New Members...New Signs..New Crops....New Horizons



Special WELCOME to several new members of our Community Garden crowd. The more "green thumb aspirants" the merrier.


Look what the "sign fairy" has deposited at the Community Garden...NOW WE CAN KNOW WHERE WE ARE!!

Playing in the Dirt!! Isn't it fun?

Yep! That's EXACTLY what it means!

While the signs were not "planted" in exactly the right location and a few "tweaks" need to be made to the Fire Pit Rules sign, it is great to have these in place. Kinda' makes us "official" doesn't it!!

 

 
The fire pit materials are in the possession of the installer...our
volunteer builder is running behind on his schedule due to a vehicle accident in late summer. He promises to get the fire pit installed "soon". Hey, it's a donation, so we can't be too antsy.
      








 The recent FALL FESTIVAL at Sun City Peachtree included a festive display of decorative gourds and bundled corn stalks for sale. Unfortunately, the corn stalks were not as popular as hoped, but the gourds were a more successful fund raiser for the Community Garden. We raised slightly less than $17,000 from the gourd sales. (Actually, it was more like $35.00. Hey, it was dried gourds, not gold nuggets. Ha!)

A thing of BEAUTY!

Bountiful FALL CROPS are thriving in several of the community garden beds. Several others have great cover crops of clover...a smart idea in preparation for next year. See what can be done with careful tending and a little smidgen of green thumb skill.

More cabbage! Get the cole slaw bowl ready!

  

"Cole" crops (officially the Brassicaceae family, formerly called Cruciferae) make excellent fall veggies. Common brassicas include cabbage,  cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Hey! Here's an interesting bit of "veggie news". Brussels sprouts were grown as early as the 13th century in the region we now call Belgium...hence the name "Brussels" (note the word ends with an S) as in Brussels, Belgium. Did you have any idea?

Clover "cover" crop

Winter Cover Crops Clover, vetch and several other plants are known for their "nitrogen fixing" capability. They actually take nitrogen from the atmosphere and "fix" it into the soil...making for a good rich planting medium. These "green manures" are cut and tilled into the soil in late winter before they bloom. They also help to keep the soil loose and weed free during the "off season". It LOOKS GOOD, TOO.

Farmers Market - E I E I O

July 6, 2013

Today marked the launch of the Farmers Market! SCP-Community Gardeners shared produce, herbs, flowers...even some wonderful home baked zucchini bread, with fellow residents! Residents expressed deep appreciation for our making making available the access to fresh picked, home grown veggies. The eager throngs of veggie fans arrived well before our official "start" time. (Well, maybe not "throngs", but lots of folks.)

Farmer Helen_Prodigious Purveyor of Produce

Hoards of Proud Produce Patrons

Garden Thriving!

The Community Garden is THRIVING! The garden beds look so wonderful with the lush growth and veggies galore getting ripe. Here are several photos that demonstrate what our gardening is all about.

Beautiful Crook Neck Squash

Lush Gardens Galore

Even Mama Mockingbird Chose Our Garden for Her Family.

 

A Gardener's FIRST HARVEST! How Exciting!!

Unfortunately, the Japanese beetle is but one nemesis that can add to the challenges of successful gardening. The hoards have arrived! Take to arms, fellow gardeners!

The Dastardly Japanese Beetle! Yuk!

Glob of Japanese Beetles Munching & Making More Beetles.

 

Gulley Washers Anonymous!

Work began today, May 14th, to repair the ever-expanding gully that has plagued our road side. A large swale and ditching will divert water runoff from the area above our garden into the adjacent wooded area. Next steps will be some major gravel fill and compaction, along with some little "dams" to slow water flow. Soon our gully will be no more. (All fingers crossed, please!)

"The Gulley"!

Water Diversion..A Dam at Last!

The "Swale" Begins.

Farmers' Market - Get Ready!

Plans are underway for our Community Garden to conduct a "Farmers' Market" this summer. Many residents of our community have eagerly requested that our gardeners "sell" some of our excess veggies. And, really, since one family can enjoy only so much zucchini, it makes sense to share. Besides, this will be a great little "fund raising" venture for us. Stay tuned for details as our produce production proceeds.

Unused "EZ-Access" beds planted exclusively for the Farmers Market.

Walter Reeves Educates the Gardeners! May 18, 2013

World-renown (well, maybe not that renown, but very well known) garden expert Walter Reeves presented "Topsy-Turvey: Growing More with Less" at a special program at the SCP-Amenity Center. Over 150 SCP and Griffin community gardeners thoroughly enjoyed the lively, humorous way that Walter shared his insights into gardening in small spaces. Following the program, a wonderful reception with exceptional "goodies" made the evening just perfect. Thanks to the SCP Garden Club for sponsoring this outstanding educational program.

Walter Reeves gets "seriously" prepared for his presentation.

 

Important Information about "Magic foo-foo dust".

Walter Offered Personal Garden Advice.

The Expert Inundated with Questions from Eager Gardeners

Delightful Reception and Delicious Goodies!

Milestone Tomato

It's Official! SCP-Community Garden's FIRST RIPE TOMATO(E). Harvested May 3, 2013

We're Getting There!

April 12, 2013

During the past few weeks, lots of raised beds have been planted with "Spring Veggies"...the tool shed and pavilion are getting some color...and more!

Raised Beds "Phase I" Nearly Complete

Spring Planting in Full Swing

Herb Garden - For Everybody..Comes to Life!

Trellises and Tomato Cages...In a Rainbow of Colors

Tomato Supports....or....Bubble Gum Dispensers?

Painted Tool Shed! Brick Pavilion! What a Masterpiece!

Yes! Somebody Has to Supervise!

"PRIME" Time

March 16, 2013

For the past couple of days, a number of wonderful, fun-loving, adventure-filled gardeners have devoted time and effort to caulking and "priming" the tool shed and pavilion. Here it is......



(This is an extreme close up picture of the prime coat.....looks kinda "white", doesn't it.)

Garden Progress

March 11, 2013

Crops are Sprouting

Compost is Cooking!

Mulch is Spread.

                                                                

March 8, 2013
A bitter, frigid wind was blowing! Brave souls gathered to fulfill their destiny. Yes, these daring gardeners experienced the FUN and EXCITEMENT of .......moving bricks!

Brick Pile...Before!

Brick Pile...After!

What Happens When An Unmovable Tree Meet Determined Bricks

March 4, 2013

"Gardening 101" Class conducted by Wade Hutcheson; UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Extension Agent. 44 interested gardeners learned key ingredients for successful vegetable gardening in our very own Georgia red clay soil.

 

Wade explains "Why eggshells are so important for compost bins...NOT!"

March 1, 2013

Special thanks to our fellow gardeners, Dave and Carol, who made and installed these wonderful "veggie head" planting bed markers, as well as, the very scary scare crow.

"Mr. Carrot" is All Smiles!

And No Crows Shall Set Foot in This Garden!

DIRTy Little Secret

January 30, 2013

The secret is out...in full display in our garden area. Our "dirt" is here. (Actually, to be more horticulturally correct, this is "soil" not "dirt".)

In spite of terrible thunderstorms and driving rains, our local "truck man" (from Crain's Tree Service) picked up and delivered 35 cubic yards of bagged potting soil to our garden site. This wonderful blend of soil and compost amendments was generously donated to the Community Garden by the Scott's Company. Soon, we will need to gather to have a "dirt" party.







This is what 35 cubic yards (1250 bags) of amended soil looks like. Now, if the "soil fairies" will move the bags to the raised planting beds, we'll all be happy gardeners.

Mulch Day Fun!

January 25, 2013

Hard working volunteers gathered for an afternoon of fun, as we spread mulch around the walkways and common areas of the garden. More mulch piles and areas needing this protective covering remain...so, more workdays will follow. Those who volunteer for such workdays WILL be rewarded. Those who don't help on the volunteer days.....well, won't get the same rewards.

This is REAL Fun! I Hope We Can Do This Next Week, Too!

Over here! No, over here!

Hey...let's race wheel "barrels"!

Did somebody lose a contact lens in there?

Is This the Thing I'm Supposed to Pull?

Tool Shed / Pavilion Construction

January 18, 2013

During the first weeks of this brand new year, some dedicated volunteers have been quite busy constructing the tool shed, pavilion, herb garden and other structures for our SCP-Community Garden. Also, on January 17th, at a general business meeting for the gardening group, raised planting beds for the coming 2013 growing season were selected. Some choice raised beds remain and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

It's Alive! It's Alive!....Tool Shed Rises from the Earth.

Larry and Bill Discuss Building Issues ( like..."Hey, what's for lunch?")