CVG 2015 May 23 - 31 Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Upcoming CVG Organized Work Opportunities:
Monday June 1: 8:30 am - 11 am  -- Continue fence renovations, mound potatoes for the last time, plant strawberries, finish building raised bed in plot 4, maybe start demo-ing rotten central beds in plot 4, divide perennials in plots 7 and 8.

Tuesday June 2 : 8:00 am - 10:00 am -- Harvest for The Salvation Army. Till plot available area in plot 1 for more corn planting and lay more landscape fabric in plot walkways between rows. Till plot 2 large concrete block bed. Continue fence renovations.
Tuesday June 2 : 5:30 pm - dusk -- Divide zinnias seedlings and pull weeds in Girl Scout beds. Continue weeding, especially walkways and "volunteer" grass in garlic beds. Work on more permanent id's for vegetables.  Maybe spray cabbage with BT again. Spray beans with neem oil mix again. Look for squash bugs/eggs on zucchini. Plant more peppers. Plant more okra.  Plant more bush beans. Plant more corn. Make sure cukes and pole beans are vining up the trellises. Continue fence renovations.

Wednesday June 3: 8:30 am - 11:30 am  --Continue fence renovations, start on walkway. Continue other garden tasks.

Thursday June 4: 8:30 am - 10:30 am  -- Harvest for the Food Pantry. Continue fence renovations. Continue walkway/drainage project. Continue other garden tasks.

Friday June 5 : 8:30 am - 10: 30 am -- Continue fence renovations. Finish walkway/drainage project. Continue other garden tasks.

Saturday June 6: 8:00 am - noon (or longer)-- Stretch new fence. Finish fence renovations. Continue other garden tasks.

Can you donate?:
Torn Pool covers to use as weed barriers

Upcoming Teaching Opportunity:

Tuesday June 9 : 9 am - noon -- Host Central Church Day Camp Middle School students for a round of Garden Bingo. Please let me know if you are available to assist.

Tuesday June 9 : 6 pm - 7 pm -- Host Girl Scout Troop to tend zinnia beds and other garden tasks. Please let me know if you are available to assist.

Harvest donation:

May 28, 2015 53 lbs of turnip greens, cabbage, onions, red romaine lettuce, little gem head lettuce, carrots, potatoes, last of the early/spring peas harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 53 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 574 lbs

Headed to the Collierville Food Pantry:

Work Progress:

On Tuesday May 26,  Twila and Jan worked in the compost area, zinnia beds, and plots 7 and 8. Stephanie, Hayden, and Senthilvel sprayed cabbage with BT, weeded one bed of garlic, pulled 26 lbs of kilarney red and redneck wild garlic, sprayed neem oil and beans and cukes.

26 lbs of garlic curing in Stephanie's garage

On Thursday May 28,  Twila, Jan, Hayden, Teresa, and Stephanie harvested 53 lbs of lettuce, garlic, onion, cabbage, carrots, peas, and potatoes. Patree delivered the produce to the Collierville Food Pantry. Twila and Teresa continued weeding. Stephanie side-dressed the corn with nitrogen. Jan, Hayden, Stephanie, and Teresa pulled and emptied pots in plot 8 and added a few handfuls of sand into each. Added 3 planting areas in each row. Hayden planted moon and stars watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew in the new plot 8 planting areas. Jan, Stephanie, and Hayden discussed fence renovation plan. Teresa and Stephanie side-dressed the potatoes with 6-12-12.

On Friday May 29,  Twila, Jan, and Teresa started to dig the ditch for the perimeter drain pipe between the north side of the garden and plots 7/8 to alleviate the standing water.

On Saturday May 30,  Jan purchased another 100 ft of perforated drain pipe and sediment cover. Twila and Jan continued to dig, lay and cover the perimeter drain pipe. Rain delayed. Jan continued work in the afternoon. Stephanie ordered fence renovation materials.

Beauty in the Garden:
Beans in plot 3

Homegrown sweet potato slips

Tomatoes!

CVG 2015 May 15 - 22 Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Upcoming CVG Organized Work Opportunities:
Monday May 25 : CANCELLED -- Happy Memorial Day! (and forecasted rain....)

Tuesday May 26 : 4:30 pm - dusk -- Continue filling/hilling up plot 6 potatoes with available compost while looking for insect pests..., continue to try "compound layering" with potatoes that have already topped the boxes.  Maybe till empty areas in plot 2 concrete beds and plant more beans and hot pepper plants. Plant watermelon in plot 8. Ready rest of plot 1 for future corn hills/planting. Continue laying landscape fabric where needed. Continue weeding, especially walkways and "volunteer" grass in garlic beds. Work on more permanent id's for vegetables.  Maybe spray cabbage with BT again. Spray beans with neem oil mix again. Look for squash bugs/eggs on zucchini. Start dealing with oak leaves. Maybe start planning/working on the new raised bed for asparagus and the sign. Plant more okra.  Plant more bush beans. Make sure cukes and pole beans are vining up the trellises.

Thursday May 28: 8:30 - 11:30 am  Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry. Continue work plan.

Can you donate?:
Torn Pool covers to use as weed barriers

Upcoming Teaching Opportunity:
Tuesday June 9 : 9 am - noon -- Host Central Church Day Camp Middle School students for a round of Garden Bingo. Please let me know if you are available to assist.

Tuesday June 9 : 6 pm - 7 pm -- Host Girl Scout Troop to tend zinnia beds and other garden tasks.

Harvest donation:

May 21, 2015 138 lbs of turnip greens, kale, alpine radish, cabbage, onions and leeks, red romaine lettuce, little gem head lettuce, early/spring peas harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 37 lbs
to The Salvation Army= 101 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 521 lbs

Headed to the Collierville Food Pantry:

The Salvation Army Harvest:

Work Progress:

On Monday May 18,  Stephanie. Weeded half of plot 3 and kale bed. Added compost to potatoes in plot 2 containers. Helped cukes and pole beans onto trellises. Killed a few harlequin bugs. Fed birds.

On Tuesday May 19,  Arlene and Stephanie, Jamila and daughter Alyssa and son Jackson. Planted sweet potatoes into large containers between plots 4 and 5, planted a third corn hill in plot 1, side dressed corn in first 2 corn hills and planted bush beans in between growing corn, sprayed BT on cabbage, sprayed neem oil on beans and cukes, fed birds.

 On Thursday May 21,  Twila, Stephanie, and CJ. Harvested for Food Pantry and Salvation Army. Patree and Zoe delivered.

Beauty in the Garden:

Onions

Cabbage

Garlic in plot 4

CVG 2015 May 8 - 14 Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Upcoming CVG Organized Work Opportunities:
Please check our google calendar for any last minute changes to our work schedule:
https://sites.google.com/site/colliervillevictorygarden/calendar

Monday May 18: 8:30 am - 10:30 am...if weather cooperates....  Possible harvest for Salvation Army, continue filling/hilling up plot 6 potatoes with available compost while looking for insect pests..., continue to try "compound layering" with potatoes that have already topped the boxes.  Continue laying landscape fabric where needed. Continue weeding, especially walkways and "volunteer" grass in garlic beds. Work on more permanent id's for vegetables.  Maybe spray cabbage with BT again. Start dealing with oak leaves. Maybe start planning/working on the new raised bed for asparagus and the sign. Plant more corn. Plant more okra.  Plant more bush beans. Start half-filling bins with mix of compost and sand for sweet potatoes. Make sure cukes and pole beans are vining up the trellises.

Tuesday May 19 : 4:30 pm - dusk -- continue work plan.

Thursday May 21: 8:30 - 10:30 am  Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry. Continue work plan.

Upcoming Teaching Opportunity:

Tuesday June 9 : 9 am - noon -- Host Central Church Day Camp Middle School students for a round of Garden Bingo. Please let me know if you are available to assist.

Harvest donation:

May 14, 2015 129 lbs of turnip greens, kale, alpine radish, onions, and looseleaf lettuce, red romaine lettuce, little gem head lettuce, early/spring peas harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 39 lbs
to The Salvation Army= 90 lbs

Total YTD harvest donation = 383 lbs

Headed to the Collierville Food Pantry:

The Salvation Army Harvest:

Work Progress:

On Tuesday May 12,  Jan, Teresa, Twila, Stephanie. Worked on plots 7 and 8. Weeded plot 4 garlic. Planted more sweet peppers in plot 1.

On Wednesday May 13,  Jan, Teresa, Twila, Val, Dianne, Stephanie. Hosted Dr. Cooper and UT media for some filming/interviewing/touring at the garden. Will post a link when it's available! Potted up some dill and fennel. Weeded. Finished building plot 4 hot pepper bed then filled, tilled, fertilized, and planted. Continued weeding garlic beds, pulled some voluteer sunflowers from one of the zinnia beds and reseeded some zinnia and cosmos seeds. Transfered a few sunflower volunteers into plot 1 and moved some okra seedlings. Divided some perennials, tilled for a new corn hill, planted some velour bush green beans, discussed new bed for sign as well as upcoming big projects.

On Thursday May 14, Jan and Stephanie harvested 39 lbs for the food pantry and 90 lbs for The Salvation Army. Patree delivered (THANK YOU!). Moved some oregano into the garden. Repotted some dill and fennel into 3 gallon pots to make sure they will be happy. Planted some onion in between some new cayenne pepper plants. Fertilized all tomatoes in anticipation of the next couple of days' rain forecast.

peas and carrots:

new plot 4 hot pepper bed:

Beauty in the Garden:

Eggplant blossoms

pretty lettuce and sweet peppers all in a row:

corn!

burgundy okra seedlings and sunflowers planted by scouts in plot 1:

CVG 2015 May 6 - 7 Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Upcoming CVG Organized Work Opportunities:
Please check our google calendar for any last minute changes to our work schedule:
https://sites.google.com/site/colliervillevictorygarden/calendar

Monday May 11: CANCELLED  due to expected rain.

Tuesday May 12 : 4 pm - dusk -- Continue filling/hilling up plot 6 potatoes with available compost, continue to try "compound layering" with potatoes that have already topped the boxes. Continue work on plot 4 replacement raised bed to ready it for hot peppers. Continue laying landscape fabric where needed. Continue weeding, especially walkway and "volunteer" grass in garlic beds. Work on more permanent id's for vegetables. Keep working back "north" walkway between plots 4 and 5 to remove excess soil for use elsewhere in the garden and lay landscape fabric. Maybe spray cabbage again. Start dealing with oak leaves. Maybe start planning/working on the new raised bed for asparagus and the sign.

Wednesday May 13: 8:30 am - 10:30 am -- Host Dr. Cooper and UT, Knoxville media group for garden tour and interview. Maybe plant first of the sweet potatoes, maybe work one compound layering potatoes, maybe divide perennials but continue work plan. Let me know if you can be there.

Thursday May 14: 8:30 - 10:30 am  Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry AND The Salvation Army. Continue work plan. Maybe start thinking about moving fence posts to inside of the 4x4 timbers.


Upcoming Teaching Opportunity:

Tuesday June 9 : 9 am - noon -- Host Central Church Day Camp Middle School students for a round of Garden Bingo. Please let me know if you are available to assist.

Harvest donation:

April 30, 2015 40 lbs of turnip greens, kale, alpine radish, onions, and looseleaf lettuce, early/spring peas harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 40 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 254 lbs

Work Progress:

On Thursday May 6,  Jan, Teresa, Leah, Sandra, Stephanie. Harvested 40 lb for food pantry, delivered. Hilled potatoes. Weeded in plot 2 and 4. Hand watered where necessary. Tilled and hilled up 1/3 of plot 1 and seeded 8 rows with 160 kernels of Early Sunglow Hybrid corn. Added landscape fabric around new corn hills. Adjusted placement of overhead sprinklers. Fertilized archway boxes and tomatoes. Tilled part of back central walkway and weeded.

On Friday May 7,  Sandra and Stephanie mixed a dilute BT solution and sprayed cabbages, potato leaves, kale. Discovered the bluebird nest empty and found the fledglings in a couple nearby trees!

 Picking scapes off of the garlic:

Beauty in the Garden:

Fly, bluebirds, fly! (Last baby picture)

Pretty Lettuce all in a row:

 Peonies:

Strawberries, leeks, kale--oh my!

Here come the summer peas/beans!

CVG 2015 April 27 - May 5 Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Upcoming CVG Organized Work Opportunities:

Today's normal work evening-- cancelled (due to very busy last few days).

Thursday May 7: 8:30 am - 10:30 am  Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry. Try to erase last year's harvest total from sign and add this year's. Continue filling/hilling up plot 6 potatoes with available compost, continue to try "compound layering" with potatoes that have already topped the boxes. Continue work on plot 4 replacement raised bed to ready it for hot peppers. Till and hill up rows for corn in plot 1. Continue weeding, especially walkway and "volunteer" grass in garlic beds. Continue laying landscape fabric in back walkway. Work on more permanent id's for vegetables. Spray cabbage. Fertilize north archway boxes. Start dealing with oak leaves. Maybe start planning/working on the new raised bed for the sign.

Monday May 11: 8:30 am - 10:30 am  Continue work plan.  Maybe harvest for The Salvation Army.

Tuesday May 12 : 4 pm - dusk -- Continue work plan and make sure all set for Wednesday's visit.

Wednesday May 13: 8:30 am - 10:30 am -- Host Dr. Cooper and UT, Knoxville media group for garden tour and interview. Let me know if you can be there. Continue work plan.

Thursday May 14: 8:30 - 10:30 am  Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry. Continue work plan. Maybe start thinking about moving fence posts to inside of the 4x4 timbers or vice versa.


Upcoming Teaching Opportunity:
Tuesday June 9 : 9 am - noon -- Host Central Church Day Camp Middle School students for a round of Garden Bingo. Please let me know if you are available to assist.

Harvest donation:

April 30, 2015 16 lbs of turnip green, kale, alpine radish, onion, and looseleaf lettuce harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 16 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 214 lbs

Work Progress:

On Monday April 27,  Jan, Twila, Stephanie, Val. Weeded plot 2, transplanted some volunteer tomatoes to plot 1, seeded back archway planters with Kentucky wonder beans and cherry belle radish and caracas carrots, rebuilt half of the raised bed in plot 4 nearest the central walkway, protected eggplants with frost cover fabric, thinned out some of the radish in the front archway planters.

On Tuesday April 28,  Arlene, Jan, Stephanie. Turned compost plie and leveled ground under the compost area with dirt washed to corner of parking lot, weeded in the plot 4 garlic, worked on irrigation, planted raspberries, organized one of the storage bins, planted oregano.

On Wednesday April 29,  Arlene continued weeding the plot 4 garlic.

On Thursday April 30,  Jan, Twila, Teresa, Stephanie. Worked on irrigation systems, divided zephyr coreopsis into 14 pots, hilled up/added more compost to plot 6 potatoes, harvested 16 lbs of turnip, alpine radish, kale, lettuce, onion, mint and delivered to the Collierville Food Pantry. Moved 50 donated concrete blocks from Germantown to CVG. Tilled up last 2 zinnia beds to ready them for planting.

On Sunday May 3,  Jan, Twila, Val, Teresa, Joanne, Dawn, and Stephanie. Hosted an open house/garden for Collierville Christian Church-- garden tours, ask a master gardener table, bluebird station, taste-testing alpine radish and Tokyo Hybrid turnip, gave away tomato, basil, sunflower seedlings.

On Monday May 4,  AM: Twila, Jan, Val, Stephanie. Prepped Plot 8 for scout visit, planted Silvery Fir tomatoes, planted alyssum, prepped zinnia beds for scout visit, ran irrigation, tightened up loose chicken wire fence before scout visit.

On Monday May 4, PM: Joanne, Val, Val's son Bryan, Teresa, Carol, Jane, Arlene, Twila, Jan, and Stephanie. Hosted 51 Girl Scouts, Daisies, Cub Scouts plus additional scout leaders, parents, and siblings for a round of  Garden Bingo-- bluebirds, zinnia seed planting, sunflower and okra seed planting, potato hilling, taste-testing kale, loose leaf lettuce, spearmint, and chocolate mint, compost/garden maintenance tasks, bees/butterflies.

Bluebird station with Joanne:

Zinnia seeding with Val:

Potato Hilling with Teresa:

Vegetable taste-testing and identification with Jane and Carol:
(Kale wasn't a favorite)

Sunflower and Okra seeding with Arlene:

Compost/Garden Maintenance/Attracting Bees and Butterflies Station with Jan and Twila:

Thank you Scouts for your monetary donation to our organization! We know you worked very hard raising it through cookie sales and we promise to use it wisely!

On Tuesday May 5, Jan hand watered newly planted seedlings where necessary.

Beauty in the Garden:

Bluebirds nearly ready to fledge out of the nesting box

Scouts in the catmint

Robin's eggs in a new nest, built in the fragrant rose archway
(photo by Jan)