Unified Garden Society

Mint!

2008-11-20T09:27:00.001-08:00

How to Grow
Mint will grow well in full sun to partial shade and can easily take over a garden, crowding out other plants. For this reason, it is better to plant mint in a separate garden bed or plant it in containers above ground. Space plants two feet apart. Frequent cutting will promote branching. Propagate by dividing clumps.

Harvesting
Just prior to flowering, cut stems one inch above the soil. You may harvest mint two or three times in one growing season.

City Farmer Newsletter

2008-10-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

City Farmer Newsletter

Win a $50 Gift Certificate!

That's right! Take our brief Nursery Improvement Questionnaire to help us make needed changes and you'll be entered to win a $50 Gift Certificate. It'll only take 7 minutes and your answers are much appreciated. A random winner will be selected and notified on October 31st. Click here to take the survey.

Winter Crops Now in Stock!

That's right, tomatoes take a back seat to the hearty and healthy winter crops. We're happy to announce the arrival of lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, brussles sprouts, shallots, garlic and onion sets, as well as organic bulk seeds of peas, sweet peas and collard greens. These seeds are sold "By the Shot Glass" so stop by our "Bar" and stock up on your winter favorites and maybe a few you've yet to try.

Become a part of our organization - as a City Farmers Nursery docent.

Are you interested in gardening and communicating with people? City Farmers Nursery is accepting applications from individuals interested in becoming a nursery docent. No previous nursery experience or knowledge of the horticulture is necessary.

For more information on the docent program, including how to apply, please click here.

Offloading Vehicles: Truck for Sale

We're selling our sturdy, well-running 1980 white Ford Ranger stake bed pickup truck, a v4 and very gas friendly for $1,500. If you or someone you know is interested, call us at (619) 284-6358 or swing by the nursery for more information. It was the first car I bought brand new, it was my son's first car and it's due for a good home.

For Event Details, Click Here

October 25th is our Fall Harvest Festival &
20th Annual pumpkin Growing Contest!

Our 20th annual pumpkin Growing Contest will take place on October 25th at 11am, sharp. Come out and support young gardeners who have taken on the challenge of growing this years' Great Pumpkin. If you can believe it, in 2001 our record-holder grew a 65lb pumpkin. All children who join us on the contest day will receive prizes, play games and the pre-registered particpiants who place will be eligible for extra-special prizes.

Get ready for an amazing Fall Harvest/Craft Festival from 9am-4pm. Stop by and see displays of homemade wares set in and around the nursery. From beading to knitting, painting to gifts for your home, this is a unique and lovely way to celebrate this beautiful time of year, support artists, and enjoy the benefits of gardening.

Spots Still Available for Local Artists & Crafters

This event is completely free to participate in. If you're interested in having a table, the deadline for artists to secure a spot will be Monday, October 13th. Please contact us at (619) 284-6358 or fill out our online interest form. To learn more, view our frequently asked questions

Help us promote by forwarding this email to a friend or posting our Harvest Festival Flyer at your office, your favorite coffee shop, community center, or school.

Tell a fellow gardener!

A new twist to the craft fair will be the "Homegrown Sell-or-Trade" barter area. Those of you who have extra veggies or fruits, bring your "harvest overflow" on down and swap your extra produce with others. We like to think of it as a down-to-earth farmers market. For more information please call us at (619) 284-6358, (no spot reservation needed for the Homegrown Sell-or-Trade).

November is Free Class Month at City Farmers!
All classes take place at City Farmers Nursery from 10am-12pm.
Click here to see our online calendar

Saturday, November 1st
Pruning from Beginner to Intermediate in less than 2 hours!
Click Here to Sign Up for this FREE Class

Fruit Trees to Roses and everything in between; learn the professional techniques that will turn your bushes, shrubs and trees into artful, safe and healthy parts of your yard.

Saturday, November 8th
Preparing your Garden for Winter
Click Here to Sign Up for this FREE Class

This class will tackle soil-preparation, crop changes, fertilizer scheduling and weather-guarding your current garden. Winter is the most cost-effective time to make changes in your garden-not only are bare-root plants inexpensive, the cooler weather will make your garden overhaul less stressful on your current plants.

Saturday, November 15th
Full-Cycle Organic
Click Here to Sign Up for this FREE Class

The most-anticipated class this month, Full-Cycle Organics focuses on making your yard into a closed-loop, low footprint effort. From planting preparation, organic maintenance to harvesting, preservation and composting, this class will offer 100 minutes jam-packed with easy-to-implement organic techniques. Sustainable living and making organic gardening a family activity will be cornerstones of this wonderful class.

Saturday, November 22nd
Basic Hydroponics
Click Here to Sign Up for this FREE Class

Back by popular demand, Basic Hydroponics is an opportunity to learn about soil-less growing and the amazing results therein. Did you know there are organic alternatives for every chemical hydroponic solution? Did you know that soil-less growing saves over 50% of the water typically used for outdoor growing? Join current customers who grow everything from basil and lavender to roses in compact, clean spaces and learn about the ins-and-outs of hydroponics!

Eggplant Envy

2008-10-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

The group with a planter outside of Public Art was getting envious of the HUGE eggplant bush on the second floor. We have two little eggplants - and kept waiting for them to grow. Well, we found out today they are perfect just the way they are because they are Fairytale Eggplant! We also found a great recipe to try with our two little fruits ... maybe next year we'll get more ... if we move our container to a sunnier location.

2nd floor planters growing great!

2008-09-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

I stopped by the 2nd floor to look at the planters and they are all doing great! The mint and tomatoes by the gate are growing well and looks like there has already been a harvest. How were they? The basil is amazing in the garden across the way. And that eggplant! Amazing. Especially since the one on the first level by Public Art has fruit, but is struggling. The beans look healthy and productive in all the planters. Amazing work everyone ...

Come of the pests in the garden .. Leafminers

2008-09-22T15:30:00.001-07:00

Leafminers—Liriomyza spp.

Leafminer adults are small black and yellow flies. Larvae are yellowish maggots that feed beneath the leaf surface.

Identification of species | Life cycle

Damage

The most obvious evidence of leafminers is the twisting trails (or mines) the larvae leave as they feed beneath the leaf surface. Damage will not be serious on most plants older than seedlings, although it may make spinach or chard unsightly.

Solutions

Leafminers rarely require treatment in gardens. Small seedlings can be protected by protective cloth. On plants such as cole crops, lettuce, and spinach, clip off and remove older infested leaves. Leafminers are often kept under good control by natural parasites. Insecticides are not very effective for leafminer control.

Welcome to the newest gardening members!

2008-09-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

We have new members of the garden society. Say hello to:

Damon

Philip

Mervin

Danny

Anna

Dirt for the planters!

2008-09-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

Craig says: Damon dropped off the dirt and compost today. We filled the two empty planters and moved the one from the shade by the Art dept door to the sun across the way. We also put the left over compost into the one wash tub in the back. Please let folks know that they can help themselves to the soil in the tub to supplement their planters. We would like to use all the soil in the tub as we still need to move it to it's position.

Garlic & Pepper Pest Spray

2008-09-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe for garlic and pepper spray from the Capital District Community Gardens website. http:/www.cdcg.org/pests.html

Protect your garden plants from cabbageworms, caterpillars, hornworms, aphids, flea beetles and other chewing/sucking insects by routinely using a natural spray that you can make at home. The spray must be applied regularly, especially after a rainfall. Brew up a batch as follows:

6 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp dried hot pepper
1 minced onion
1 tsp pure soap (not detergent)
1 gallon hot water

Blend and let sit for 1 to 2 days. Strain and use as spray. Ground cayenne or red hot pepper can also be sprinkled on the leaves of plants (apply when leaves are slightly damp) to repel chewing insects or added to the planting hole with bone meal or fertilizers to keep squirrels, chipmunks, dogs and other mammals away from your gardens. Be sure to reapply after rain.

Craig wins an award!

2008-09-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Craig Sweeting won an award at the last Board meeting! Here is what the web article says about him:

Craig has been instrumental in several energy-conserving projects at the Port. Craig works with the Port's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the Administration building. His innovative energy saving techniques and diligence have resulted in a 23 percent reduction in energy at the Administration building. In addition, Craig spearheaded the Port's gardening program. Craig and other employees tend to the garden on their own time. He also started a program to compost food waste from Café Ole.

Worm Composting

2008-09-08T13:16:00.001-07:00

Here are some great links on how to start your own worm composting bin at home if you'd like an easy way to recycle your kitchen scraps.

http://www.diylife.com/2008/05/07/start-your-own-worm-composting-bin/

http://www.ehow.com/how_2087855_.html

Don't forget to put an upside-down lid underneath your bin to catch the "worm tea", which can be used as plant food. If you don't do that, you'll have a big mess to clean up!

This links give you some great tools to get started, and if you like it then you can graduate to a more complex system involving three stacked bins, which you can also learn about online or in one of the following 2 books:

"Worms Eat My Garbage" by Mary Appelhof

"The Worm Book" by Loren Nancarrow

Craig, Tina and Kelly make the paper!

2008-09-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

There is an article about our gardening club in the latest issue of the Marketing newsletter, which you can read on the Intranet! Go green team ...

2nd floor planters - first peppers

2008-08-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

2nd floor planter

2008-08-25T11:45:00.001-07:00

2nd floor planters - pics

2008-08-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

Looks like some unwanted succulants are invading the planter! They already have their first strawberry.

More Plantings!

2008-08-20T11:30:00.001-07:00

In case you have not seen, there are new plants on the 2nd floor. I saw beans, beets, peppers, an orange tree, tomatoes, strawberries and an entire herb garden. Thanks to Craig for getting a water key so that the groups can use the faucet on the 2nd floor. Looks like it is going to be a great crop.

How to Plant a Fall Vegetable Garden

2008-08-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Don't think just because the tomatoes and green beans are harvested that your gardening is done for the season. Smart gardeners know the end of summer means it's time to plant their cool season crops. So get those gardening gloves back out and try some of these fall garden delights.

Things You’ll Need:

Tiller
Vegetable seeds
Mulch

Step1

Clear the garden of weeds and any summer crops that are past their prime.

Step2

Till the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches and plant the seeds. It's best to plant the vegetable seeds a bit deeper than your summer garden crops to help them stay cool and moist.

Step3

Choose from a variety of fall vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, onions, carrots, beets, peas, kohlrabi and flowering kale. Many types of cabbages also do well in cool weather.

Step4

Shade the garden soil with a light mulch. It will regulate the soil temperature which will help with germination.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

2008-08-14T15:53:00.001-07:00

Check out the progress of the tomatoes and corn planted by our organizers.

Teams 3 and 5 are planning!

2008-08-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Team 3 and Team 5 have been meeting to plan their plantings. Here is Chong, Ralph and Donna of Team 3 thinking about how to get water to their planter.

Lessons Learned from Jan

2008-08-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

Lessons learned today 8/7/08 - Watering planter on the 2nd floor outside patio area was quit a challenge. First and most importantly, for those who are fair skinned and burn easy, proper attire should be worn when attending to planters (hat, sun glasses, sun block etc). Planters are located in direct sun without any shade and soil is extremely dry. A "garden" water can is not large enough to provide a thorough watering. I made four trips to the sink inside the building filling an empty 20 gal plastic water bottle almost to the top every time and this really wasn't enough.

Second, best time to do watering (once we find a garden vegetable that can tolerate the all day direct summer sun....perhaps corn?) is very early a.m. and/or after 7:00 pm.

Third - What teams have a planter on the 2nd floor patio area besides Team 5? Maybe we could exchange info/ideas with them on how they have watered their planter..... Thanks for listening and thanks for your help.

I know our team was late getting started, and we're still excited about growing our own and will continue on. However, I propose for future planting, teams rotate planter locations. Or perhaps we could put up some kind of shade cover or umbrella for the 2nd floor and the drip irrigation setup is a great idea.

-Jan

Planter Teams

2008-08-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Team 1 CJ, Lori, Jocelyn

Team 2 Erika, Matt, Nancy (Mentor: Tina)

Team 3 Ralph, Sofi, Chong, Donna (Mentor: CJ)

Team 4 Catherine, Peggy, Jeannie (Mentor: Tina)

Team 5 Santina, Cynthia, Jan, Natasha (Mentor: Craig)
Team 6 Tina, Craig, Kelly
Team 7 Yan and Heidi

July 31 Minutes

2008-08-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Adoption of Mission Statement and By-Laws
Two changes were made: adding temps, contractors and consultants to make Society officially inclusive; and changing “those who may not have space or capability of growing their own” to “Unified Garden Society Members”. Mission Statement and By-Laws were adopted with those changes.A healthy discussion ensued about the true meaning of consensus versus majority vote.

Discussion about Logistics
Planting schedule: Tina distributed a handout showing appropriate planting times for various food crops. A suggestion was made that, due to the late start, teams consider planting nursery seedlings and intersperse those with seeds to get immediate results as well as satisfaction from seed growing.

Planters: There was discussion about adding two interested newcomers to existing teams or purchasing additional planters. The suggestion was made to get existing planters started with growth before purchasing new planters. Newcomers were added to existing teams.

Craig will inquire about rounding up some additional concrete planters from around the District that aren’t being used and having them brought over.

Jan suggested bringing a request to the ELG, but a discussion ensued that this is strictly a volunteer project to benefit the Society members. There may be interest in Port support in the future, but for now we have all agreed to be self-sufficient.

Watering: Many members have commented about watering. Tina, Kelly and Craig divide their watering duties with Craig on Mondays, Tina in Wednesdays and Kelly on Fridays. Tina has provided a watering can for the ground-level teams. 2nd floor teams will need to procure a watering can. Eventually, Crais hopes to install a solar-powered drip irrigation system.

Cleaning up: Members need to be diligent about keeping all planting areas neat and cleaning up after themselves. Tina will donate a dustpan for the purpose and Craig will try to find a broom. Teams can’t leave messes or create extra work for gardeners or custodians. Craig will look into finding an appropriate storage area for broom, dustpan and other group supplies.

Sharing Tips and Advice

Santina suggested starting a list of what each team is planting. Lori agreed to start the document in DM5 and send it around. Cynthia suggested adding to the list whatever seeds members have available to share, as a seed bank. Tina has a few gardening books that she will loan to interested members (but members will have to sign them out).

Jeannie offered to bring an unused rotating composter. Craig asked her to first provide photos and dimensions to make sure we have room for it.

Café Ole is currently putting some of their green waste into the compost bin. It is already at capacity, so members can’t yet put their waste into the bin. We are investigating the possibility of adding composting capacity. Eventually, we hope to generate enough compost for the Port to use on planted areas close to the water, to replace synthetic fertilizers.

Lori suggested having the Port reimburse the Society for the compost. Craig discussed the idea of setting up a barter system. We could also set up a “farmer’s market” table, just outside of Café Ole, where any Port employee could leave surplus produce from their gardens to share with all other employees.

Upcoming Speakers and Field Trips

September 4: Bill Tall from City Farmer’s Nursery will give a presentation on home composting titled “Lunchtime Trash: How to Eat it Again.” Kelly will send details and advertise the presentation Port-wide.

Those present agreed that lunchtime was a good meeting time. Tina will send the next appointment and ask for a volunteer to put together the next meeting agenda and lead the meeting.

Lavender Lemon Cookies

2008-08-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

With their lavender scent, delicious lemon syrup and sparkly sugar, these cookies are extra-special. I know it looks like a lot of steps, but trust me, these cookies are worth it! Bring these to a holiday or New Year's party and everyone will thank you for bringing a great alternative to all the heavy chocolately stuff of the season. They're also fantastic with tea!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds
1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Lavender lemon syrup (recipe below)
Lavender Sprinkling sugar (recipe below)

Recipe:
Combine the lavender and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla. Sometimes I double or even triple the recipe as one batch is never enough!

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat until blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight, until the dough is well chilled.

Prepare the syrup.

Prepare the sprinkling sugar.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice the logs into 1/2-inch coins and place on the prepared baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the top side of the cookies with the syrup. Dust with the sprinkling sugar. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Lavender Lemon Syrup
Combine 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a small saucepan. Stir in 3/4 cup of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest and 3/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for 1 minute, or until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. If you aren't going to use this right away, you can put a lid on your container and store in your fridge. Should be good for about a week.

Lavender Sprinkling Sugar
Combine 1/2 teaspoon of dried culinary lavender buds and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a spice grinder and pulse until findely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining sugar. You could set this aside too, if you're making it all in advance. This sugar is also scrumptious on many things that have nothing to do with these cookies! I put it in coffe & tea and use it in other baking. It's really good for making meringues!

Lime Basil Dressing

2008-08-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
3 TBSP cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
sat and pepper to taste

Dump said ingredients in your food processor. Blend until smooth. Dump over bite sized, cooked yukon gold potatoes to make a light potato salad, or a green salad of your choice.

Lori, CJ and Jocelyn's garden

2008-08-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

They planted eggplant, basil, bush beans, oregano, chamomile and carrots - which have sprouted!

Tina, Craig and Kelly's Garden

2008-08-01T14:48:00.002-07:00

They planted corn, lettuce, tomatoes, basil, peppers and marigolds (to repel pests).

City Farmer's Nursery Event 8/2

2008-08-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

We Adopted By-laws Today

2008-07-31T14:47:00.000-07:00

The Unified Garden Society is open to any Port employee, temp, contractor or consultant who wishes to participate.
Society decisions will be made democratically and with consensus. Society members are invited to attend monthly meetings for the purposes of coordination, education and democratic decision-making.
The Building Maintenance Coordinator is responsible for maintaining all code, safety and aesthetic standards for the Port Administration Building. To that end, the Building Maintenance Coordinator must approve all decisions made by the Society.
Society gardens must be maintained as organic and environmentally friendly.
Violators will be denied the opportunity to participate further in the Society.
Port employees are responsible for managing their time. All Society gardening must be done during non-work hours (before or after work, during lunches and breaks).
Society members must sign a waiver of liability before participating in any physical work.

Welcome to the Garden!

2008-06-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

We had our first meeting of the Unified Garden Society today and learned the ground rules. We reviewed the draft Mission Statement and By-laws. We divided into teams, signed a waiver of liability, visited the test planter and saw the worm composting bin.