Tip of the Month: Start taking notes: Despite everything that is going on, now is the time to bring out your pen and paper and start taking notes of everything that worked and did not work in your garden. Or just keep a mental note of what you have observed in your own plots. The community garden has a diverse group of gardeners. Our diversity brings in a plethora of skills and experiences that we can share with one another. Take some time to chat with your plot neighbors to find out what worked or did not work so you can also implement those observations in your fall garden plans. Speaking of fall garden, it is highly encouraged to plant a fall garden every year. It is even more prudent to do so this year given everything that is going on. Food sustainability is something we can achieve as an individual and as a community by simply digging in and planting in anything edible into the soil that has been tilled and loved all year long.

Garden Maintenance: The unusual hot August nights and days are wreaking havoc in our plots right now. Being blessed with the ability to be flexible, your best bet to combat these ever-changing weather conditions is to come out in your garden more often and remove any dead or dying plants. Mulching and deep watering will assist your remaining healthy plants to thrive in these extreme conditions. Providing water soluble fertilizer will also give your plants some boost to make it through the season. Lastly, harvest any vegetables or fruits that are ready to be processed in your kitchen. August is almost over. It is time to plan for a fall garden. Weather permitting, please support the upcoming Fall Gardening Class and Fall Plant Sale by attending the class and checking out the fall event prepared by our own garden members.

Stay flexible because “Blessed are flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape.” Stay engaged in your garden this fall and continue to look forward towards another gardening season.

Tip of the Month: Plant a fall and winter garden in October. Water thoroughly for two weeks especially for direct sown carrots, radishes, or any root crops. Then come back in January to harvests…I bet most of us will not do that, we will most likely visit at least every 2 weeks.

Garden Maintenance: If you have not done so, it is time to clean up
your summer beds. Either prepare the soil for next spring planting or
better yet prepare it for planting a fall and winter garden. This is the
best time to loosen the soil and amend it with manure, organic
fertilizers, or compost. If you are planning on taking a break from
the garden until spring. Do not just leave all your summer plants on
the beds. For the benefit of your soil and the disappointment of
weeds, pull all your old plants. Then apply the layering method by
mulching your soil with any of your healthy plants cut in small
pieces. Add a layer of compost or any soil you can afford on top of
the mulch. Find any spare amazon boxes laying around your house
then add the cardboard as your final layer. Ensure to top your
cardboard with any heavy item you have around your plot like cages, bricks, or poles to keep the cardboard in place. It does get windy in the garden and the opportunistic weeds are just waiting for your empty bed to land on. By applying the layering methods, you are creating an
environment beneficial for the worm to hang out during the winter months. The old plants and wet cardboards will serve as their food and warmth. In return the worms will do all the composting work for you and leave you nutritional castings that will make your soil ready for
planting in the spring. Did I mention the weeds? Well, you will have less weed if any, because weeds do not like loose and nutritious soil. So, it is a win win for the gardener! October is an easy month, “I wish that every day was Saturday, and every month was October.”

Thank you for keeping the garden looking good throughout the season! Stay warm but most of all stay safe and well!

Tip of the Month: What is a fall garden? A fall garden is an extension of your gardening season. It is time for cool weather crops like lettuce, kale, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, radish, beets, cilantro, and many other green vegetables. These vegetables are lighter fare compared to your heavy summer crops but just as nutrient dense. You can plant fall gardens using seedlings or direct sowing. A fall garden will stretch your food sustainability goal until spring. Many of these vegetables can be planted in succession. Succession planting means, planting a small batch at a time then plant again in two to three weeks increments. Succession planting method is perfect for salads, cilantro, beets, and radishes. All other cool weather vegetables like broccoli, carrots, onions, and cabbages will take its time to grow.

Garden Maintenance: If you have not done so, it is time to clear all your
summer crops and time to amend your soil with high nitrogen fertilizers
like manure, any organic pelletized or powdered fertilizers. If possible try
to rotate your crops by remembering these rotations: root (carrots, beets, etc.), fruit (tomatoes, peppers, etc.), greens (lettuce, broccoli, etc.), and beans (green beans, peas, etc). It sounds complicated but, just remember whatever you pull out, follow it with the next group for example, if you pulled tomatoes (fruits) try to replace it with broccoli (greens). If space is limited like it always does in the community garden, amend your soil with the best amendment you can afford and plant it with what you love to eat after all “everyday is a good day in the community garden” especially when you coming in everyday to check in what’s available for dinner freshly off your garden plots.

Thank you, garden members, friends, and family for supporting the Fall Gardening Class and the Fall Plant Sale Fundraising event! You made it a success!

July is also the best time to see all the donations pouring in for the Food
Bank which is the core mission of the Elk Grove Community Garden. Let
us continue to reach the yearly goal of over 5,000 lbs. of food donations.
Tip of the Month: Ask for help: For the past several months, we have
been experiencing unprecedented changes in our inner circles of friends
and families, communities and nationally. Some of us are suffering from
lack of time to do everything that has been added to our to do lists. “Look
for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” If you
planted a garden plot this year but find yourself short of time to water or
harvest your garden, do not hesitate to ask for help. We are in it together,
despite the social distancing restrictions, as a community will never stop
helping others because it is the real essence of the word community. It is a circle of helping hands. Do not give up on your gardens. Ask for help to get you through the rough days and when it is a good day, bask in the beauty and bounty of the garden that helps you restore your spirit.

Garden Maintenance: During the normal season, July is the hottest month of the year. However, this year is full of surprises and fluctuating weather conditions. We could use some rain though. As you walk around the garden, you will notice that you are surrounded with gigantic tomato plants, colorful peppers, sprawling squash plants and many climbing vegetables.

To maintain these beautiful growths, continue the removal of leaves and
branches that are unhealthy. Remember 4 Ds (Desucker, Defoliate, Dead and Dry). Maintain your moisture but do not overwater. If you are deep watering, you should be able to get away from the garden every 2-3 days. It is alright to give your plants a light shower from time to time to wash off unwanted pests/bugs. It is the most organic pest management method you can do next to using your fingers picking it and squeezing it.

During this time of the year is the perfect time to pick your most delicious
tomato, pop it in your mouth and let the most pleasant memories flow through you freely. After all, “it’s difficult to think of anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato”.

Tip of the Month: Experiment in the garden. By now your garden plots are fully planted. Plants are thriving, but reality sets in after a week or so. Some plants may not make it to fruition. Do not despair you are not
alone. There is plenty of time to plant new plants or direct sow seeds. “There are no garden mistakes, only experiments.” Pull the not so healthy plant out and take this opportunity to grow something new or different. Always set aside about 20% of your garden space for experimenting simply for the joy of gardening. It may give you a
chance to learn something new about yourself, your garden, or your plants. This is also a great time to experiment on intercropping plants for the benefits of pest control and nutrient abundance.

Garden Maintenance: During this time of the year many plants are taking off and ready to provide our family a bountiful harvest. The best thing you can do to continue your crops’ healthy start by maintaining the soil moisture, nutrients, inspecting for pest control, and reducing weeds. Pay a little more attention to your experiments so you can compare it to your past garden experiences. It will help you decide whether the experiment is a success or a bust. Even if it fails, it is the journey and the lesson learned that matters. As the summer months approaches, continue to look around your garden plots. Take notes of what your successes and lessons learned are for the upcoming fall
season.

Remember “there are no mistakes in the garden, only experiments.” Keep on growing…

Tip of the Month: Social Distancing while gardening: The community garden is a place of refuge for all of us. As we are all experiencing highly anxious moments in our modified lives, the garden is a place where
you can still feel a sense of camaraderie and community while practicing social distancing. You can meet with your garden friends and discuss what your growing plans this season. You can also have a lunch date with your family or friends by bringing a lunch sack. The distance between the bench tables under the teaching pad is about 6 feet.
Also, now is the perfect time to meet your plot neighbor and get to know them while you are tending your garden since each plot is about 6 feet apart as well. If you rather be alone to have some peace and quiet; 12pm-2pm is the best time to visit. Just enjoy the moment with nature whether you are gardening or just enjoying the peace and the bird
songs. The community garden is over an acre of land, it is enough to get your heart pumping just by doing a brisk walk from the front gate all the way to the beehives. By the time you get to the end, it might inspire you to just go ahead and pull some weeds along the way! No matter what your preference is, visit the garden and get some fresh air.

Plant Sale: This year’s plant sale theme was “keep calm and carry on”. Thank you to all the garden members and community members for supporting its success. This year research shows sales are up over 250% for garden compost, seeds, and plants. If you bought plants from the garden’s plant sale or anywhere else, you are now ready for the season. Prepare the soil, put in the best soil amendments you can afford, find the best spot for your plants, and wish it good luck!

Visit the community garden like it is “a friend you can visit anytime”.

Tip of the Month: Grow it, tend it and eat it! Based on our current events, there’s a possibility of food shortages at least temporarily. Now is the best time to learn how to garden. You’ll never have to question what’s on your food or who handled your food. Learn how to grow it, tend it and eat it!
Prepare your soil now for Spring planting. Eliminating weeds on your garden beds and amending it with organic materials like compost or manure are your best technique on having a successful and bountiful harvests. If you are part of this community garden, you are also part of taking care of our community in need. If we do our individual part to
grow and tend a garden, we will achieve a collective result that will help feed a larger group of people within our community. Support and donate to the Elk Grove Food bank today!

Water conservancy: Well-prepared soil has good water retention ability which can result in water conservancy. As drought continues to plague our region, creating moisture retentive environments for our plants is an essential component for a bountiful harvest. Well-prepared soil requires less watering even during extreme hot conditions. Mulching is
another moisture retention technique you can apply on your soil. Lastly, deep watering 2- 3 times a week during the summer months is better than watering quickly every day. The plants will create a stronger and longer root system by looking for water deeply into the soil. If you can, install a drip irrigation system to save time and money.

Spring is here, plant a garden today and look forward to a bountiful tomorrow!