Gardening Activity in April

We had a great time visiting the Community Garden in Safety Harbor and learned a lot of good information about gardening. It was wonderful seeing so many people come out and we were happy the rain waited to roll in until after we were done. I will be emailing out the handouts with more information, so please contact me if you don't see it in a few days and need a copy. The greatest resources are the University of South Florida and the IFAS (International Food or Agriculture Services). Below are some notes on what we discussed.

• Your soil is very important. To make the best soil, you should have:
• 1/3 parts Peet (the feathery stuff)
• 1/3 parts vermiculite (for 
• 1/3 compost ( from either black cow or black hen)
• Other good things for your soil could be: 
• Leaves - chopped up with the lawn mower and added to the soil adds air
• Nitrogen, but you can't buy it in the summer and phoshorus
• grass clippings
• spanish moss can be used
• straw
• Watering Tips
• First, keep plant moist
• Water around the seeds, and at the start, water 1 or 2 times a day. Then you can go to 3 times a week.
• Deep water gardening - water 1 inch to 3/4 inch deep (most of us thought that was where we've failed)
• Don't just take a seed from a food you are eating and expect it to grow. Some fruits and vegetables have a male and female plant. For example Squash plant.
• Rain Barrels are great for your home. If you don't have one in your yard yet, get one and use it!
• Plastic strawberry containers make a great "greenhouse" to create starter plants for your garden.
• Container Garden - in any container you could use weed cloth/ t-shirt,styrofoam, and make sure you have 8 inches of soil. 
• Willow Tree Nursery on 49th street by Biff Burgers is where the instructor buys her starter plants.
• If you are making an outdoor gardening space, it is important have a designated walking area that is not where your vegetables are planted. Walking compacts the soil too much and doesn't allow proper "breathing".  
• It is helpful to know your good bugs and your bad bugs. Grasshoppers are bad with a garden.
• There are other community gardens in Oldsmar and Dunedin.
• When choosing seed packets, choose the ones for the South, and make sure you know the plants that go with the seasons. Don't try to plant a "winter plant" in the beginning of spring. We are currently in Late Spring (on 4/15)
• You can check out Seed packets at the Dunedin Library and possibly Safety Harbor Library. All you need is a current library card. Seeds can be checked out just like books, DVD's, CD's. You can check out 3 packages a month. There are no due dates and never accrue late charges. Bring seeds to the front desk for Check out.
• Dunedin Library does hold seminars at the library with the Dunedin Community garden each month. Upcoming classes are:
• 5/9 - 10 am -12pm - The Edible Garden
• 6/10 - 6:30 PM - Companion Planting
• 7/18 - 10am - 12 PM - Build it and they will grow