Concord Village EarthLab

The garden committee will host a Strawberries & Salad Party on Friday June 7th.

All residents are most welcome to join us in celebrating the first crop of the season!

More info to come. Thx.

Last night was so mild, my tomatoes and peppers spent it outside. Bring seedlings outside today!

Look in front of 175 Adams. 3 big babies who will be ready to leave very soon.

Hope to see you outside Wednesday between 6pm and 7pm.

Kids can water and transplant flowers and herbs. Adults can learn about seedling care, watering duties, the new raised bed tops, and get a sneak preview of the 2019 garden map!  (You can see the 2018 one here)

If you can’t join tomorrow, we will be out  Wednesday May 22nd from 6pm to 7pm.  Thanks!  -Denise

PS Here are some photos of the new blooms and the robin’s nest by the 230 back door

Here are some common transplanting questions — and answers.

Are your tomatoes, peppers, and flowers ready to go into the ground?

Indoor seedlings might be big enough for transplant – but that doesn’t mean they are ready to go from your warm, windless apartment into the outside world. The recommended minimum temperature for tomatoes and peppers is consistently 65 degrees (including nighttime). Our region typically doesn’t get that warm until mid-May or early June.

What’s up with the irrigation system?  Do I have to use it?

The drip hoses in the automated system are activated by a timer, which means less manual use of the spray hose is needed.  But, there are more knobs and levers around the hose, so you have to be careful not to turn the main water source off or change the timer settings.

How does the spray hose work?  Which one of the taps connects to the spray hose?

Use only the ORANGE hose. You can set the spray nozzle to various setting to adjust the stream. (FLAT and MIST are good for dampening the pink cedar chips we use to helps keep animals away). To fill watering cans, try SOAKER.

Switch on the water source using the tap on the fence.  Turn the blue lever (attached to the pipe connected to the orange hose) toward Jay Street for ON; turn it towards Adams St for OFF. Alternatively, remember left is loose, right is tight.

When can I transplant my tomatoes?

The weather will probably not be warm enough to transplant tomatoes before May 15^th. However, you can start hardening them off – gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions so they will be ready

How do I harden off tomatoes and peppers?

Here’s a description from GrowingGardens.org ‘s Guide to Hardening-off:

In order to give plants a chance to grow from seed to mature, fruit-bearing plant, gardeners need to start plants indoors during the cold late winter, and transplant them outside once the temperatures are warm enough to support proper plant growth.  “Hardening off” is the process of moving plants outdoors for a portion of the day to gradually introduce them to the direct sunlight, dry air, and cold nights. 

1. Harden off gradually, so that seedlings become accustomed to strong sunlight, cool nights and less-frequent watering over a 7-10 day period.
2. On a mild day, start with 2-3 hours of sun in a sheltered location.

3. Protect seedlings from strong sun, wind, hard rain and cool temperatures.

4. Increase exposure to sunlight a few additional hours at a time and gradually reduce frequency of watering, but do not allow seedlings to wilt. Avoid fertilizing.

5. Keep an eye on the weather and listen to the low temperature prediction. If temperatures below the crop’s minimum are forecast, bring the plants indoors or close the cold frame and cover it with a blanket or other insulation.

6. Gradually increase exposure to cold.

7. After transplanting to the garden, use a weak fertilizer solution to get transplants growing again and to help avoid transplant shock.  Be sure to water plants after hardening them off.

The bird nest is under the red canopy above the back entrance of 230 Jay Street.

It is right on top of the light.  It is difficult to capture it in a photo, due to the bright light, but check it out during the daytime.  Thanks to Edward for helping me connect the dots between the egg shell discovered last week and the robins that I’ve noticed picking up worms in the play area.  I suspect these are the parents.  –Denise

Gardeners will be working from 12noon to 2pm. While there will not be specific child-friendy activities, children are most welcome to water. (Ask a gardener for a spritzer.)

Interested adults are invited to help with other gardening tasks or get garden info. Stop by, its a gorgeous day!

Hope to see you outside between 6pm and 7pm.  It’s a beautiful day for gardening!

Kids can water and transplant flowers and herbs. Adults can learn about seedling care, watering duties, the new raised bed tops, and get a sneak preview of the 2019 garden map!  (You can see the 2018 one here)

If you can’t join tonight, we will be out Wednesday May 15 and Wednesday May 22nd from 6pm to 7pm.  Thanks!  -Denise

Here are some common transplanting questions — and answers.

Are your tomatoes, peppers, and flowers ready to go into the ground?

Indoor seedlings might be big enough for transplant – but that doesn’t mean they are ready to go from your warm, windless apartment into the outside world. The recommended minimum temperature for tomatoes and peppers is consistently 65 degrees (including nighttime). Our region typically doesn’t get that warm until mid-May or early June.

What’s up with the irrigation system?  Do I have to use it?

The drip hoses in the automated system are activated by a timer, which means less manual use of the spray hose is needed.  But, there are more knobs and levers around the hose, so you have to be careful not to turn the main water source off or change the timer settings.

How does the spray hose work?  Which one of the taps connects to the spray hose?

Use only the ORANGE hose. You can set the spray nozzle to various setting to adjust the stream. (FLAT and MIST are good for dampening the pink cedar chips we use to helps keep animals away). To fill watering cans, try SOAKER.

Switch on the water source using the tap on the fence.  Turn the blue lever (attached to the pipe connected to the orange hose) toward Jay Street for ON; turn it towards Adams St for OFF. Alternatively, remember left is loose, right is tight.

When can I transplant my tomatoes?

The weather will probably not be warm enough to transplant tomatoes before May 15^th. However, you can start hardening them off – gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions so they will be ready

How do I harden off tomatoes and peppers?

Here’s a description from GrowingGardens.org ‘s Guide to Hardening-off:

In order to give plants a chance to grow from seed to mature, fruit-bearing plant, gardeners need to start plants indoors during the cold late winter, and transplant them outside once the temperatures are warm enough to support proper plant growth.  “Hardening off” is the process of moving plants outdoors for a portion of the day to gradually introduce them to the direct sunlight, dry air, and cold nights. 

1. Harden off gradually, so that seedlings become accustomed to strong sunlight, cool nights and less-frequent watering over a 7-10 day period.
2. On a mild day, start with 2-3 hours of sun in a sheltered location.

3. Protect seedlings from strong sun, wind, hard rain and cool temperatures.

4. Increase exposure to sunlight a few additional hours at a time and gradually reduce frequency of watering, but do not allow seedlings to wilt. Avoid fertilizing.

5. Keep an eye on the weather and listen to the low temperature prediction. If temperatures below the crop’s minimum are forecast, bring the plants indoors or close the cold frame and cover it with a blanket or other insulation.

6. Gradually increase exposure to cold.

7. After transplanting to the garden, use a weak fertilizer solution to get transplants growing again and to help avoid transplant shock.  Be sure to water plants after hardening them off.

We’ll talk about hardening off seedlings (aka preparing indoor seedlings for transplant outside), demonstrate the new irrigation system, and answer seedling care questions.

Read more about how to harden-off plants here.

Hope to see you! –Denise

Related: Watering Wednesdays Spring 2018;  2019 Watering Schedule Is Live!