Blog

Hannah News & Activity

2021 Wareham Community Garden Spring Update

Hi Everyone,

It is so good to see so many of you have already gotten started in your plots this spring! For those of you that have not, don’t worry – it is still early yet and you have plenty of time!

We have several new gardeners joining us this year and many many returning familiar faces, welcome to you all!

I want to cover a few items briefly, and appreciate your attention to reading this whole POST!


COVID-19 is still with us:

We have published a very important set of COVID guidelines and rules for keeping the garden open this year. PLEASE, if you have not done so already, read them AND respond to tell me that you have read them.

Most importantly:

  1. Do not come to the garden if you have any symptoms of COVID-19
  2. COMMUNITY TOOLS: There will be NO sharing of tools in the garden this year. We have removed the common tools and ask that you all bring your own tools. It is also critical that you take your tools home with you at the end of each day. I do not want this to be a barrier for anyone, therefore, *if you do not have your own tools, please let us know and we will work something out for you. 
  3. NO personal tools left in plots, please!: there are a number of plots that have tools left in them. Please take your tools home with you. We can not have people sharing tools right now.
  4. Social Distancing: please maintain a minimum of 6′ from others at all times. 
  5. “At Risk” Gardeners: We have several gardeners who have indicated that they are a high risk of complications if they were to contract COVID-19. We will be determining a way to schedule times for them to garden and feel safe. Please keep your eye on your email and respond to messages regarding this topic. 

Plot fee payment: The fee is still just $35 per plot. If you have two plots, that’s $70. If you have three, that’s $105, etc. Please make check payable to: Wareham Community Garden and send to: PO Box 185, Wareham MA 02571.

Garden Waiver:  If you have not done so in the past, please sign the attached waiver and return it to us at the same address above. ALL gardeners must sign this waiver. It is required by A.D. Makepeace, the generous patrons that own the property on which we garden. I am attaching the waiver. If you are new or if you know you have not yet signed this in the past, PLEASE sign is and return back to us. We are keeping track and so does Makepeace.


Plot location:  Please find the link to the most current map of the garden here (2021 PLOT MAP). For new gardeners, if you need help using this map to find your plot for the first time, please let me know and I will walk you through it. Some of you returning gardeners have also asked to be moved to different plots, your new assignments are also on this map. If you see your name in a location that we haven’t discussed, please let me know ASAP! 🙂 

Gardening Resources:

  1. mulching hay: We will provide mulch hay again this year and are purchasing one bale per plot. If you have two plots, you get two bales of hay, etc. Please use this mulch to help control weeds and conserve water. 
  2. composted cow manure: We are thrilled to be able to provide composted cow manure again this year. We have one pile in the garden already, and one being delivered later this week. Please feel free to use as much as you need for your plots. 
  3. WEBSITE!!! We have continued to work on a new and updated website. Please make sure you are looking at the NEW version. We are very excited and will be keeping it updated with all sorts of current and helpful information. Including: helpful “how to” information.
  4. Discussion Forum: We have added an online discussion forum so everyone that wants to can keep in touch with other gardeners, share information, ask questions, etc. You should have all received an invitation to join that forum this evening. You may also join the forum by visiting our website here. 
  5. Composting bins: We have composting bins. Easy Peasey HOW TO instructions are posted on our website. The basics are: 1.) NO weeds that have gone to seed, 2.) NO plant material that is diseased, 3.) break large stems up into small pieces, 4.) when you add material, toss a few handfuls of the hay or leaves that are piled beside the compost bins on top of what you added
  6. General Garden Guidelines: Please review the Wareham Community Garden Guidelines .

If you have any questions about the garden, please don’t hesitate to ask us! If you need help, if you can’t get to your plot for a while and need some coverage… let us know! 

Thanks for reading, enjoy the garden and welcome to spring!
kind regards,

Hannah

The Secret Gardener Tips & Techniques

It’s April and the gardening season begins in earnest! Time to prepare the beds if you haven’t already done so

The seeds you started in Feb/March can be transplanted into the garden this month.

Onions and their relatives can be either transplanted and / or direct sown early on as can lettuce and other hardy greens. Peas, beets, spinach, carrots, turnips and radishes can be direct sown throughout the month. Potatoes can go in mid month. The first week of the month is not too late to start tomatoes, peppers and eggplants planted out in late May. Late April is the time to start cucumbers and squash and melons to be transplanted into the garden a month later. Cabbages, broccoli,kale, etc…can be started inside anytime and direct sown mid-month on.

If you have a cold frame it can be put to good use to move the plants you have started in the house to the frame opening up space to start more tender vegetables and to harden off more cold tolerant vegetables before they are transplanted into the ground.

Hannah Gardening Techniques, Tips & Techniques

Vegetable and Fruit Gardeners Message: FRUITS event next Tuesday 7pm

Hi Everyone,
I want to share with you a wonderful (FREE) opportunity to learn more about vegetable and fruit gardening. Jen Boudrie, who is with the Mass Department of Agricutlural Resources (MDAR), has organized a monthly webinar series where she brings in experts to give a talk on some gardening related topic. Upcoming is a talk on growing fruits, last month the topic was seed starting. 

In addition to the monthly expert series, Jen hosts a weekly Tuesday evening meetup for anyone interested in talking about gardening. 


Both of these are free and open to the public and so I want to share this opportunity with you. If you are interested in attending the lecture on Fruits OR if you are interested in joining in Jen’s weekly Vegetable Gardening discussion group, please email her at the address below.

Happy Gardening!
Hannah

——————–

Hope you can join FRUITS! I’ll email the zoom link on March 9 beforehand.The Zoom “waiting room” will open at 6:45pm. Jen B


Perennial fruits can offer home harvests year after year.  Learn about fruits for your home garden!

FRUITS:  Planting, Pruning, Management

More and more gardeners are growing fruit for home harvest:  strawberries in June, blueberries in July, blackberries in August, and raspberries in the fall.  Blueberries are among the most popular fruits to grow in the home garden; they are well suited to New England soil.  Grapesare one of the most universally enjoyed fruits; many new varieties have excellent taste and are winter hardy.  These fruits and others will be discussed.  Specific topics can include planting recommendations, pruning, soil requirements, key pests and their management, selecting varieties, and resources.  Please send your fruit interests or questions in advance to jenboudrie@gmail.com.


Sonia Schloemann is a Fruit Specialist with UMass Extension who has been working with commercial fruit growers and teaching master gardeners for over 30 years and recently retired.  She has a master’s degree from UMass in Plant and Soil Sciences.  The focus of her work has been on sustainable fruit production practices and integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Tuesday, 7-8pm ESTMarch 9, 2021

FREE.  Registration not required. Email jenboudrie@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.Host:  The Veg/Fruit GroupCE credit 1 hour for Mass Master Gardeners (pending approval)

The Secret Gardener Tips & Techniques

Spring is on the horizon! Its March!

For early birds it’s time to get going with starting hardy vegetables indoors under shop lights on on on sunny window sills for transplanting into the garden during the first two weeks in April: Lettuce, Asian greens, Kohlrabi, parsley and good beets. Mid-month they can be put in a cold frame opening up space in the house for starting your seedlings for hot weather vegetables.

The last week or so of the month: radishes, spring turnips, carrots, beets, lettuce greens, peas and spinach and the like can be direct seeded in the garden.

During the second half of the month start: peppers and tomatoes for transplanting into the garden in late May.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast – planting times are flexible as is soil preparation that can be started mid-month or so.

Carl Schulz News & Activity

Gardener Profile – Joe & Missy Dziczek

Missy and I have always had large and many gardens at our previous home, where I spent half of each day in the yard. Moving to an Onset condo with NO space for gardening, Missy obtained this plot to keep me sane, occupied and out of trouble. It’s therapeutic affect is priceless. So, I am back in heaven having a garden to build, plant and maybe if lucky – enjoy the fruits of our efforts. A HUGE enjoyment is meeting, talking with and becoming socially engaged with gardeners sharing the experience. The Wareham Community Garden Is a lifesaver and I would like to thank all those who made it possible; because I know people did/do a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes! So thank you Anne and everyone else making the garden a true success!!!!

Joe and Missy Dziczek Onset MA