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5 hours 31 min ago
Manager
We're working on getting a more detailed summary up - while we do that, here's the most time-sensitive info:
Spring Prep Event - March 10th from 1pm to 4pm
Please join us on the afternoon of the second Saturday in March! We will be cleaning up plots, doing general maintenance and repairs, and doing whatever we need to do to get ready for the rest of the season.
Payment
Payments are due by March 15th.
- Full Plot: $125.00
- Half Plot: $ 50.00
Please make checks payable to “South Waterfront Community Garden” (checks made out to SWFCG have never been returned, so feel free to shorten it)
Payment should be sent to:
Geoff Granum
0836 SW Curry St.
Unit 1006
Portland, Oregon 97239
Or dropped off with the concierge at the Meriwether east tower, addressed as above.
40 weeks 6 days ago
Manager
Facebook
If you use it, please mark up the garden's page - let's see some activity! :~)
Getting Going, Growing
I see that the majority of the plots are seeing some activity, but a fair number out there are quite untouched so far this season! It's definitely time to get your plot ready for planting, and for planting those leafy veggies. If we get lucky, even tomatoes might do well if planted now - but do be sure to keep those leaves off the ground or you won't be very happy! I will probably wait another week or two, but that is because I can't get out there every day to worry over them :~)
Event - Plant, Weed, Tend
Saturday the 21st, 11am and throughout the day: we need some bodies out there to:
- help weed the borders, between beds and the back (or, heck just weed for 5 minutes every time you're out there!)
- lay down some weed guard and bark
- Plant some bulbs along the border
- Enjoy some camaraderie!
Event - Learn!
Don't forget, worm bin composting class Wednesday evening!
Class fee of $20 pays for your worm bin. You must register and pay in advance for Composting and Worm Bins for Condo Dwellers by emailing South Waterfront Community Relations Manager Heather Bayles at
heather@southwaterfront.com.
Light refreshments will be provided at the class.
May Urban Harvest Gardening Class Series
Wednesday, May 4 and Wednesday, May 18,
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Community Relations Townhome
Atwater Place, Suite 115
0841 SW Gaines Street, Portland, OR Map ItOrganic Organic Organic!
I have heard tales of Miracle-Gro being spotted in the garden. While I understand the desire to have superb results, we are an organic garden. No pesticides, no herbicides, and no chemical fertilizers.
As an aside, chemical fertilizers are often produced using industrial wastes. Nominally we'd call this recycling, but as I prefer not to recycle stray heavy metals through my garden I will stay with the EPA's verbiage and continue to call it waste:
No specific regulations exist requiring fertilizer producers to list non-nutritive constituents on
fertilizer labels, so it is difficult to quickly ascertain the levels of heavy metals (and other
chemicals) in fertilizers. Chemicals such as radionuclides and persistent organics (e.g., chlorinated
dibenzodioxins/furans) are in this category. Several studies have shown that heavy metals are
present in the parts per million (mg/kg) range, and occasionally as high as parts per thousand, in
fertilizers produced from recycled industrial by-products.
produced by the US EPA, National Program Chemicals Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
Another aside, from a the professor of a class titled 'Soils Science and Plant Nutrition' I took a decade or so ago: The makers of Miracle Gro re-bid the rights to produce their line of fertilizers every three years or so. They don't own their own facilities, quality control, recipe, etc. Whichever facility provides the lowest bid for the labeled nutrient values, makes Miracle Gro. To restate that more succinctly: Miracle Gro is made by the lowest bidder.
Final comment on this subject: The compost that is out there is amazing, an opinion re-enforced by the results of the soil analysis Dennis had done. Go grab some compost and avoid those chemical fertilizers!
Compost and 'fill dirt' piles
Those two piles of soil back there are now open for whomever wishes to amend their plots. If you need to remove an inch or two of soil before adding some compost, please fill in the soil around the roses on the east fence line. Both batches of soil are from McFarlane's Bark, and I had some long phone conversations with the Kathleen McFarlane. I am quite sold on their quality control! Among other things, they send out their soils to a firm to test for a vast swath of pesticides and herbicides. I was very reassured.
The pile to the north is compost, and the pile to the south is a three-way mix. Honestly they are both of absurdly high quality, so don't worry too much if the compost pile disappears before you get to it!
43 weeks 9 hours ago
Manager
Maureen Bennett asked me to forward this along:
You are invited to a Seedling/Seed Exchange this Sunday at 2pm. I have extra tomato, basil, leek, onion, collard green, arrugula, zucchini, and yellow squash starts and seeds to share. If you are interested in any of these or would like to share / exchange as well come on down! Whatever is leftover we can plant in a community plot.
Maureen Bennett
I will be out there as well with a bunch of my extra seeds - and don't forget we have the seeds in the Community Relations office, Atwater 115!
47 weeks 5 days ago
Manager
It's hard to believe it was only last year that we put together the first set of beds, isn't it? Well, it's that time again. We can use all volunteers to join us next weekend in building another set of plots: let's kick off this gardening season with a great community turn out - To welcome our new members, and to help the garden grow by an additional 20 beds - and by many more than 20 new members!
Like last year, the lumber is pre-cut. It's 'just' pre-drilling holes and screwing the beds together. We will have a small earthmover out there to fill the new beds with soil and to help level things out. If you have a powered drill, please bring it, and some drill bits and Phillips head drivers.
That's Saturday April 2nd, 9am to about 3pm. Come as you can; for an hour or for the whole day! Bring a friend! Bring a lot of friends!
Coffee and pastries will be provided... And on the subject of providing pastries: If you you would like to help out by bringing the pastries, please let me know!
It's time to kick off the growing season! We have lots of projects that can use hands - there's the beds of course, but for those less interested in power tools and hauling lumber there are roses and other flowers left to plant along the fence lines. No, really - those roses are in my plot - your garden manager won't get to start gardening if we can't get them planted! And more...
and many others for their generous donations.
Our garden has grown stronger thanks to their continued support.
