Garden Plan

Mother’s Day

We are coming up on the last freeze day of the season in our area (typically). This means we will be able to transplant our seed starts and direct plant new seeds. So… Planning Time!!!

Before we meet virtually today, please download the PDFs that you’d want to use for planning. Teal will try to have printouts available today too!

It covers:

• Sq Ft planting guide for the rows
  with multiple copies so people can freely brainstorm

• The whole garden space
  so we can map out what we’re doing with the rest of the area

If you do find yourself at the garden I’ve started laying out wood chips around the hügel rows. See below for process.

Quick Review

Garden sign design is up for next-phases including discussion and plan today! If you haven’t already voted, please click here to do so.

We have been setting up various soil-rebuilding, weed-suppression methods, and doing some outreach about sharing the space.

We have multiple factors weighing in at this time though.

The church is about to start having members attend again in person, and the Priest, Father David, would like to be able to explain to the parish what our project is.

Following the rain the weeds are sprouting! They will need suppression in the larger part of the space, so we may be moving into the backup plan of planting wildflowers/pollinators/cover-crop over much of the remaining space, pumpkins, and other vegetables. These will include culturally relevant foods to gift to impacted communities, part of a program we’ve been discussing, and I’ve been working on called Plant 1 Row, Maybe 2.

We have access to a bunch of wildflower seeds through Global Gardens. We can ask the church for funds to cover the cost of cover-crop for a large section of the space.

Update on irrigation - sprinkler only, per the church preference. This involves new factors to discuss.

General Garden Goals

1. Grow a salsa garden

2. Include beneficial pollinators

3. Grow culturally relevant foods to share
   
   We are on track to achieve these main goals + we have space to factor in.
   
   Earlier in the season we had interest in the following garden types:
   Tea Garden
   Salad Garden
   Dye Garden
   There’s space for all of these here, even in our 11-12 planned hügel row design.

Plants Started and Available to Plant After Mother’s Day (Last Frost Date)

Tomatoes
Peppers
Cilantro
Onions
Kale
Cabbage
Lettuce
Broccoli
Basil
Eggplant

Probably more

Densely planted seed starts Saturday 4/24

Thinned plant starts 4/25.

Companion Planting
What is it and why is it important?

”Companion planting in gardening and agriculture is the planting of different crops in proximity for any of a number of different reasons, including pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects, maximizing use of space, and to otherwise increase crop productivity.” Wikipedia

Helpful blog post via Farmer’s Almanac

This graphic was quickly selected to help you in your planting plans.

Square Foot Gardening
What is it and why is it useful?

“Square foot gardening is the practice of dividing the growing area into small square sections, typically 1 foot on a side, hence the name. The aim is to assist the planning and creating of a small but intensively planted vegetable garden.” Wikipedia

This guide is measured at 3ft x 16ft.

Another quickly selected chart for reference.

Happening this week - Wood Chips

I’ve begun putting wood chips around the base of the beds.
Please note, I will be looking to source cardboard to put under the wood chips and may have to re-do what’s shown here… because weeds WILL come through the 1-2 inches of wood chips I’ve laid out so far…according to feedback from my household as I showed photos after being at the garden last night.

Note weeds on row 1, and in between.

Used the “action hoe'“ to loosen soil and weeds. Individually pulled weeds out by the root.

Took advantage of the soft soil to shape our rows a bit more.