The Camarillo Community Garden Blog is up. I am looking for a model that the gardeners will feel comfrtable with. Is this it? If you have a free WordPress account, I can make you a co-author of the blog, moderate your own articles’ comments. See what you this at the Camarillo Community Garden Blog, and feel free to post your comments.
Tag Archives: Camarillo Community Garden
At Agriculture Department, the Proof Is in the Planting – washingtonpost.com
In another sign that the Department of Agriculture is embracing sustainable food, the agency today will unveil expanded plans for a People’s Garden that will include the entire six-acre grounds of the Whitten Building, the department’s neoclassic marble headquarters on the Mall.
via At Agriculture Department, the Proof Is in the Planting – washingtonpost.com.
KPBS > KPBS Radio, 89.5 FM San Diego > These Days
Maureen Cavanaugh: What does President Barack Obama do in his spare time? Well, according to his wife, Michelle, he will be spending some of that time helping to weed the brand new vegetable garden on the White House lawn.
The idea of using land that used to be covered in grass or patchy shrubbery and turning it into food-producing gardens, is becoming increasingly popular. Most observers say it’s because of the recession. People want or need to save money on their food bills.
Others say it’s more than that and point to an increasing awareness of the benefits of locally-grown, organic fruits and vegetables.
No matter what the reason, the question is, how realistic is this idea for most urban and suburban residents? How much land to you need, what kind of skills, and is it time to buy some overalls?
Guests:
* Nan Sterman, garden journalist and author of “California Gardener’s Guide Volume II.” She is also co-editor of the home and garden page for the San Diego News Network.
* Mindy Swanson, garden guide and coordinator for Victory Gardens San Diego, a collaborative group that assists in the establishment of home, community and school edible gardens.
A brief lesson in soil prep and planting
Here is the basic crash course in area prep and planting in southern California soils:
Our soil is young and rich; all the minerals it need are there. Some are suppressed because the soil is alkaline, but nitrogen is soluble and always fairly low. You counteract the low nitrogen by adding (mildly) nitrogen rich compost or manures (not really that high in nitrogen, but possibly high in salts as well), or growing ‘green manures’ – nitrogen fixing beans, peas, clover, etc.
You can add agricultural sulfur to the soil before you work it up to slightly change the pH; this is a slow but long term treatment. Other sweetening amendments or mulches include pine needles or peat moss (note: peat moss comes at a an environmental cost – I’m trying to move away from it). Lawn and garden chemical fertilizers also acidify the soil, soil if you are just going organic, your soil is probably good as it is.
Here is the theory: You start off correcting compaction through working amendments into the ground to get the soil particles loose enough to allow air into the soil. You create whatever sort of raised bed you want (they help keep root zones from getting saturated), cover them with mulch and / or compost, and put in the plants. After that, the roots penetrate the soil further loosening it, and the mucilage they secrete binds the soil into clumps giving it what is referred to as ‘structure’. Worms are attracted to the growing areas and the dead roots from previous crops, and as they loop up to the surface and feed on the bottom of the mulch layer, they carry than material back into the deeper part of the soil.
In its extreme form, called ‘permiculture’, you NEVER till the soil – you let the roots, bacteria, fungi and worms do all the work. I work mine up every few plantings, and then only to work in more compost or reshape the beds. As long as you NEVER walk on the beds, especially when they are wet, they will develop a light fluffy consistency all on their own.
Now that you have a good garden soil, transplanting the baby plant from the pots or 6-packs is pretty easy. Garden plants fall into two categories, either potatoes and tomatoes, or everything else. Potatoes and tomatoes grow extra roots from their stems, and can be cover to the bottom of the first leaves (in the case of tomatoes) or progressively up the stems (in the case of potatoes).
All other plants get planted with the soil level of the container at or above the soil line. Do not dig the holes deeper than the root ball. All that does is let the root crown sink below ground level. Put the plant in the hole, scoop the excess dirt in around it and (gently) firm it down around the root ball. Water them well to allow the back-fill to settle into firm contact with the transplant.
Do not add any amendments to the back-fill material. Plant the root balls directly in their new native soil. Amendments in the back-fill just add a layer of insulation that prevents the newly plated roots from getting the moisture in the soil.
For more how-to information, please visit my web site, gardening-coaches.com
Camarillo Community Garden Website
Camarillo Community Garden website.
The Camarillo Community Garden is the result of a grass-roots movement;
people with a common commitment to the citizens of Camarillo. Our goal is to empower our neighbors, to encourage them to take control of their own food supply, to enjoy a more healthful life style, educate youth about where food really comes from, build a sense of community among citizens, reduce their food costs, and reduce the over-all load that highly commercialized agriculture places on the environment.
The project is currently recruiting support from the City of Camarillo, its Parks & Recreation Department, civic and fraternal organizations, and local business owners. This web site will serve to coordinate group efforts, publicize events, and eventually to gather applications for garden plots.
Much work remains to be done, from locating land, providing water, fencing, gardening materials and tools, promoting support from local organizations. Please pitch in and help us bring this project to fruition. Add your name to the petition, sign up for our newsletter, or volunteer.
This site is up and running, and open to all gardeners, especially those in Camarillo.
Update…
This site contains interesting stuff I run across relating to gardens, especially Victory and Community Gardens, and with science-based gardening information on when to plant veggies, recommended varieties, plant symptoms and their causes, book and tools, etc..
Click here to visit the Camarillo Community Garden web site or its discussion forum
Click here to visit myGardening Coacheswebsite.
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