Her interest in community gardens is no surprise. Whatever your politics, Teresa Heinz Kerry has a long history with funding projects and research surrounding women, children, and the environment.
the Heinz foundations are widely known for developing innovative strategies to protect the enviro
My take on this is that the regulation could be interpreted very loosely. I'm all for campaign finance reform, but this will impact any type of non-profit criticisizing policy or politicians; a faith-based group organizing for policy, an environmental group working to educate the public about a
For Jim and Connie - another bit about tree planting, or a clarification (I'm sure that you know this Jim). After you have the root ball out, find the root flare of the tree - it is where the roots begin to spread away from the stem. Make sure that this is planted above the natural soil level, nev
Hi - a couple of suggestions about large-scale composting, and I know that others will be able to offer more and better researched ideas. Consider more than one compost area where the bins can be reached easily by most gardeners. Try a 3-bin system; one for fresh, second for half-baked, third for
Hi Folks, I've been quiet lately, but have to add a thought to what Diane was noticing about our local MGs. I am in Mpls, and tried to enter the MG program where they train you at the U. My application was denied inspite of 20 years as a community garden coordinator and manager.Hennepin and Ramsey
Hi Folks,
About the parking/gardening issue - one of my clients owns a Chinese restaurant in town here, and she and her mother have a serious passion for gardening and beautifying. They created a planting area all the way around the parking lot (from 2' to 6' wide) and currently grow a wide v
Hi, Other than physically digging each plant out (massively laborious), chemical control might be the right answer, if it is absolutely intolerable. Roundup is a compromise. It has a short residual and can be used near (not on) trees w/o damage. Folks restoring or creating prairies use roundup to
Anna - you do an amazing job, without question! No need to apologize for an occasional slip, we all owe you so much for how well you do filter everything that must come in.
Lisa in Mpls
MSN 8 helps ELIMINATE E-MAIL VIRUSES. Get 2 months FREE*.
__
Hi - it's not just a southern thing. My old garden had a four foot fence (the veggie, herb part of it), with a gate that was never locked. Later I added another two gates, one always locked (on the alley, next to the compost bins - strange people dumping odd refuse in the compost...), and one anot
Sharon, all I can say is wow. Are you going to be able to take photos for us to see this? I would love to see the plants in all their glory. Wow.
Lisa in Mpls.
Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
__
The American Community
Hi all.
I'm a terrible cook, but this one can't fail. It's not mine but from Central Asia...
Onion Pomegranate Salad
2 large red onions, halved and sliced
1 tsp. Salt
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1-cu
Hi folks,
Tobacco Mosaic Virus is actually pretty easy to spread mechanically. Making wounds in the surface of the plant material is required. Insects are not vectors of TMV or other tobamoviruses (yes, that's the term...) It is also not lethal to plants. It will cause some chlorosis and a bit
Hi all,
My, what a lovely spring we're having up here.
Amanda, I never had any problem with the hardy clumping bamboos that I grew up here, they died back to the ground as a perennial, but checking with the closer source is a good idea. I really don't think they will be any different than dealing
Hi, a few thoughts about the class project - I second Sharon's thoughts about sustainability. I think that is the big issue in any community garden. On all levels, from the soil up to longevity of gardeners and garden mission. Organic can take on a much larger meaning. Deborah - I would be careful
Jim, great suggestions about using metal! And of course stone, brick is lovely and inert. Limestone is a pain - I would avoid it at all cost (splinters and splits). Out here in the tundra, watch the use of cement and limestone for the high pH problems. Even planting next to a cement wall can kill
Hi Folks,
Adam, thanks for the terribly sad updates on the NYC-version of spring plowing.What a waste.
But thank you for the note about the hawks. My great uncle was a falconer in a neighborhood in Philly, kept the birds in a mews in the little back yard. Gyrfalcons, Harris Hawks, Red Tails. Long
Hi, I second Adam's thoughts about bark mulch - a great additive (pine bark, in particular) if already broken down a bit. And I agree with his thoughts about soil testing - also to check your pH. If you are adding pine bark, you may be lowering your pH more than you might like. Good luck!
Lisa
Hi folks, lots to respond to -
Jan, I think those "worms" are saw fly larvae. There are several different types, up here they destroy Mugo Pines. You could try a bT product on them, but unless the roses are totally covered (which I have dealt with on Mugos), just pick them off. They will reappear
Hi -you are right about the weather and black spot, the humidity plays a big part. Cleaning up infected debris from last year and growing resistant varieties are the best methods of any fungal control. The old types are usually more resistant. If you really think that the spots are a problem (that
Jeneeva, Hi there, and good to hear that you are moving forward with the project.
The wild type rose will transplant well, they store them bare-root all the time. as far as splitting at the roots, well, I suppose you could try it, but a better way might be to root cuttings in a pot, or graft cutt
Connie,
to my knowlege there shouldn't be any problem, but the seed may remain viable for several years. Just keep weeding them out. I have not heard of anyone getting ill by simply touching or working with the plant, either, but if they become overwhelming, the smell can be a little noxious when
Megan,
On my mother's side I come from 8+ generations of Quakers, and on my fathers side, I will be ever aware and grateful for his service in Korea which allowed a poor farmboy to gain admission to Harvard on the GI bill. I feel deep sympathy for all of the families and friends of those being
Hi, and my deepest sympathies.
Advice is hard to give, but my first thought is to run away as far and fast as you can. You won't win this if the board is so entrenched and closed off. You don't mention if there is any organization the board reports to, perhaps help could be found there. Another d
Hi Adam, and all those folks in the current snow-belt,
I'm one of those Minnesotans, and I love stepping through the garden at this time of year. Only the foot prints of squirrels and rabbits... I also have very fond memories of an amazing blizzard in NYC in the early 80s. I lived on Staten Island
Adam,
Thankyou for having the courage to share your views with us.
Peace to all of you, Lisa in Mpls
The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE*
__
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's ser
Jack and all you folks,
I have avoided treated wood for years, and also see the statistical odds as minute, but...
why do we continue to produce stuff like this?
Along your thought line - I was recently really set back when I spent a few hours in one of our area inner-city highschools and was told
Deborah,
successful seed germ encompasses a lot of factors, temperature, humidity, light or lack of light, age of seed, storage and treatment of seed, even the imperceptible factors like slight drying on the edges of the tray, slight light leaks if darkness is required, temperature variations, et
Hi folks,
not certain about worms, specifically, but many other critters (some reptiles, amphibs and insects) do a deep freeze and thaw out. The super-cool their cells and don't suffer from the frost as long as the temps stay reasonably steady. Have a buddy with reptiles he used to feed salamande
Hi there all,
>Wait a minute -- we have artists in the group -- anyone know how
>expensive it would be to do a bunch of cards like Shelly suggests and
>sell them as an ACGA fundraiser? It sounds like a good idea. .
I make my cards every year (going on twenty now) and send out to about 75 peo
Hi there,
Brian and Shane - I would suggest that you broaden your research and look within the urban planning and urban forestry journals for data pertaining to crime abatement and property values. Those fields have more money than community gardeners and commision such studies. I might also su
Hi Laura,
>I have a pee wee hydrangea. I would like to know when I should prune the
>blooms from the summer off
>I also have a hydrangea bush that I must have pruned at the wrong time of
>year because this summer I got many beautiful leaves but no blooms, when
>should these plants be p
Hi all, just an aside really, but I had a thought about the conflicts between union trades and prison labor/manufacturing - Here in Minnesota, some woody and perennial plant growers (small family farms, usually) are being run out of business by a prison run nursery operation. The prison can sel
Hi there,
For the spider mites in the greenhouse, try beneficials such as predatory mites or lady beetles. Here is a site from Florida about benes:http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_IN078
And for the wasp nest - best I can figure out is to spray the nest with either Rotenone (organic) or Sevin (not
Hi Russel,
Micheal Dirr says to check Hort Science 23:777 (1988) for info about seed propagation, but all the other oaks need roughly 30-45 days in a moist substrate (peat or sand) at about 40 degrees F. If you have enough seeds, try that with a few and try direct sowing (a little over an inch de
Hi,
In addition to leaching, chromium arsenate treated lumber is very dangerous to work with - the saw dust can cause sever problems. If you ask at a lumber store, they will (have to, I believe) give you a copy of the data sheet. It will describe the recommended precautions for working and living
Hi,
Lisa;
I wasn't able to find a link to TRE Nursery, do you
have a more direct one? I did bookmark the extension
page, it's got a lot of good information.
so sorry about the lack of links to the TRE Nursery at the U of MN site, I
also have a tough time digging through the University's web
Hi again,
The key to heeling-in and overwintering is keeping the temps. constant (mid to upper 20F, which is what frozen soil stays at usually) until it is warm enough to be uncovered. It is the freeze/thaw/freeze that most effects plants. I understand that you are in a severe region, and few p
Jeneva,
I would not bring any of them indoors - they will need a dormancy period.
Try the heeling in idea in any chunk of soil outside, a patch at the garden
site, a neglected corner of a friends yard, whatever is avail. Otherwise, if
you loose some of the plants, let me know - I have plenty of
Hi Jeneva,
Most of what you mentioned in the garden seems to be pretty tough, if not
impossible to kill off. I would bet money, were I a betting person, that the
Jerusalem Artichokes will even survive the earth movers. But, in any case,
dig up what good sized clumps you have of the yarrow, s
Hi Shelly, and all others,
Test for arsenic, soluble salts, cadmium, those are the most typical, that I
know of and I would call your extension service - soils department and ask
where to send your samples. I know that not all states have extensive tests
available, and several states surroundi
Hi folks,
Hope all had a wonderful time in New York, at least those who could attend.
Lynn, I have unfortunately had a very similar experience at the garden I
used to coordinate (yes, used to, I finally threw in the hoe). Many folks
don't get the connection between using a resource and the work
Hi there,
Make certain you find trees on dwarf stock, that will keep them small.
Rather than an apple, consider a type of crab- some are quite tasty and are
less prone to disease. You might be able to get pears, there is a variety
developed in the Dakotas that stays small, and don't forget the
Hi,
In my not-so-vast experience, it is hard to kill lilacs. Take the young
stuff, make sure you have plenty of root hairs, cut back all the growth to a
few inches, then transplant, same depth you dug them at, water well. Then
wait. Take more than you think you need, a few chunks might not make
43 matches
Mail list logo
