A belated "Happy New Year" to everyone!
With the start of 2008, it's time again to collect annual membership dues for the garden. Your dues help pay for needed supplies, ongoing maintenance, and unexpected expenses. 2008 membership dues are needed by March 1.
Over the past year, we used garden dues to cover the expenses of a number of projects, including the purchase of new tools, plants for the common area gardens, supplies for workshops, and food and other items for our garden barbecue in September. I'm looking forward to working with everyone this year to continue making our garden an even more special place for the neighborhood.
Please think about whether you intend to actively garden this year. Gardeners agree to use their plots year-round on a regular basis, at least once a month. And gardeners are expected to participate in at least one of the four annual workdays.
Annual dues for the garden are on a sliding scale as follows (choose whatever contribution level works for you):
$12 – gardener
$25 – butterfly
$50 – sunshine
$100 – golden trowel
or you can choose your own contribution amount
If you are interested in renewing your membership for the garden, please send a check made out to "Page Street Garden" to:
Michael McCauley
881 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-2614
I'm anxious to make garden plots available to the folks on our waiting list, so please let me know by March 1 whether you intend to renew your garden membership. If you plan on giving up your garden plot, I would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible.
Give me a call if you have any questions (902-9537). Thank you!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
End-of-the-year garden deadline approaching
With less than a month left before the end of the year, I wanted to remind everyone that gardeners who aren't planning on actively gardening during the winter need to prepare their plots for the season by December 31.
I stopped by the garden over the weekend to do some work on my plot -- mostly weeding and preparing it for a partial sheet mulching. Over the past month, a number of people have sheet mulched their plots, which will help improve the quality of the soil while keeping weeds in check. Others have cleared their plots and planted winter crops. But I noticed that there are about a dozen plots that are covered in weeds at the moment.
A couple of years ago, we amended the garden agreement to require all gardeners who aren't planning on gardening during the rainy months to prepare their plot for the winter by sheet mulching or growing a cover crop. Before we made this change, the vast majority of plots were neglected during the winter and overgrown with weeds.
This was shortly after the garden was saved from development and it just seemed like a shame that the garden went unused for many months out of the year after so much time and energy went into saving it. Since that time, many people have been sheet mulching during the winter, which has greatly improved the soil in the garden. And others have taken advantage of our ability to garden year-round in San Francisco and have experimented with different winter crops.
One of the other reasons we've gotten more strict about enforcing this rule is that the waiting list for getting a plot at the garden has grown tremendously in recent years. We currently have twenty people who are waiting to get a plot at our garden.
It's hard to believe it's December already, but winter is just around the corner. Please make arrangments to prepare your plot for the winter by December 31 if you aren't planning on actively gardening in the coming months. Gardeners who don't make arrangements by the end of the year will have to give up their plots to someone on the waiting list.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!
I stopped by the garden over the weekend to do some work on my plot -- mostly weeding and preparing it for a partial sheet mulching. Over the past month, a number of people have sheet mulched their plots, which will help improve the quality of the soil while keeping weeds in check. Others have cleared their plots and planted winter crops. But I noticed that there are about a dozen plots that are covered in weeds at the moment.
A couple of years ago, we amended the garden agreement to require all gardeners who aren't planning on gardening during the rainy months to prepare their plot for the winter by sheet mulching or growing a cover crop. Before we made this change, the vast majority of plots were neglected during the winter and overgrown with weeds.
This was shortly after the garden was saved from development and it just seemed like a shame that the garden went unused for many months out of the year after so much time and energy went into saving it. Since that time, many people have been sheet mulching during the winter, which has greatly improved the soil in the garden. And others have taken advantage of our ability to garden year-round in San Francisco and have experimented with different winter crops.
One of the other reasons we've gotten more strict about enforcing this rule is that the waiting list for getting a plot at the garden has grown tremendously in recent years. We currently have twenty people who are waiting to get a plot at our garden.
It's hard to believe it's December already, but winter is just around the corner. Please make arrangments to prepare your plot for the winter by December 31 if you aren't planning on actively gardening in the coming months. Gardeners who don't make arrangements by the end of the year will have to give up their plots to someone on the waiting list.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Some ideas for winter gardening
For those of you looking for ideas for winter gardening, I wanted to pass along some resources. Check out Golden Gate Gardening, Pam Pierce's guide to year-round gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area. We've got two copies of this helpful book on the shelf in the tool shed.
It includes some good suggestions for crops to grow during the winter months: artichokes, fava beans, garlic, and peas all do well in the winter. Cabbage and lettuce are also good winter crops, although you may have better luck with starter plants than with seeds at this point in the season. Broccoli and brussel sprouts will also grow during the winter, but do better when they are started in late summer so that they are half grown before the coldest part of the year.
Lynette Evans, who writes a weekly gardening column in the San Francisco Chronicle also recently suggested mustard greens and camarosa strawberries for winter planting.
Sheet mulching instructions: If you are planning on sheet mulching your plot, you'll find the instructions on this simple technique for controlling weeds and improving your soil posted on the blog. I'll also post a hard copy on the toolshed bulletin board for easy access from the garden.
Winter gardening workshop: If you missed our workshop on preparing your plot for the winter, you can participate in another one being offered by Garden for Environment on Saturday, November 10, from 10am to 1pm. Topics will include mulching, cover cropping, pest control practices, weeding tips, and a crop selection appropriate for the Bay Area Winter months. The workshop will take place at the GFE garden located at 7th Ave and Lawton Street in SF. To pre-register, call 415-731-5627. There is a $5 suggested donation.
Use it or Lose it: We currently have 15 people on our waiting list for garden plots. If you're not planning on gardening this winter, be sure to take steps to prepare your plot for the season by the end of the year. Plots that aren't prepared for the winter by the end of the year or that aren't being actively used, will be made available to those on the waiting list.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
It includes some good suggestions for crops to grow during the winter months: artichokes, fava beans, garlic, and peas all do well in the winter. Cabbage and lettuce are also good winter crops, although you may have better luck with starter plants than with seeds at this point in the season. Broccoli and brussel sprouts will also grow during the winter, but do better when they are started in late summer so that they are half grown before the coldest part of the year.
Lynette Evans, who writes a weekly gardening column in the San Francisco Chronicle also recently suggested mustard greens and camarosa strawberries for winter planting.
Sheet mulching instructions: If you are planning on sheet mulching your plot, you'll find the instructions on this simple technique for controlling weeds and improving your soil posted on the blog. I'll also post a hard copy on the toolshed bulletin board for easy access from the garden.
Winter gardening workshop: If you missed our workshop on preparing your plot for the winter, you can participate in another one being offered by Garden for Environment on Saturday, November 10, from 10am to 1pm. Topics will include mulching, cover cropping, pest control practices, weeding tips, and a crop selection appropriate for the Bay Area Winter months. The workshop will take place at the GFE garden located at 7th Ave and Lawton Street in SF. To pre-register, call 415-731-5627. There is a $5 suggested donation.
Use it or Lose it: We currently have 15 people on our waiting list for garden plots. If you're not planning on gardening this winter, be sure to take steps to prepare your plot for the season by the end of the year. Plots that aren't prepared for the winter by the end of the year or that aren't being actively used, will be made available to those on the waiting list.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Fall Fun & Music at the Garden!
We had another gorgeous sunny day at the garden on Saturday, which made for a perfect time to get together to learn about sheet mulching for the winter and to enjoy some music and good food on the back patio.
Special thanks to Brent for leading the sheet mulching demonstration.
If you missed the workshop, check out the step-by-step instructions we've posted on the blog (this link can always be found under "Garden Administration" in the top right column). Thanks to Wendy and Kelsy for helping out with the demo!
You'll find all the materials you'll need for sheet mulching back by the toolsheed and compost bin. If you are not planning on gardening during the winter, sheet mulching is a great way to keep weeds from over-running your plot while improving your soil for the springtime.
After the workshop, we took a break to enjoy a potluck lunch (including some delicious orzo salad made by Bridget and borscht by Anna as well as some yummy blackberry desserts) and then the open-mic got underway. John got us started with a poetry reading and then we heard musical performances by Rick, Zo, Kenne, Bridget, Robert, and Kim. Ian once again stole the show with "Do you know the muffin man?" Thanks to all the performers and everyone who helped out, including Gabriel for making our stylish scarecrow!
Check out more photos from the event in the photo archive.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Workshop & Music Coming up on Saturday (10/27)
If you're planning on taking a break from gardening during the rainy winter months, be sure to come out to this Saturday's workshop on preparing your plot for the season. We'll get started at 11am and Brent Patterson will lead a workshop on sheet mulching, cover crops, as well as some important composting reminders.
Here's the poop on Saturday's workshop: On Sunday, Brent and I drove out to a horse stable near Fort Funston and picked up some donated manure for this Saturday's workshop. We also bought a couple of bails of straw and have been collecting cardboard as well. These are the supplies you'll need to sheet mulch your plot, which is an excellent way to keep weeds in check during the winter and to improve your soil.
One important thing to keep in mind about sheet mulching is that you don't have to sheet mulch your entire plot. Brent will demonstrate how to sheet mulch around existing plants that you want to keep in place. If you are planning on sheet mulching your plot on Saturday, you should give your plot a good soaking of water beforehand.
Another option for preparing your plot for the winter is growing a cover crop. If you're interested in trying a cover crop this winter, we'll provide the seeds and show you how to get started. Cover crops add nitrogen to the soil and also produce plant material that can later be added to the compost for building more soil
Potluck and music after the workshop: At 1pm we'll finish up the workshop and take a break for a potluck. Bring a dish to share with fellow gardeners and enjoy another music open-mic event beginning at that same time.
Zo is organizing the open-mic, which goes until 4pm. If you're a musician interested in peforming or if you know someone who might want to play, please give Zo a call: 845-1489
One final note: Please remember that gardeners who aren’t actively gardening during the winter or who fail to prepare their plot for the winter by the end of the year will have to give up their plots.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Apples are ripe and ready for picking
Earlier this week, I picked an apple from the smaller apple tree in the front of the garden to see if the fruit had ripened yet. I was happy to find out that the apples are crisp and delicious!
All fruit at Page Street is available to members of the garden. Feel free to use the fruit picker on the long pole by the toolshed to pick an apple. Just position the padded basket of the fruit picker beneath one of the apples. Tap the branch and the apple should land in the basket. I'll also pick a few and leave them on top of the compost bin.
There aren't that many apples in the tree, so please just take one so everyone gets a chance to enjoy them.
Unfortunately, we didn't get a good crop of apples this year on the tree in the very front of the garden. The apple and plum trees tend to produce fruit in cycles, and it looks like this was an off year for the front apple tree.
I'm hoping to get the City to do some additional pruning on the apple and cherry trees again before the end of the year. I'll keep you posted about that effort.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Planning for winter and more music in the garden
One of the great things about gardening in the San Francisco is being able to grow vegetables and other plants year-round. That's why gardeners at Page Street are encouraged to use their plots throughout the year. But if you are not planning on gardening during the rainy winter months, you are required by the garden agreement to prepare your plot for the season.
There are a few events coming up this month that will help you make plans for the winter. If you are interested in learning more about year-round gardening, check out a special "Fall & Winter Gardening" workshop sponsored by the UC Cooperative Extension Service on Saturday, October 20, at Merritt College in Oakland. This workshop features a number of interesting topics, including "Extending Your Growing Season with Winter Crops," led by Pam Pierce, authjor of Golden Gate Gardening. The deadline for signing up for this workshop is October 12.
If you are not planning on gardening during the winter, be sure to attend our workshop on preparing your plot for the season on Saturday, October 27, from 11am-1pm. Brent Patterson, who heads up our compost team, will do a demonstration on sheet mulching. This is an excellent way of keeping weeds in check, improving nutrient content and water retention in soil, and encouraging favorable microbial activity and worms in your plot. It's also very easy to do.
In addition to the sheet mulching lesson, Brent will instruct gardeners on planting winter cover crops for their plots. Cover crops add nitrogen to the soil and also produce plant material that can later be added to the compost for building more soil.
Please keep in mind that gardeners who aren’t actively gardening during the winter or who fail to prepare their plot for the winter by the end of the year will have to give up their plots.
Music in the Garden: Saturday, October 27, 1-4pm
After the workshop is done at 1pm, we'll take a break to enjoy a potluck lunch and another open-mic music event. Music in the garden will continue until about 4pm. If you are interested in performing or know someone who might be, please call Zo at 845-1489. More details to come.
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