[Akroncooperative-news] Community Gardeners

[Lawrence Parker]

Sent: Monday, June 8, 2009 3:36:13 PM
Subject: Community Gardeners


Hello, all!

I've been on the phone most of today with Copley Mulch and have made final arrangements for the dumping of the compost in between rain drops.

Copley Mulch will be sending out several trucks on Wednesday afternoon and dumping the compost in rough spreads across the lots.  Meanwhile I'll be coordinating with our plower/tiller, Aaron Hill, who will be hitting each lot as soon as all of the compost has been dumped (this may in fact take place starting Thursday morning so that he doesn't have to worry about running into any trucks as they're finishing up).

Once the compost is tilled in, we're ready to go.  Please arrive at your designated lot Saturday morning around 9 and start getting organized.  I'll be going around and hitting each garden lot to make sure everything's going alright.
If any of you want to get started earlier, Thursday or Friday, just give me a call and let me know - it will most likely make it easier on me, but I don't know everyone's schedules.

PLEASE BRING 4 wood or metal stakes and enough twine or rope to stake out your garden.  If you want to get started planting, this is a good time to do it - garden lore says that morning is the best time to plant your garden.  Afternoon suns are much to brutal for new plants trying to acclimate themselves to new surroundings.

(Trivia: You've most likely heard of the phrase "Mad dogs and Englishmen..." and though this is the name of a Joe Cocker album it was originally a humorous song written by one Noel Coward in 1931:

http://www.spike.com/video/mad-dogs-englishmen/2838002?cid=YSSP

The basic idea is that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the hot midday sun, but not rational people nor young plants!)(ok, I added that last part about the plants.)

So if you want to get planting, bring your tools along.  I would suggest a round-bladed shovel, a garden rake, a hoe, a trowel, and some more stakes and string to lay out your rows.  You can plant rows or you can plant square-foot plots which are easier to weed and maintain.  Above all, if you're a newbie, don't go overboard and overplant.  You'll regret it later and most likely lose a lot of what you've planted.  Be conservative; this first summer is a learning period.  Plan on feeding the world next year!

And don't forget to talk with your garden mates about a good location for your community compost pile (and, yes, you can bring scraps from home and mix them in - just do a good job of that and mix them in well).

Talk about hoses, and perhaps this first time bring a watering can to water in your plants.

Any questions just give me a call or send me an email.

Best,
Larry Parker


      
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