Newkirk Community Garden Newsletter, June 2026
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Gardening is a journey of patience and preparation. As we kick off the growing season here at the Newkirk Community Garden, our boxes are assigned and gardeners are busy planting their favorite herbs and vegetables. It is a labor of love and hard work to keep these spaces thriving, and we are looking forward to working together to ensure our garden does well.
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As time goes by, we are starting to see the garden take shape. It is a joy to watch the seeds we planted grow into seedlings and sturdy plants; we know that in the near future, they will begin to bear fruit.
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Coming up at the garden
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Join us on June 6th from 11-1:30 for a NYC Open Garden Day event! We’ll have a variety of events for visitors of all ages, including rock painting, sun printing (cyanotype), and planting!
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NYC Green Fund: We are happy to announce that we’ve been awarded a grant from NYC Green Fund. With their support we’ll be hosting some exciting events this summer! On May 30th and June 14th, come by the garden to learn how to grow your own herbs and vegetables!
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In addition we’ll have two other projects supported by this grant: we will host a series of exercise and meditative workshops, and we will be building a wheelchair-accessible planter. We’re happy to invite all members of the community to participate - we’ll have more details soon on how to get involved! If you are involved in any other community greening organizations, consider applying for the Grassroots grant program!
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Open Mic Nights at the garden will continue through June! Upcoming dates are: May 24th (3-6PM), May 31st (3-6PM), June 7th (4-7PM), June 21st (4-7PM), and June 28th (4-7PM).
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Compost distribution has unfortunately been delayed due to an issue at the bagging plant. Keep an eye on the garden’s WhatsApp group - we’ll post the new date as soon as we know it.
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For gardeners, we’ll have a distribution of plants from Green Guerillas on May 23rd - keep an eye on WhatsApp for more information!
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Essential garden maintenance
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To keep your plot healthy during the New York City summer, we recommend following these simple routines:
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Watering: Raised beds dry out faster than the ground. In the summer heat, check your moisture levels daily. Water in the morning whenever possible. This allows the leaves to dry during the day, which helps prevent fungus and disease. Use the finger test - stick your finger an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, water it. If it’s damp, leave it alone!
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Weeding: Because the soil in our containers is loose, weeding is easy—most can be pulled out with just two fingers.
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Mulching: Once your seedlings are a few inches tall, add a layer of straw or wood chips to help retain soil moisture.
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Pest Patrol: When you care for your plants, spend a few minutes looking under leaves. Catching a few aphids early is much easier than dealing with an infestation later.
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Highlights from the community
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Our community outreach also began with a free seed-planting workshop. The children from Snapdragon Preschool had a wonderful time planting, exploring, and finding worms in the soil.
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We also received some native edible and medicinal plants from Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which we have started planting this week!
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We want to hear from you! How is your box progressing? What are you growing this year, and what goals do you hope to accomplish in the garden this season? Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram and let us know! We always welcome tax-deductible donations to the garden, which help cover tools, materials, and expenses. Let’s make it a great summer!
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