As of today we have finally filled all our independent garden plots with new and excited gardeners (yahoo!) and I’d like to take this time to welcome everyone aboard!

It has been a great few weeks in the garden and I think myself or Airin have met with most of you. There are a few people who haven’t, as of yet, signed the 2011 garden contract and/or chosen a committee to join but hopefully we’ll catch up soon and get things sorted out.

Many people have been asking about when the water will be turned on in the garden. I have contacted Beth Gosnell at Joe Mihevc’s office as well as Solomon Boye, Community Gardens Program Coordinator for the city of Toronto on several occasions but as of today (Thursday June 2nd) we still don’t have water. I’m hoping this will change soon but I haven’t heard when this will be happening. Sorry, I know this is a major inconvenience. Any insight on how we can get things moving with the city would be greatly appreciated!

Looking forward, I’m hoping people can get together next Thursday June 9th at 7pm in the garden to talk about the different committees and how and what each one would like to accomplish their goals. Alternatively, I could send out an email list to the committee chairs who could then contact you via email to work out the plans. I think I’ll do both. Please let me know if you don’t want your email shared with the committee chair.

A side note: Could someone please pass on this information to Virginia (plot 22) I don’t have any current contact info for her. Thanks!

Happy gardening and see you on Thursday!

Charlie

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Get updates on our blog at garrisoncreekpark.wordpress.com.

I just wanted to briefly introduce myself. My name is Charlie Gardner and I am the new co-coordinator for the Garrison Creek Community Garden. Email me you have any questions. Hopefully we can meet face to face at the first 2011 garden meeting Sunday April 10th. Until then.

All the best,

Charlie

We held the AGM this afternoon. You can see the minutes on the AGM minutes page.

Some key points:

• Many plots in the garden have yet to be cleaned up for winter. Please clean up your plot by Sunday, December 12. If you are unable to do so or could use some help, send us an email and we’ll organize something.

• Charles Gardner is taking over as coordinator for 2011. He’ll be managing the main garden email account so write to him there with questions or comments.

• We decided at the AGM that in order to keep plots for 2011, all members will be required to attend a one-hour orientation in May. There are three options: Saturday, May 7 at 10 am; Wednesday, May 11 at 7 pm; and Sunday, May 15 at 2 pm. Please mark one or all of these in your calendars.

• The next executive meeting will be Sunday, April 10 at 11 am at the Gem. Let us know if you’d like to attend.

Thanks for a great year of gardening!

Agenda items include election of a new executive and deciding whether to continue with our individual plot system or move toward 100% community plots. We will also be discussing the potential of building new plots in the park and planting fruit trees. Please comment or email any additional agenda items before the meeting.

Note that I will be resigning as coordinator after this year, although I will happily remain on the board in an advisory capacity and to work on special projects – so we will be looking for a new coordinator. The main responsibilities include handling communications with members (primarily through email), serving as the single point of contact between members and the city, and managing plot assignments.

Hope to see you there!

I just did my clean-up: I removed all the dead plant matter from my plot and added it to the compost, and sprinkled on some kelp meal to add nutrition to the soil. I then gathered up some fallen leaves from our trees and spread them over my plot as a leaf mulch.

Remember that since our plots are separated from the earth, our gardening has a lot in common with container gardening, even though our containers are large. It’s important to replenish the soil with nutrients in fall and spring and during the growing season, especially if you like to grow the same crops year after year. (It’s really better to rotate, so consider changing up your crops for next year.) Consider digging in some manure or compost (only organic fertilizers are allowed in our garden) before winter to help with fertility next year.

Want more information on fall gardening tasks? Here are a few articles to browse through:

• Canadian Gardening – Mulching with fallen leaves
• You Grow Girl – Fertilizing the organic way
• HGTV – Prepping your garden for winter

• Weed the flower planters along the outside of the fence.
• Pull weeds from the aggregate around the raised beds.
• Weed the community plots, and water them if they need it. (Remember that the list of plots is posted inside the shed door.)

See you tomorrow!