It happens every year! Rain (endless rain) of winter leads to springs filled with vegetable gardening thoughts for me. As the rainy season progresses I watch as my Rhodedendron plants come to life in my year and bulbs start sending up shoots for springtime flowers. This tends to invite thoughts of vegetable gardening in my little plot in the community garden area.
As a resident here at Stillwaters I enjoy the benefit of having a little garden spot in one of three Community Gardens within the neighborhood. The gardens are fenced to keep out critters (big and small) and are supplied with water and weekly pickup of garden debris.
One of the fun things about a little vegie garden is figuring out how to use every square inch, from planting tall or short plants sprawling or compact plants it is a gardening puzzle. Last year I grew cucumbers on a trellis and had great pleasure in watching my cucumber experiment grow from tiny little transplants to giant flourishing greenery with a ton of cucumbers. Neighbors and friends were the recipients of many a crisp and juicy cucumber.
My little garden also consisted of tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, basil and green beans. All in a patch about 5 by 10 feet!
The diversity of the gardeners matched the variety of plants being grown. Some of us focus on simple and ready production. Others adventure into watering and feeding experiments. One bonus of community gardening is you get to see and hear it all. This is very helpful when it comes to problem solving. Checking in with your neighbors on their theories of bug and weed control can be very educational.
And last, but not least, there is always a good bit of produce sharing! Even residents who are just walking by the gardens sometimes will walk away with a spare zucchini.
For the gardeners out there here is a fun resource given to me by one of our residents. It’s the Ed Hume “Moon Sign Garden Almanac”. This guide provides day by day planting, watering, composting, fertilizing, trimming and harvesting calendar for the entire year. The theory is that just as the moon’s gravitational pull effects the ocean waves it also effects the movement of fluids throughout the plants. As Ed Hume says “try it and see if you agree.”
Thursday and Friday of this week is a period known as the “dark moon” and it is favorable to planting perennials, dahlias, glads and potatoes. Also good for sowing seeds of root crops, repotting house plants and fertilizing roses, lawn, trees and shrubs.
Quote of the Week:
What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Happenings this Week:
Saturday, March 18th:
| The Adna Scholarship Foundation is having its’ 27th annual Auction and Dinner on Saturday, March 18th at the Adna High School Gym beginning at 5:30pm. A silent auction, featuring locally crafted woodshop items, gift baskets, and many traditional treasures, will kick off the night. Dinner and a live auction follow the silent auction. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at the high school office. For more information, call 360-219-5251. |
| The Two Town Tuners Barbershop Chorus present their annual show Saturday Countdown on Saturday, March 18th at the Commons at W.F. West High School in Chehalis. A number of different quartets and small groups will entertain you! Tickets for the 2pm matinee show are $7. Tickets are $10 for the 7pm show. Those under 12 are free. |
Next Week:
Thursday through Saturday, March 23 – 25: AAUW Book Sale at the Lewis County Mall. An amazing book sale for a good cause. The American Association of University Women use the proceeds for college scholarships for local women. Come to the Book Sale Thursday for the best picks. Come Saturday for the best prices!
Weather:
One bright note in the weather week ahead! Sunday is forecast to be clear and sunny with temperatures at around 50. Sounds fabulous for a week that is going to be mainly rain. Stay dry and get out and enjoy our one sunny day!
