July 8, 2015
- The cherry has lost almost all its leaves, even the green ones. Permaculture GTA says it might be a fungus, or overwatering. No visible evidence of fungus. Added a sign to advise volunteers to water more lightly.
- The reticulated plastic hose piece that accidentally overwintered outside started disintegrating. Will have to stow all plastic pieces more carefully this year.
- Squashes are having no trouble at all getting pollinated, despite my initial worry
- Have to keep stopping squash vines from latching onto tomato stems.
- Corn has been eaten down to the ground. Bad year for slugs, we think
- Microgreens starting to sprout
- All but squashes are growing slowly. Cool weather? Late start? Unlucky combination of both?
Tasks completed:
- Thinned carrots
- Added temporary signs to worm bin (indicating which section to use) and cherry
- Patched broken raised bed (finally found the missing slat behind the stairs)
- Cut rain barrel diverters to proper size
July 9, 2015
Mulberry harvest day with Not Far From the Tree. 8 volunteers (3 from NFFTT, 5 from G@K) gathered over 7 kg of mulberries. We spread tarps on the ground & held plastic sheets between groups of 4 to catch berries as they fell. Ladders, poles, and tree-climbing aided in shaking them down.
July 10, 2015
- 1st zucchini almost ready to pick
- All leaves on cherry now fallen. Replace it? Wait and see if it tries again?
- Installed 1 rain barrel
- Pat installed a 2nd
July 11, 2015
Painted, stained, and installed new slat for sign to advertise our website: kimbourne.org/garden
July 12, 2015
Here are the notes I jotted down:
- Wow, after 2 days of hot sun (rare lately), some squashes have doubled in size
- Tiny tomato seedlings all over raised beds—must have been seeds in the worm castings we added to soil
- The strongest of the tomatoes I sprouted indoors this spring (middle raised bed) has first blossoms.
- Strawberry raised bed needs netting or chicken wire to keep squirrels out
- White clover is sprouting from seed I scattered last week on bare patches in lawn and thinly planted areas of garden. I hope it will reduce evaporation in garden & also fix nitrogen in soil
- Brenda says rue apparently keeps cats from digging in garden
- Yellow cherry tomatoes ripening now
- Next year can we budget for an arborist to prune the mulberry trees?
- Sheilah says issue with broccoli leaves likely leaf miners.
- Pinched off spent nasturtiums
- Weeded grass, garlic mustard, ragweed, other unknown weeds.
- Left alone: amaranth, lamb's quarters, white clover
- Hilled up a broccoli plant damaged by squirrels. Hopefully the support will be enough for it to heal.
- Decided to introduce weekly social work times on Wednesday nights between 6:30 an 7:30 p.m.. Will begin this week.