On Sunday CVG and P4H met quite a few of the Collierville Christian Church congregation during a BBQ. The youth gave us some rock blessings that we placed at the base of the hummingbird feeders. We picked out a few special ones and placed them under the bluebird house.
The youth will also be working on some strawberry rock decoys during VBS this summer as well as painting both the CVG and P4H front bins. They also mentioned a new scarecrow! Val and Stephanie represented the Garden while Jan, Twila, Joan, Joanne, Dawn, and Jeff represented P4H. Leah also picked up a couple gourds to start working on some fairy houses.
Since Joanne, the resident bluebird expert, was at the garden, we opened the east house and found a nice surprise-- 4 bluebird eggs. In two weeks or less, if all goes well, there should be babies .... and about 3 weeks after that fledglings. We need to keep watch!! In about 5 - 6 weeks we should clean out the old nest and hopefully the bluebird pair will prepare a second nest. A barrier needs to be placed around the pole to make sure snakes, etc. can't scale it... and maybe add a little vaseline and hot pepper flakes/powder....We also need to make sure that the mealworm feeder always is filled....the dried mealworm bag is in the grey plastic bin labelled "grow". She also wondered if the second bluebird house would be better placed at the far diagonal corner from the east house to possibly attract a second pair... it is currently empty.
The other thing that needs to happen is putting together a watering/weeding/witch hazel spraying schedule for the summer. Stephanie tried to mix some witch hazel spray but the sprayer was cracked and broken.... she'll try to pick up a replacement quickly. She plans to be at the Garden on Tuesday mornings but we also need a second water/weed opportunity at the end of the week--- maybe Friday or Saturday morning. Any takers to commit? Carl will continue mowing and trimming and fertilizing as well as leading the harvesting parties early on Thursday mornings, when needed.
Stephanie is currently talking with a girl scout troop to possibly lead and/or assist the zinnia cutting/arranging/delivering this summer.... will know in a few days, hopefully, if that works out.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, from 9:30 am - 11 am, Stephanie will be at the Garden working on some of the "to do" list and preparing for Wednesday's Roots and Shoots event. Please come if you can.
On Wednesday from 4:15 pm - 5:15 pm we will be hosting another visit from the Roots and Shoots garden club kids.... we'll be planting and watering. Please come out if you are able.
Things to do around the garden:
-Commit to watering, etc schedule for summer
-Add snake barrier to bluebird posts
-Weed plot 3 (immediately left of front gate) to get the area ready for planting tomatoes
-Weed around garlic
-Continue garden clean-up as needed, like folding black plastic and putting away behind compost area
-Keep watering as needed, but especially the strawberries and peppers in cinder block holes
-Complete landscape fabric/pine needle mulching at back water spigot. The fabric is next to the back shed
-Add a few extra rebar where needed in the cinder block beds
-Start thinking some whimsy fairy garden focal points and scarecrow
-Prepare a couple of the pallets for vertical planting
-Keep turning the new composter and fill the second one....
-Plant back archway with gourd seed
-Keep hummingbird feeders stocked with fresh sugar water and the mealworm feeder filled
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