March at the Garden
Updated 3/29/25
Week 1: First Garden Day & Prep Work
📅 Wednesday, March 12th at 5:30 PM
We’ll be meeting at the garden to officially kick off the season! Here’s what’s on the agenda:
Weeding and tidying up the space
Selecting hugel rows for full-time gardeners
Taking home seeds to start indoors
Discussing row assignments
Welcoming a couple of new gardeners!
Come ready to work and discuss your season plans!
Week 2: Winter Sowing, Direct Seeding
📅 Sunday, March 16th at 11:30 AM
Update 3/15/25: We’re going to divvy up the potatoes and set them up to chit at home. I picked some up from the North End Organic Nursery (NEON) along with some potting soil to do Winter Sowing.
Winter Sowing: For those who want to get a head start on warm-season crops like tomatoes, now’s the time! We’ll discuss methods for starting seeds outdoors using mini-greenhouses.
Direct Seeding: Cold-tolerant crops - we can select favorites from the seed collection then get busy getting things going!
Beets, Carrots, Lettuce, Onion Seed, Arugula
Mary K has A LOT of various Mustard Greens, Kale, and Cabbage starts, red and white onions, and leeks that have sprouted via the winter sown method, and plans to plant some at the garden.
Cover Crop: Since we’re having a fair amount of precipitation this week (yay!) I’d like to get some cover crop in along the edges of the rows, to help protect that vulnerable area from bindweed invasion. It will be an added step to direct seeding.
Notes on Companion Planting
1. Leafy Greens (Spinach, Lettuce, Arugula, Mustard Greens)
Spacing: Plant 6–8 inches away from garlic (can be between every second or third garlic plant).
Why? These shallow-rooted plants won’t compete with garlic, grow fast, and benefit from garlic’s pest-repellent properties.
2. Carrots & Beets
Spacing: 6–8 inches apart from garlic bulbs (can be staggered in gaps).
Why? Garlic deters carrot rust flies, and root vegetables can grow alongside garlic without much interference.
Row Claiming: So far we have just 2 claimed rows. If part-time gardeners would like to claim a row to plant out specifically we can start that tomorrow.
🌱 Row Assignments:
Select your preferred hugel row for growing what you like best!
Ideally, select from Hugel Rows 3-7
Please see graphic below. Note: it has not been updated yet!
Nancy has selected a row and marked it. She had to leave town, as discussed in our initial meet up, to take care of someone, but has put in some work in advance.
📅 Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 PM
Several Gardeners were out sick - we focused on seed starting, weeding rows and laying down cover crop as a border along the edges of the rows.
Week 2-3: Interrupted by Some Kind of Gnarly Cold Going Around
📅 Sunday, March 24th at 11:30 AM
3/22/25 Checking in via email. Mary K will be out sick.
Things that can be done:
Plant your row with things you’d like to grow
Weeding in shared rows
Raking/recovering straw from the larger part of the garden - if it has not been tilled yet
Laying down cover crop along the edges of the rows - All Rows
📅 Wednesday, March 25th at 5:30 PM
Plant your row with things you’d like to grow
Weeding in shared rows
Raking/recovering straw from the larger part of the garden - if it has not been tilled yet
Laying down cover crop along the edges of the rows - All Rows
Starting Potatoes! - Pending
Updated 3/29/25: Starting our potato patch! This process will include:
Torch the expanded space we’re going to grow in first. Get a head start on those perennial weeds.
Laying down cardboard: Use non-glossy mostly unprinted (or one color matte), ideally staple- and tape-free cardboard to cover the entire area (two layers if possible).
Large cardboard can be sourced from Bob’s Bicycle on Fairview, or from furniture places. We want large thick stuff to avoid ANY gaps. Ideally double thick.
Smaller cardboard boxes = weeds.
Planting & Mulching:
Spread city compost and/or woodchips in 2 ft parallel strips, with 1 ft between them.
Place seed potatoes 1 ft apart on the cardboard, using your foot (heel to toe) to measure.
We’ll use pavers to mark where we can maintain the rows from.
Cover each spud with 2-3 quarts of compost (start with 2, add 1 later in the season).
Mulch rows with wheat straw to retain moisture and keep soil temperature below 80°F.
Wet everything down to prevent it from blowing away.
Maintaining the Crop:
A moderate amount of hilling the potatoes will be needed through the season using soil, straw, or woodchips to protect from sun exposure.
Just covering any spuds that breach the surface to keep them from turning green.
Use fresh compost to manage pill bugs and apply diatomaceous earth (DE) for pest prevention.
Spacing & Preparing Seed Potatoes:
We have done this part… albeit a bit out of order based on the directions from NEON… but it’s worked before and we’re watching our spud-chunks like hopeful hawks, cheering on anything that looks like a sprout in the works.
Larger potatoes can be cut into sections, each containing an eye.
Allow cut pieces to dry and form a scab before planting.
Chitting (pre-sprouting): Set them in egg cartons or containers indoors.
Week 4: Drip Line Setup
📅 Sunday, March 30th at 11:30 AM
Drip line extension: We will work on adding more drip irrigation to increase our growing capacity as needed.
Check on seed starts: What do we have growing at home?
Some lighting, seed starting trays with soil, and seed warming mats can be shared if gardeners would like to start some at home.
Important Notes from Our Recap Meeting
🌱 Garden Work Times:
Wednesdays: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Sundays: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
We will shift to earlier times when the weather gets hot—likely in early June.
🌱 Seeds Available!
A Snake River Seed Cooperative bundle is available in the shed for everyone to select from. Feel free to grab seeds for your row or to start at home.
🌱 Tools & Gloves:
We have plenty of tools available in the shed.
If you prefer, consider investing in a personal hand tool (e.g., a Hori Hori Knife) and a good pair of gloves for better protection.
🌱 Garden Calendar & Communication:
We’ve started noting vacation and personal time on the shared calendar—please continue to update as needed!
Looking Ahead
As we get further into the season, we’ll be planting more crops, tending our beds, and preparing for larger projects. Keep an eye on updates and join us at our work sessions to make the most of our collective efforts!
See you in the garden! 🌿🌻