Saturday Workday: Construction and Sanitation committees

October 13, 2008
by garden
1 min read

Construction: We will try to assemble some more benches. I think we have lumber and sides for two more.

We need to work on repair of the gazebo, but I’m thinking we may want to hold off on that until after the event. I need to review this with Frank Grech.

Sanitation: Clean up before the event is important particularly on the East side. This might be the time to get rid of a lot of misc. junk.

So everyone knows, when Robin and I went for the pick up Sat. we got some wonderful plants; however, there were no roses available. Also we were limited to 30 bulbs for our garden. We got mainly tulips and a few hyacinths.

Most of the plants were placed in the gazebo. Robin took some over to the Western lot for the communal beds.

Moss in the City – October 2008

October 13, 2008
by garden
2 min read

Share the Harvest

October is one of my favorite months. The temperatures begin to cool down. The rich purple flowers of fall-blooming colchicums and crocuses burst from the ground like the royal goblets of … more >>

 spacer There's usually plenty to share. (Photo courtesy Yvonne Savio).
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Urban green space contributes to a healthy ecosystem. spacer

Reducing Urban Flooding

Many parts of the country have been hit with devastating floods recently, and in urban areas the problem can be especially severe. Urbanization itself — clearing trees, draining wetlands, and paving the ground — makes flooding worse. Most natural landscapes absorb rainwater and allow … more >>
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Saving Seeds From Annuals and Perennials

With the arrival of fall the annuals in my garden are winding down. One particular cleome put on a dazzling display this year. It volunteered near my vernal witch hazel and quickly branched into a candelabra of pink and white flowers. Next year … more >>

 spacer Cleome seeds can be planted this fall for next year's show.
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October Q & A

Question: Recently, I was wandering through a large garden center and discovered rubber mulch. Can it be used like regular mulch? Is it any good? more >>

October Gardening Tips

amaryllis.jpg

  1. As a family activity, paint some of your pumpkins instead of carving them all. Use nontoxic paints to create colorful, scary faces, or whatever you can imagine. After Halloween, use the pumpkins to make bread, muffins, or pies with the kids.
  2. Pot up amaryllis, gloxinias, freesias, and other winter-blooming bulbs now for blooms by Christmas.
  3. Spend some time outside under the Hunter’s Moon. The full moon in mid-October is one of the brightest of the year. Enjoy brisk evening walks before the cold months arrive.

Celebrating the Seasons – October 2008

October 12, 2008
by garden
1 min read

For those with weekend getaways, Lucille’s Deer repellant tip might help. She uses Deer Scram with almost 99% success. Also, deer don’t like/avoid yellow flowers: marigolds, daffodils (only the yellow ones), etc.

This month in the National Gardening Association’s “Celebrating the Seasons” newsletter, Rebecca Kolls writes on Wrapping Up the Season, Boo-wiches or using fall produce to create fanciful sandwiches for the kids, Decorating for Halloween and a tip on caring for a 9-foot-tall arborvitae hedge.

http://www.garden.org/celebratingtheseasons/?page=200810newsSeasons

Moving Mountains

October 12, 2008
by garden
1 min read

Dear Gardeners,

If you’ve been by the garden lately you’ll have noticed a small mountain in the east garden. It’s dirt–very nice, rich dirt, that we ordered last week. It all, or most, has to go to the west garden in time to clean up for the fall fest. It’s a very big mountain. Alan & Susan spent several hours today hauling dirt and they hardly made a dent. This is a case where we really, really need everyone in the garden to help. Especially if you’re signed up to work on communal beds, this is your time to shine.

This will not all get done in one workday even if it doesn’t rain (which it might}. Any time you can give this week will help–stop by after work and haul a couple of wheelbarrow fulls to the west garden.
We’ll mark a central dumping spot and leave the wheelbarrows out by the mountain. You’ll just need to get a shovel from one of the sheds. You can even take small loads to ease the back aches–every little
bit helps. This is doable if everyone pitches in.

Down and dirty

October 10, 2008
by garden
1 min read

Hi guys,

It’s official, we’re getting the soil highest grade according to Matt, Central Park’s expert in the matter. The vote was overwhelming: 2 against, 1 abstaining, all the rest for.

After some cajoling, the owner of the company agreed to deliver a little less for a little less…16 cubic yards for $464.

Lou went to the garden at 8 a.m. to ward off cars and welcome the delivery. Anne will head up the workday effort — first getting bricks and rock out of the communal beds (they’re just a few inches under) and digging up tender perennials before we put the soil down, and then replanting them. Lou has said he’ll help oversee distribution of the soil, and Ariel has said that she’ll help: basically 4 inches in the West communal gardens and herb garden, a pile in the back shade garden (that I’ll spread around when I get back), and about 1/3 inch topping for the lawn in the West garden. East garden will get the soil after the festival.

If you have time, pls. start moving the dirt this weekend, piling it up in spots so that it can be spread out after rocks & plants are removed.

Hurray for dirt!

Suzanne

Green Guerrilla’s giveaway update

October 6, 2008
by garden
1 min read

Please advise if you can lend yourself/transport to pick up the many dozens of plants, shrubs and bulbs requested for our garden on:

When:
Saturday, October 11th
11am to 3pm

Where:
9 and C Community Garden
Located at the northeast corner of 9th Street and Avenue C
(Not La Plaza Community Garden on the opposite corner.)

We hope that you and/or anyone else from your garden group will be able to come at that time. Also, we and the 9 and C gardeners will have some light refreshments to celebrate the season and get to know one another. Feel free to bring something to contribute

RSVP to Suzanne: suzcharle@gmail.com . If we don’t have any volunteers, we’ll have to rent a van for somebody with a driver’s license to use for this pickup. Please RSVP by Tuesday to give Suzanne time to reserve a van? Thank you, LM

October Calendar

October 6, 2008
by garden
2 min read

Saturday, oCT. 11 — Plants pickup from Green Guerrillas Giveaway 10AM-3PM,
Avenue C and 9th Street, NW corner garden (Not La Plaza garden which is across street)
See my earlier e-mail re: this large number of plants for community beds both sides.
Call Suzanne (212) 665-4604 for details, re: loading Ave C & 9th loading and unloading in
garden thereafter

Saturday, Oct. 18 – October meeting and workday. 10:30 AM Meeting, work projects 11 to ?

Saturday, Oct. 25 – Fall Festival: including Flea Market 11AM-4PM for the adults, musicale throughout, and 9th Halloween parade/party from 1–3PM for the kids. Contacts: Julie (Flea Mkt) (212) 316-2964 to reserve vendor tables (on street) @$15; Lou (Halloween) (212) 666-9733 to donate/help distribute party decorations and goodies.

Volunteers to setup, take down decorations and man garden table are also needed.
Call Veronica ((212) 774-1944 re: overall help needed.

THANKS TO:

New Yorkers for Parks for free daffodils from Holland for community and building gardens supplied Oct.4th and 24th in Manhattan (other dates in Bronx, Queens and Staten Island).
Suzanne has already e-mailed you re: this pickup.

Green Thumbs for providing the porta-potty all summer at discounted rate to GT gardens,
including ours.

Dept of Parks for scoping out renovation of the leaning retaining wall (south of West garden shed) and adding it to Park’s requested budget for 2008-2009. If money obtained, work would be done after garden season ends in the fall. Will let you know if and when.

Green Thumbs for checking out the dying ailanthus tree, and possible removal of same before
it falls across rear fence of East garden next to 12 W, bldg. Will let you know if and when.

Nora Whysel for so well setting up, then maintaining and updating our garden website all
season.

Fall Festival and Flea Market – Oct 25, 2008

October 1, 2008
by garden
2 min read

Hi Garden Members,

Here is the official information.
Please help us make this a fun and community event by:

* Donating decorations / candy
* Donating baked goods to sell at the garden table
* Finding musicians and entertainers for kids to perform
* Coming to our workday on Saturday, October 18th at 10am to clean and decorate the garden
* Spread the word – pick up flyers on the workday to post in your building and on your block

West 104th Street Community Garden Fall Festival
Saturday, October 25th
11am – 4pm

Rain date:
Sunday, October 26th
11am – 4pm

Kids Halloween games and parade – costumes encouraged
1pm – 3pm

There will be:

* entertainment / music
* flea market along the sidewalk in front of the garden gates
* apples, cider and pumpkins for sale
* kids halloween treats, games, face painting

Vendors please call Julia at 212-316-2964
tables spaces are $15 – you must provide your own table

Community events help keep us in good standing with Green Thumb, please help us make this a successful event and get to know your fellow garden members and neighbors.

Thank you.

P.S. See you at the workday!
Saturday, October 18th
10am – we meet near the stage / gazebo

If you have not yet checked out our garden website,
please do and read the great article The Tale of Three Tails
to learn about our hardworking feline friends that keep our garden rat-free!
There are photos too, so you can see what the kitties look like.
Just click this link:
http://www.west104garden.org/cats.php