New Plan: Thurs May 27th Is the Last Day to Transplant Your Home-Grown Seedlings!
There’s a threat of high winds and hail this afternoon and evening, so we will have to hold off transplantations. It would not be good for the seedlings to experience extreme weather right after moving in.
I hope to be outside tomorrow, Thursday, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm to transplant ALL the seedlings that haven’t gone into the CV soil yet. Th There should be multiple tomatoes, peppers, flowers, and eggplant going into the garden Wednesday evening.
On Friday, Judith will fill any remaining space with Sandy’s extra tomatoes and eggplant.
If you surrendered a plant to me, and want to be involved in the actual transplant, please let me know so I don’t start without you — (Jane !
AND, if you transplanted anything without a core garden member, please let us know what went where if you didn’t put down marker.
Finally, if you don’t get this message or left your seedling outside, I will stash it under the cold frame during the storm window….If you have yours outside, make sure it is well sheltered where it cannot blow over in the wind or fill up with rain.
I will be outside Wednesday from 5:30pm to 6:30pm to transplant ALL the seedlings that haven’t gone into the CV soil yet. The beds and pots are filling up fast! There should be multiple tomatoes, peppers, flowers, and eggplant going into the garden Wednesday evening.
On Thursday and Friday, Judith will fill any remaining space with Sandy’s extra tomatoes and eggplant.
If you surrendered a plant to me, and want to be involved in the actual transplant, please let me know so I don’t start without you — (Jane 🙂 !
It is so exciting to see these young plants thriving, and tomorrow’s warm temperatures should be perfect to help ease their transition into their new homes.
There are still a few regular slots open for May and June. It’s a great way to watch your plant — and the others — progress during their growth spurt. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Any seedlings started at the March workshop should be outside by now. Today’s warm temperatures are perfect for hardening off!
The final seedling care sessions (Wed 5.19 and Wed 5.26) will focus on transplanting. If your plants are going into the garden soil, we need them in the garden.
What Does Hardening Off Mean?
Peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and other fruit-bearing plants that are started from seed indoors need to acclimate to outdoor weather prior to transplant. The hardening off process takes a little over 10 days, as time outside gradually increases from a couple hours to a full day. Flowers need to harden off, too — but don’t require as much time as fruit-bearing plants.
If you have seedlings or questions about how to prep the seedlings you started in March, be sure to come to the garden this Wednesday eve or next, or arrange for a meeting ASAP.
Stop by the garden on Wed 5/19 or Wed 5/26 between 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. to prep and transplant workshop seedlings.
We will be there for an hour, but it should only take you 10 minutes…
Time Is Running Out! May 26th is the Last Day to Transplant
It is also time to learn how to do garden care tasks and sign up for a weekly slot. The garden is in full swing, and needs attention at least 2x a day. Please volunteer for an evening or morning shift no later than Wednesday 5/19.
Whether or Not You Have Seedlings, the Garden Needs YOU!
Want to dive into garden care? This is the time to get involved!
We do regular garden duties two times a day, and the collective garden committee needs volunteers to spend 10 minutes in the garden each morning or evening. We are looking for volunteers to help on one weekday morning or evenings and commit to a recurring task through the end of June. Morning tasks include some kid-friendly, light watering work, but there are only a couple morning slots open.
The pollinators, like this big ol’ bumble bee, are out — and your plants should be too!
Peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and other fruit-bearing plants that are started from seed indoors need to acclimate to outdoor weather prior to transplant. The hardening off process takes a little over 10 days, as time outside gradually increases from a couple hours to a full day. I started this weekend, and my chocolate cherry tomatoes spent 11 hours outside today! At this rate, they should be ready for transplant next week.
Flowers need to harden off, too — but don’t require as much time as fruit-bearing plants.
Stop by the garden tomorrow, Friday 5/14 between 5:30 and 6:30pm, to learn about hardening off plants and daily garden tasks.
(We will be there for an hour, but it should only take you 10 minutes.)
Plus, we want to see your seedlings! Jane, Denise and Maura have sturdy tomatoes, Sandy has eggplant and squash, while Charlie, Teddy, and Jessie have impressive-looking peppers! Seems like most of the workshop participants have had success — pls keep up the great work and get your guys outside.
We’ll be out in the garden this Friday evening and Wednesday May 19th. Catch us while you can!
Friday May 14th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Wednesday, May 19th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Whether or Not You Have Seedlings, the Garden Needs YOU!
Want to dive into garden care? We’ve started doing regular garden duties two times a day, and we need volunteers to spend 10 minutes in the garden each morning or evening. Thanks to those who have committed to weekly spots through June. Morning tasks include some kid-friendly, light watering work, but there are only a couple morning slots open.
Seed starters: The process of hardening off your seedlings should be underway.
Before we move seedlings from our window sills into the ground, we have to harden them off. The process takes about 10 days. If you started seedlings for the first time at the March workshop, you will want to learn how to get them acclimated to the outdoor conditions ASAP.
Join us!
We’ll be out in the garden Wednesday and Friday evenings this week and can explain more about hardening off seedlings.
Wednesday, May 12th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Friday May 14th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Volunteers for Daily Garden Care Needed
Want to learn more about morning and evening garden care duties? We need volunteers to spend 10 minutes in the garden each morning or evening. We’ll be looking for people to commit to, say, Tuesday mornings, during the end of May and full month of June. Morning tasks will include some kid-friendly, light watering work. Schedules are posted and sign up is open. Find the info here, pls. Thank you.
2021 Daily Garden Tasks – Sign up now for May and June.
AM Garden care tasks: Before 10:15am This shift will include some watering duties and inspections for plant pests and disease.
Evening (PM) garden care duties (after 5:30 but before 7:30pm) This shift calls for treating disease or plants affected by insects with sprays such as diluted neem oil or soapy water mix.
We need volunteers to take a regular morning or evening shift. You’re committing to the shift on a weekly basis, such as Friday evenings or Tuesday mornings, through June 30th.
Read on for more details.
Sign Up for May/June Garden Duties!
We’re looking for individuals and families to sign up for weekly spots mid-May through June 30th.
Ideally, each volunteer will take a regular morning or evening 1-2 times per week, such as Tuesday mornings. (It is fine to swap/ask others to cover your time, but by signing up for a slot you are commit to arrange for a trained volunteer to execute garden duties on that shift through the end of June.)
Here is the schedule. To volunteer, write your name and cellphone number (for text group) next to the shift.
Important: All watering will be done in the mornings only, as watering later in the day leads to humid conditions that increase risk of fungus and other problems we experienced last year. If your child(ren) want to water, please sign up for a morning slot. (If they’re all filled, send a request to cvearthlab@gmail.com with your preferred mornings. There are other weekly tasks you can take on, but these do not include watering the plants. More opportunities will be available when we schedule July and August shifts.)
CVEarthlab is an organic garden that manages pests and disease via swift intervention rather than pesticides. Communication and fast action is key for upkeep. Urgent feedback (about rodent digging or broken irrigation hoses) should be shared with the volunteer group via WhatsApp, a group texting app, ASAP. Ideally, you will send a photo of the urgent problem when you report this way. (We will share information on how to use the simple app, including how to turn off notifications.)
Before we move the pepper and tomato seedlings from our window sills into the ground, we have to harden them off. It’s time to get started — the process takes 7-10 days. If you started seedlings for the first time at the March workshop, you will want to learn how to get them acclimated to the outdoor conditions.
Join us!
We’ll be out in the garden Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this week.
Monday, May 10th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Wednesday, May 12th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Friday May 14th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Garden guru Sandy heads out for the summer next week, catch her now!
Volunteers for Daily Garden Care Needed
Want to learn more about morning and evening garden care duties? We’re building a schedule and will need volunteers to spend 10 minutes in the garden each morning or evening. We’ll be looking for people to commit to, say, Tuesday mornings, during the end of May and full month of June. Morning tasks will include some kid-friendly, light watering work.
Scroll down to get an idea of the tasks volunteers would be responsible for…Stay tuned for sign ups! Thank you.
2021 Daily Garden Tasks
AM Garden care tasks: Before 10:15am
Check irrigation system. Does everything appear to be working? The timer dial should be set to AUTO and the correct time should be displayed. Are there signs of hose leaks or other problems? Bone dry soil? If yes, send a note to cvearthlab@gmail.com – please note day, time, bed number; a photo is helpful if you have one.
2. Using the water wand to wet soil (not leaves) water items that are NOT on the irrigation system. These include
strawberry towers (water each level)
hanging flower baskets
row of pots near shed, row of tomato pots on opposite side of garden, near entrance gate
6-7 window boxes Check each box to see if it needs water: Stick your finger in the soil to see if it’s wet 3 inches down. If it’s very damp, you can skip watering. If it’s not, water deeply.
3. Look for signs of rodent digging in and around beds and the shed. If you find signs of a new burrow (usually a pile of displaced soil that the animals remove to make tunnels) pls take a photo; alert Denise and Shari via text or WhatsApp ASAP.
4. Check plants for signs of disease or insect damage. (We will share images and descriptions) Take a photo, share with group via texting app (WhatsApp)
5. Check for other problems/general signs of damage: broken trellis from wind, etc. If yes, send a note to cvearthlab@gmail.com – please note day, time, area affected, photo is helpful if you have one.
6. Log visit in virtual garden journal: Via your phone or home computer, note the conditions, non-urgent observations such as “very windy, lots of branches on the ground from wind storm, noticed new blooms/flowers on ground cherry plants, saw stray cat inside play area or ‘nothing out of the ordinary”
Evening duties (after 5:30 but before 7:30pm)
Treat disease or affected plants with neem oil spray or soapy water spray bottle stored in shed. (The need for treatments will vary depending on the disease or insects that we’re dealing with)
Before you leave, use the MIST setting on the hose to lightly spray the cedar chips on the ground. This activates a cedar smell which helps deter nocturnal rodents.
Apply cedar oil to all vertical surfaces in the garden. We will do this every other evening, or after there’s rain. First, get the cedar oil jug from the storage area (next to 195 backdoor). You may need to refill the container with cedar oil concentrate and water. Screw on top, and pump only one or two times. Next, squeeze the applicator as you spray to cover the sides and top edge of every bed. In addition, spray the border fence (everywhere on inside, and on the outside by the entrance gate) plus along the base of the large fence near gate, and inside the large fence in the section that is inside the garden. Spray also: All sides of shed, 3 feet high. The rationale? Rodents navigate by scent, not sight, so we spray cedar oil along surfaces they may use to find their way to the garden. The strong cedar scent confuses them and makes it difficult to find the garden.
Log visit in virtual garden journal, note the conditions, and any non-urgent observations made during the visit.
To donate, you can leave checks, made out to CVOI, with CVEarthlab in the memo line, at the CV office. Or, you can arrange for a garden member to pick up an envelope from your doorman by sending a note to cvearthlab@gmail.com . We also accept donations via Venmo electronic payment service. To donate via Venmo app, use Shari’s Rueckl’s username: @misssha
Concord Village EarthLab 