Garden Opening
Getting Off the Ground
Q: I can't wait to get gardening! What are the first steps for once the black frost blanket is removed?
A- Once you take off the black frost blanket, you must be ready to start working.
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You can either prepare your plot and plant seedlings as groundcover then use the frost blanket to again cover your plot. Or you can dispose of the frost blanket and replace it with the white row cover.
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Q: I'm ready to get my hands dirty. How do I prepare the medium?
A: The plots are filled almost to the top with the white perlite. This medium is very light weight and allows for roots to spread easily.
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Next is the black espresso looking medium. This layer holds the nutrients for our garden plots.
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Next is the mulch to top it all off. The mulch helps to bind and form a top "crust" on the garden box to keep the perlite in place.
You may wish to sprinkle seeds for your ground cover before adding the mulch to sow those seeds easily, quickly, and uniformly.
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Add the osmocote pearls around any growing seedings or established for a growth boost.
A: Wait a minute, there are things already growing in my plot. What do I do with these plants?
A: If you are lucky enough to remove your black frost cover and find things growing from the previous season, you can keep it for ground cover. Simply "mow" it, with nippers or scissors, an inch or two above ground level. The intact root structures will help secure the medium. The nutrients in the roots will provide added nutrients for your medium as they decompose.
Pulling up these plants is ill advised as it up will disturb the roots which will hold your medium in place and leave big holes.
Q: What is the best way to prepare my plot to withstand the wind?
A: There are two general methods for setting up your plot to deal with the wind.
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The first method depends on growing ground cover to keep your plot intact. Sprinkle the provided seeds, making sure to have good coverage across the plot. Other seeds to chosen for ground cover are lettuces, herbs, radish, etc. You can then plant the unique seeds for larger plants spaced amongst the ground cover seeds. Then cover your plot with the row cover to protect your seeds from the wind until they've germinated. You can then cut Xs in your row cover to let your plants grow tall or remove the row cover entirely.
The second method depends on the row cover to protect your plot for the entirety of the growing season. To employ this method, you will prepare your medium with the fertilizer and binder and cover your plot with row cover. You can then cut X or T shaped slits in the row cover to plant seedlings. When planting seedlings, make sure you shake off a bit the dirt they come in to loosen the roots. This will help your roots spread through the perlite and maximize their ability to reach water.
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To secure the row cover, make sure the corners are stapled securely, then staple about every 8 inches to keep it in place. It is best to double over the fabric where you staple to prevent the staples from tearing through the fabric. The row cover does not need to be tight across the top of your plot, you can leave a bit of extra fabric to give your plants breathing room.
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Q: During the first growing season, there were days when assistance for planting was scheduled. Will that happen this year?
A: Yes the Garden Support Crew will have to dates during the Garden Opening week to assist if you need. April is the Support Crew Lead on the Garden Commission.
Keep an eye on the newsletter for the scheduled days.
Q: What tools do I need to bring to the garden?
A: You will need to bring your own tools for working in your plot.  You will find in the following in the deck box: knee cushions, watering cans, broom, dust pan, stapler, staples.
