for sunlight, soil nutrients, water and air circulation. You may have reduced yields or you may just not be able to find your cucumbers! No one likes to work in a messy garden, and as the weeds grow you may find yourself avoiding the garden to avoid the mess. As weeds go to seed you have just set yourself up for more problems in the next garden cycle.
How to prevent: Hoeing and mulching are recommended techniques for reducing weeds. Weeds are much easier to hoe when small. Be sure to use an appropriate mulch for your plants. Remember that if you use an organic mulch like hardwood, you may need to add additional nitrogen since the breakdown of the mulch does use soil nitrogen. Also be aware that slugs and snails like mulch, too. You might also try planting in wide beds instead of rows, so that the garden plants shade out weed seedlings and prevent them from developing.
How to correct: Hoe, Hoe, Hoe! Catch weeds when they are small and easy to hoe out, don’t wait until they are big and you have to pull them.
Mistake 10: Under-fertilizing (or over-fertilizing)
Many people think that growing vegetables “organically” or naturally means not using fertilizer at all. In fact, for people choosing to avoid chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers are available, and the soil can be fertilized by amendment with compost and composted manures. Other alternatives may be available. At Unger Farm Community gardens, we have Bucyrus City Sludge, a fertilizer that AFTER TRAINING will be made available to gardeners.
Probable result if not corrected: Plants will show signs of nutrient deficiencies if the soil does not have essential nutrients. Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant signal a nitrogen deficiency, while “burnt”-looking leaf tips can sometimes signal a phosphorus deficiency. New leaves that are reddish or purplish in color, if not typical for the plant, can also signal a phosphorus deficiency. Yellowing of the leaves between the veins can signal a potassium shortage, and the edges of the leaves may look brown or scorched. Nitrogen affects vegetative growth, phosphorus supports strong blossom and bulb development, and potassium affects water movement in plants. Typically, in this area, nitrogen is the most common deficiency because it is easily lost from the soil. Less common are the micro nutrient deficiencies in other essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc; or trace minerals such as molybdenum, copper, boron, or selenium. Minerals like calcium can alter the soil’s pH and this can also affect plant growth.
Too much fertilizer can also be harmful and can burn the leaves: the plants are reacting to a salt toxicity. These symptoms can mimic the effect of some deficiencies. How do you know whether you have too much or too little? See “how to prevent”!
How to prevent: Have soil tested before starting to garden and amend the soil only as indicated by the test results. At our community garden in Bucyrus, the soil has been tested and found not to have any deficiencies in micronutrients, phosphorus, or potassium.
How to correct: Side-dress with appropriate fertilizers. Be careful not to burn the roots of the plants by applying too heavily. The community gardeners at our garden in Bucyrus should only apply Nitrogen fertilizers such as urea, which has been made available and will be available.
Conclusion: So, what’s your score? Don’t despair, many of the mistakes can still be corrected. Mother Nature is nothing if not forgiving. Relax, enjoy the sunshine and fellowship, have fun, and try again, there’s plenty of gardening season left, and always next year!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Community gardens under way
Last night at Unger farm there was a LOT going on. The Master Gardeners worked on the culinary herb garden, while several of the community gardeners were planting their plots, and our beloved county extension agent passed on a lot of gardening lore to the eager community gardeners and this year's master gardener class. 
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Community Gardens are OPEN!
The plots have been marked, and the gardens are open! Follow the path marked by blue flags from the parking lot to the community gardens area. The plots have been marked with red flags to outline the four corners of each plot and orange stakes with the plot number and assigned gardener.
Look at the big smiles on the faces of these Master Gardeners who are reaping the benefits of asparagus planted several years ago!
The right way to harvest asparagus is to cut it, on the diagonal, just below the soil line. The right way to plant asparagus crowns is to first, pick the right variety. Jersey Giant all-male hybrids are a good choice. Then dig a 12-inch trench, fill it with composted manure for a few inches, and plant the crowns. As the shoots grow, continue to fill in the trench with rich soil, compost or composted manure, a little each week, until the trench is filled in. Asparagus may grow for 40 years or more, and success really depends on how it is planted.
The right way to harvest asparagus is to cut it, on the diagonal, just below the soil line. The right way to plant asparagus crowns is to first, pick the right variety. Jersey Giant all-male hybrids are a good choice. Then dig a 12-inch trench, fill it with composted manure for a few inches, and plant the crowns. As the shoots grow, continue to fill in the trench with rich soil, compost or composted manure, a little each week, until the trench is filled in. Asparagus may grow for 40 years or more, and success really depends on how it is planted. Thursday, April 30, 2009
Unger Farms - future site of Community Gardens
Beautiful soil - it is ALMOST ready. Unfortunately there was an equipment breakdown and the final tilling was not completed before the rain set in. It will be a few days before the ground is dry enough to finish, and for the gardeners to enter.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Work at Unger Farm
Work to be accomplished at Unger Farm, according to Dr. Prochaska at last meeting
1. Lay out of garden plots - I will contact when soils dry (this may be on short notice dependant on weather).
2. Repair of grape arbor: Bruce, Craig and Steve will repair soon.
2. Repair of grape arbor: Bruce, Craig and Steve will repair soon.
3. Pick of apple/peach brush and placement on pile (do not step on asparagus and rhubarb that is coming up).
4. Pruning of blackberries - prune out last years canes and cut to live wood (significant winter kill).
5. Hoe around perennials and jostaberries.
4. Pruning of blackberries - prune out last years canes and cut to live wood (significant winter kill).
5. Hoe around perennials and jostaberries.
Dr. Prochaska also mentioned that the red twig dogwood at the parking lot needs to be cleared out.
I went to the farm tonight and took some pictures: Here is the base of the dogwood. Think it needs some help?
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