April Wrap Up

These last few weeks have been busy at the kitchen garden and we've gotten a huge amount done! We've created paths from the big pile of wood chips in the parking lot (which is almost gone now) and added dirt and compost to build up all our beds.

In the communal beds (all expanded this spring), we tucked in some small broccoli, spinach and kale plants dropped off by the veggie fairy (aka Linda Jo!) and patted in seeds for kale, cilantro, and scallions. Individual gardeners planted seeds in our plots—carrots, radishes, kale, cilantro, beets, kale and many kinds of lettuce—and tiny seedlings are popping up all over. 

Some of us have also started tomatoes, peppers, and greens at home in seed trays. Those will be transferred to the garden later when they are bigger and the weather is predictably warmer. Iris covered her plot with plastic to create a warmer environment for early growing.

This Saturday was our second workshop with Claudia Joseph and we really got down to business. Of course, there was time to sit around the table (which we moved into a shadier spot) to discuss

plans and ask questions, but mostly we were spread out all over the garden, trying to get as much accomplished as possible while we had an expert on hand.

We separated and transplanted some speckled trout lettuce that had reseeded itself from last year's crop. We laid planks every five feet in the garden plot nearest the street so that we can have access to the full bed . .all the way back to the fence where we hope to grow crops including pole beans, cucumbers, and squash. We discussed which vegetables don't like to grow near each other (beans and squash, for example). We reconfigured the spice garden to make it bigger and continued the edging to try to contain the wandering strawberry plants. We discovered a few stalks of asparagus coming up.

Our biggest project was tackling the fence, which had big gaps and was sagging so low that a deer would barely need to jump to get in and a groundhog could saunter through the holes! Thankfully, Dave Person

showed up and led us in addressing the section near the driveway. Amazingly, by noon, it was looking taut and seamless—very satisfying! Dave was still working on the gate when the last of us left for home around 2:00 p.m..