Newark's SAS Community Garden

[Tobias Fox]

HELLO TO YOU ALL!!!!

 

For those who didn't know, I was away visiting family and friends in Atlanta, Georgia. I visited our garden Tuesday and put up a new banner on the fence. The banner has a lot of cool images to show people what our intentions are. Also, Edwin and I were trying to analyze what could've prevented our produce from fully developing as it should've.

 

We were faced with some serious delimmas:

1. We didn't have an adequate water source/system
2. Our donated soil didn't have any compost and didn't seem to provide all the nutrients the plants needed to flourish
3. We relied too much on outside sources to assist us, which led to disappointment 

I still have a soil testing kit and plan to send a sample of our soil off to see if there are any scientific facts to back our theory.

 

Also, I noticed someone started building a wall using the plastic bottles and chicken wire. I'm not sure who did this but it's a very creative approach. They didn't stand the bottles up, but instead laid them down and neatly stacked them on top of one another and wrapped the chicken wire around the wooden poles as a means to hold the bottles in place. I'd like for us to test this by finishing one side of the wall in this manner to see what effects it gives us, if any.

 

I seriously need assistance with transportation for a Home Depot run for more soil and chicken wire. Also, this Saturday I'll be working at the garden and could use any helping hands. Also, I need some help with transportation to pick up some plants donated to us by Richfield Farms located in Clifton, NJ. I'm thinking about attaching a wagon to my mountain bike to make Home Depot runs, but I'm not sure if this would be good for going to Clifton. The lack of proper transportation is a major concern.

 

We also need an electric saw to cut wood to build a few additional raised beds with trellis. The wood is already at the garden and a neighbor is allowing us to use their electrical power. I plan to put up some additonal signs: NO SMOKING and COMMUNITY GARDEN RULES by the end of the week. I have to get the No Smoking sign from Mary.

 

Lastly, when and if you come to the garden to assist us please where long sleeve shirts and pants because with all the rain we've been getting it has definitely attracted mosquitos.

 

One thing's for sure, with all the setbacks we've been having we're still steadily moving onward and upward......

 

Tobias A. Fox

Community Organizer

Cell: 646-399-0337

http://www.sasupdates.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/Newark.SAS

http://www.twitter.com/@Newark_SAS  

 

[ellen]

Welcome back Tobias, and hi all.

Water source is a problem. Vegetables esp. tomatoes need a consistent application of water all during the growing season. Unlike herbs for example and other perennials, which was established, rarely need water, once their roots are deep and get down into where the water is. 

Plus what you say about compost is true, also other soil amendments like humus, mushroom compost, and such would be good. 

Also fertilizer should be given during the growing season.

I think those who were there and did water, did their best, and did a great deal of work, but it is difficult in the hot summer we've had. 

Don't worry, gardening is all about learning from experience.

As someone I know says...onward and upward... :-)

ellen