Concord Village EarthLab

Have you noticed any of the newly-planted perennial plants or native trees? Four small native trees, including two hazelnuts, one serviceberry, and one birch, and multiple perennials were secured and installed by landscaping committee members this month.

Pollinator-Friendly, Flowering Plants

About one-half of the bare strip next to 270 Jay Street was populated with pollinator-supporting perennials such as purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis), echinacea or purple cone flower (echinacea purpurea), nodding onion (Allium cernuum), lavender, pink or swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) and comfrey (Symphytum officinale). We also planted some seeds for annual medium sized native sunflowers — which may or may not succeed. The majority of these plants are native which means, once they are established, will be drought-resistant and easy to maintain.

The petite tree saplings came from the New York Restoration Project at no charge; they include one Allegheny Serviceberry, one Gray Birch and two American Hazelnuts. While some of the new plants were propagated from existing CV plants, others were gifted or discounted because CVEarthlab is a registered BBG Alliance and GrowNYC community garden.

All of these plants and trees are described as pollinator-friendly because their nectar or fruit supports a large number of beneficial insects, including butterflies, bees, and birdlife. According to the USDA, native plants are a good landscaping choice because of their abundance of nectar and pollen. In addition to being low maintenance, generally pest free, and drought tolerant, they help control erosion. Naturally beautiful, natives are good sources of food and shelter for wildlife.

Pollinators help us grow food, support a healthy ecosystem, biodiversity and beauty. The pollinator-supporting garden next to 270 Jay Street was designed so that at least one of the plants is always flowering and there is always some type of nectar available from spring through fall.

These projects were conceived and proposed by committee members, approved by the board, and executed and installed by committee members. We were able to source most of the trees and plants for free. (Some, such as the milkweed and comfrey, are divisions from established plants in the play area.) We expect them to be somewhat tolerant of dog urine once they mature. For the next 6-8 weeks, they are vulnerable and need extra TLC, so we’ve marked off most of them, temporarily, with plant supports.

Should any die, we have some other plants from which we can take divisions.

Please note: Garden committee has added, temporarily, markers to help protect milkweed as it comes in. The flags should be gone within 2 weeks — when the new growth is established. Without milkweed, no Monarchs!

Learn more about the Monarch butterflies and CV’s milkweed here: https://cvearthlab.wordpress.com/category/monarch/

It is official! Spring is here! The fantastic season started March 19th, according to the Farmer’s Almanac! We are a few weeks in. Here are some upcoming dates to note…

April 2024

Early/Mid April – Start to direct sow arugula, sugar snap peas, kale, carrots; direct sow + transplant cucumbers;

End of April – Have garden cleaned up; prepped for Spring/ direct sow or transplant lettuce, radish or carrots 

May 2024

Thursday May 3rd  – Plant sale pick up

Sat May 4/Sun May 5 – Transplant some flowers + herbs

Mid-May/Early June – Hold weekly Q+A for seed-starters – Help with hardening off seedlings, prepare for transplanting, watering. (Usually Wed evenings); start watering schedule

Early to Mid-June Transplant tomatoes, peppers; possibly hold Strawberries + Salad fundraiser party

My tomato seeds sprouted today!

AJ says hers did too…Anyone seeing tiny miracles? Timing of sprouting will depend on the type of plant you are growing, so don’t worry if you haven’t seen anything yet. If you are worried, you can send a message to CVearthlab@gmail.com . -Denise

PS: Here are some reminders about self-watering planter care.

Thanks to all who came to the garden workshops on Sunday and Monday. I am sharing some tips we used at Benji’s elementary school for PTA plantings…But this is one philosophy or approach, not the only one. -Denise

1. (At home) Remove and fill the bottom reservoir cup with about 2-3 inches of water. For one time only, water plant from the top to allow soil and wick to settle. Wick should dangle into liquid to allow soil to “suck up” the water and “self water” the plant.

2. Place in full sun or sunny windowsill.  

3. Add water to bottom cup every 2-3 days. It is OK to spritz soil from the top, but “watering” should be done via the reservoir in the bottom of the planter.

4.  If you need to add soil, use organic potting soil (or ask the gardeners)

5. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to cvearthlab@gmail.com . It is not necessarily easy to succeed the first time — but we want you to, and we will help!

There is still availability for today’s Seed-starting workshop at 5pm in the community room. It is our final workshop for Spring 2024 — a perfect time to jump into garden membership for the season!

Email cvearthlab@gmail.com to RSVP. If you haven’t registered in advance, please bring a 1-liter plastic seltzer bottle or a small pot per each participant. Suggested donation, to cover the other materials, is $10 per person/ $30 per family. We will be in the community room until 7pm; each participant’s planting should take only 15 minutes, but it is important to let us know you are coming and to make a donation in advance so we can provide sufficient materials to everyone. If you register in advance, we will arrange to get you materials even if you cannot attend between 5-7pm this evening. The preferred method: donate directly to CVEarthlab’s treasurer via Venmo: Lee-Stern-4 (x1761) or submit a check to the office. Find more details here: https://cvearthlab.com/2024/03/28/join-us-seed-starting-workshop-is-on-for-sun-4-7-and-mon-4-8/

Thanks to all who participated in Sunday evening’s workshop as well as the plant swap and garden activities at CV’s Earthfest Saturday! All residents are very welcome to get involved in the garden; we are especially seeking parents of young children to help maintain the educational garden. If your kids enjoy the garden — and many, many do– please seriously consider how you can help keep the family-friendly project running.

CVEarthlab.com is a self-funded, volunteer run project at CV. All residents are welcome to harvest culinary herbs from the standing beds behind 195 and 225 Adams. Please consider getting involved in the main garden as a member or financial supporter as well! We are actively seeking intentional participation from everyone who enjoys the main vegetable garden, pollinator-supporting plants and activities, butterfly gardening and catching, Monarch conservation and nature appreciation.  Register your official support here: https://cvearthlab.com/2024/03/19/register-your-support-for-cvs-edible-garden/

The benefits of gardening are boundless!

If you or your family members interact with the garden, we ask you to contribute in a meaningful way. Please sign up to get notified about volunteer opportunities such as group work days, educational activities for kids, or vegetable harvesting. Or, attend a seed-starting workshop this Sun or Mon evening. Gardeners will be at Earthfest this Saturday 1-3pm (in the play area) to answer questions.

Did you know that when a young child helps grow produce, they are more likely to try different foods and to eat veg later in life? We estimate that at least half of the kids who play in the children’s area taste, pick, and smell the herbs and vegetables during each season. They love to help with worm hunting and watering; to rake, dig, and do other tasks. Residents may not realize it, but the garden offers many opportunities for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, to feed a child’s curiosity while improving their observation, motor, and social skills.

The main edible garden is located inside the children’s play area behind 195 Adams St.. CVEarthlab also includes the open-to-everyone standing herb beds outside the play area fence and behind 270 Jay St. Keeping it going, however, requires help from many people. Opening the garden in the spring and closing it in the fall is a team effort. And from June through September, our volunteers tend to the garden at least 2x a day.

There are plenty of tasks to go around, and no experience is necessary! Sign up today so we can plan to grow kid-friendly foods and plan appropriate activities. We will add you to the list of volunteers to be notified when help is needed. Additionally, your sign-up or seed-starting registration lets the board know that you care about and value the edible garden. Thank you! -Core Committee Members: Amy, Ansley, AJ, Denise, Gunthilde, Lee, Peter, Jeff, Matt, Sandy, Shari, Ying

Do you drink seltzer?

CVEarthlab gardeners would like to upcycle your empty 1-liter plastic seltzer bottles.  We will convert them into sub-irrigated, self-watering planters for the seed-starting workshops Sun 4/7 and Mon 4/8.

To donate your bottles, send an email to cvearthlab@gmail.com. Tell us your building number, and we’ll pick up your bottles after you leave them with your doorman.  Thank you in advance!

Indoor Workshop Is Sun + Mon Ap 7th/8th

All residents are invited to attend the workshop and plant with us!  Sunday: At 4 pm, in the community room, we will start seedlings. (On Monday, it will be 5-7pm) The garden committee will provide non-GMO, organic vegetable and flower seeds, organic potting soil, fertilizer, and guidance. You bring an empty plastic bottle (to convert into a sub-irrigated, self-watering planter).  Advance registration is required. To reserve a spot, please send a suggested donation ($10. for individuals or $30. per household) via Venmo to Lee-Stern-4; 1761, please. Alternatively, you can request a check or cash pickup by sending a note to CVEarthlab@gmail.com.  Either way, we need to know the date you prefer, the names of participants, ages if they are children, along with your building number and contact information.

In addition to the materials for the workshop, the suggested donation counts for your 2024 garden membership. To see photos from previous workshops, click here.

When: Sunday April 7th (4-6pm) or Monday April 8th (5-7pm)

What: Seed-Starting Workshop

Where: 230 Jay St Community Room

What else: Please register in advance.

We hope you’ll join us! – Denise, Sandy, and other core garden committee members