Community Gardeners...current or interested, please read
Jenny Devaud
From: Cathy Chittum <ca...@growinggardens.org>
To: jenny....@yahoo.com
Sent: Fri, October 30, 2009 10:21:14 AM
Subject: Community Garden November Newsletter
November 2009
Community Garden Newsletter
This is the last newsletter of the season. We hope you had an enjoyable and bountiful year gardening!
Sunday, Nov 15: Community Garden Season Ends
This is the deadline to clean up your plot, complete and report community service hours in order to renew for 2010. Fines will be issued after November 15th for community service hours not completed.
I walked the gardens this week and contacted gardeners who need to clean up their plots. If these plots are not cleaned up by November 15th, you will not be able to renew in 2010.
Community Service Opportunities
Fall Greenhouse & Cultiva Field Volunteer Opportunities Until November 11th
Simply come to the Greenhouse or Cultiva Field at 1630 Hawthorn Avenue during the following hours and ask for Julie or Ben.
Tuesdays 8:30am to 12pm
Wednesdays 1pm to 5pm
If you still have community service hours to complete by November 15th, please contact me soon and I will assign you to a task.
Community Garden Updates
Have you decided NOT to renew your garden plot next year?
It would be helpful to know if you are NOT planning to renew your garden plot in 2010. Please call or send an email with your name and plot number.
New Handicap Raised Beds at Hawthorn!
With a generous Rotary Club grant and volunteer work day we were recently able to build four raised beds on the north east side of the garden. These beds are 4’ x 8’ and will be available in 2010 to community gardeners with physical limitations. If you know of someone in need of one of these beds, please let me know.
Free Rototiller
We have a non-working 5 HP rototiller that we no longer want. You are welcome to take this and use to rototill community garden plots on your own, but you will not be able to store it on the community garden properties. Please contact me if you are interested in resuming ownership of this piece of equipment.
Plot Clean Up
Fall is officially here and the gardening season is sadly ending. Here are some highlights of what needs to be done to your plot by November 15th in order to renew in 2010.
- Remove all dead vegetation from the plot and pathways and place in compost carts/dumpsters if not composting on site.
- Place all tools back in the shed
- Remove all plastic items from the plot: chairs, water wells, tables, bags, etc.
- Turn off timers and take home drip irrigation systems and garden hoses.
- Repair fences and fence posts. Make sure they are not falling into the paths or that post ends are not sharp. Tennis balls work great for covering sharp ends.
- We also suggest you plant your plot in a winter cover crop such as vetch, winter rye, white dutch clover, etc. This will give your plot much needed nutrients, decrease soil erosion and help your soil to retain moisture. You can purchase seed at McGuckin’s.
Compost Dumpsters
If the compost dumpster is full, please place your debris on the ground next to the dumpster. If debris collects in front of the dumpster, Western is not able to empty them. If you see the dumpster empty, please transfer the debris inside. Compost carts and dumpsters will remain in the gardens until the third week of November.
Rototilling Services
Boulder resident Tom Moore provides rototilling to gardeners. He can be reached at 303-444-8565.
Fall Leaves
Sorry, but we no longer have a surplus of leaves on the Hawthorn property for use in your garden plot. Please bring them from home or ask a friend if you can take their supply.
Manure Deliveries
Community gardener Curly Pedrick is available for horse manure deliveries to your garden. He charges $50/truckload or $25/half load. You can contact Curly at 303-440-9153
Just a reminder that manure needs to be worked in to your soil within three days after delivery. Hosing the manure down immediately after placing it on your plot also helps to reduce the smell. When you are planning your manure delivery make sure you have the time and energy to work it in right away!
Second Plots
Due to the extensive length of the garden wait lists we are not allowing existing gardeners to take on additional plots in 2010. We instead would like to encourage more new gardeners to participate in the community gardening program. Current gardeners with two plots may keep both, but please let me know if you have decided to give one up. There are many people on the wait lists who are eager to get a plot.
Plot Renewals 2010
Community garden renewal information will go out in January. If you have cleaned up your plot, fulfilled your community service hours and have no outstanding money due, you will automatically be sent renewal information. It is your responsibility to keep us updated with your current mailing and email address. The deadline for garden plot renewals is February 12, 2010. If you have not renewed you plot by that date it will be offered to someone on the waitlist.
Enjoy the holidays and have a great winter! Think (more) snow.
Cathy