Posts Tagged: victory garden

Your questions answered...

Hola Victory Gardeners!!

Hope everyone has continued to be excited about growing your own! Below are your various questions answered.

W.O. asked...

...someone mentioned at today's class about free straw at the San Pasqual stables, but I wanted to be sure I heard that correctly before I venture over there with an empty wheelbarrow and pitch fork :).

Milli:
I'm not positive if they give free straw out, however, I'm sure they will be happy to see you remove as much manure with straw in it as possible. Don't forget to take your own shovels and recycled plastic bags.

Here's a link to their address:
http://www.sanpascualstables.net/contact.html

K.B. asked...
I'm also looking forward to the list of gardening applications...

Milli:
For those of us that have i-phones, they have developed some handy applications for us edible gardeners!! I haven't had the chance to play with any of them, however, these are a few that have been recommended to me from other gardeners.
Botanical Interests
iGarden USA
Garden Tracker
Pocket Garden

B.C.G. asked...
Please email the list of plants that are safe for children.

Milli:
I work with hundreds of infants and toddlers and they seem to really enjoy sowing seeds, watering, and simply watching the ladybugs travel through a forest of carrot tops!

Here's a few:
Pansy
Nasturtium
Society Garlic
Rosemary (Attracts bees, be extra careful to place in an area away from small children)
Lavendar (Attracts bees, be extra careful to place in an area away from small children)
Thyme
Spearmint or Mint (Very invasive, be sure to plant these in pots)
Parsley
Cilantro
Endive
Oregano
Ruby Red Lettuce

M.N. & C.N. asked...
Also, is there a Facebook group that we can start so that people can post up questions, etc and photos from their plots? :)

Milli:
We already have a Common Ground Garden Program Facebook page, do you guys want to develop a separate Victory Gardener's Milagro Allegro Facebook page ?

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Common-Ground-Garden-Program-UC-Cooperative-Extension-Los-Angeles-County/124160624772?ref=ts

Remember you could also post your comments and photos here on the Victory Garden blog:

http://ucanr.org/blogs/GrowLA/

M.N. & C.N. asked...
And finally, last question (sorry, so many questions), what's your take on the borage plant? We found a lot of info on it.

Milli:
I love borage! Did you know that they use to make candy out of the flowers. It also attracts lots of bees, so its a great pollinator. Use it as a companion plant, it is said that if planted near tomatoes it will improve their taste and also their growth. They also repel hornworms. We currently have borage growing near all the tomatoes :)

J.L. asked...
I noticed that all my seeds have begun to sprout, which is very exciting. But I don't have much space at my apartment for gardening outdoors, and the balcony gets very poor sunlight. Should I transplant my seedlings to containers instead? Would they grow indoors until they got bigger? I have spinach, swiss chard, basil, and tomato seedlings. Also, I have not transplanted the transplants anywhere, but they are all doing well- I have lemon balm, rue, and tomato. The seedlings did really well by a window where I have put them, but I know they will get bigger and have to be relocated at some point.

Milli:
That's awesome! (It was also really nice seeing you in town :) Have your seedlings developed their first true leaves? If so, transplant them into larger containers and have them continue to sit on your sunny window. You'll be astonish on how well they will do and how early you'll be able to harvest. Remember, chard, spinach, basil, lemon balm, and rue are happy to give you a few of their leaves when they are still young :) Tomatoes will eventually need a home. Have you thought about applying to a community plot or doing a yardshare?

For those of you that don't have enough sunlight or land to grow on, check out this great program that was put together by L.A. Community Garden Council: (I have a yard share with a great loving family and I'm very grateful for the extra land.)

http://growfriend.org/

K.B. wrote:
Just wanted to follow up on a few questions that were nagging at my brain from class:

1)
C.C.A. asked about leaving leaves pulled off plants in the garden as mulch: Good? Bad? and as a follow up I asked--What defines mulch?

Rodale's All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening says "Organic mulches include formerly living material such as wood chips, shredded bark, chopped leaves, straw, grass clippings, etc.."
and advises that one of the best ways to keep your garden disease and pest free is to keep it tidy (remove damaged dead or diseased leaves and plants)

Also, from my training as a natural builder, I know that straw, bark, and dry grass clippings contain little nutrient value for insects and a higher level of celulose and silica which they don't like while they are drawn to hay (which is more leaf than stem and has a higher nutrient value)

2)
What can we do generally to treat polluted soil?
In the Toolbox for Sustainable City Living they say that the best thing we can do to clean up soil is ADD COMPOST! Yep, they say that the little buggers that generally make compost so awesome love to eat all that nasty stuff that we don't want to eat ourselves and recommend that urban superfund sites become urban compost facilities. Hmmm? Sounds like a good start, but I want more details.

Thoughts?

Milli:

Great questions everyone and thank you K. for the info. and your research! Keep them coming and also send over some photos to share with everyone.

Also, regarding worm or compost tea. Who is still interested in a batch? I'll be preparing a huge batch this weekend. I'll be happy to meet you guys at the community garden for pick-up!!

Keep growing and loving your veggies,
Milli Macen-Moore

Congratulations to all the New Victory Gardeners from Milagro Allegro Community Garden!!!

It has been a true pleasure sharing the resources and knowledge with every one of you.  Can't wait to organize our next gathering, where we will be able to continue to share tips, get everyone's update, swap seeds, swap plants, and swap organic veggies & yummy recipes!  YaY!

Be sure to leave your comments and remember to sow your own seeds of knowledge everywhere you go.

Until next time we get dirty...

Milli Macen-Moore

Master Gardener

Neighborhood Coordinator

 

Welcome to Grow LA!

With more than 10 million residents, and a climate conducive to year-round growing, Los Angeles County is a gardener's paradise.  Gardening has always been popular in Los Angeles but recently has become an even greater passion.  This trend is evident nationally, with a 19% increase in Americans growing their own food, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Gardening Association.  In the current economic situation, gardening is an important strategy to help families improve their food security. However, vegetable gardening can be intimidating for beginners, who need extra support. 

With the help of our dedicated UC Master Gardener Volunteers and many community partners, UC Cooperative Extension has organized a new initiative to help Los Angeles County residents become successful vegetable gardeners.  The Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative will offer a low-cost, four-session class, held at 10 locations around Los Angeles County, where new gardeners will learn the basics of successful vegetable gardening.  These "Victory Garden Circles" will provide not only basic lessons, but also a way to stay in touch with fellow gardeners, ask questions, and share produce.  Groups are gearing up to start in late March and early April.  Participants who complete all four classes will become UC Certified Victory Gardeners.  A google map shows the locations and contact information for each site. We hope to start ten more sites in the fall. 

Why victory gardens?  We've named the initiative for the World War II Victory Garden movement that inspired Americans to grow as much as 40% of the nation's fresh produce.  (You can see one of the popular Victory Garden posters of the era, below.)  Today, gardens will help us achieve victory over poverty, food insecurity, and lack of fresh, quality food. 

This blog will provide victory gardening tips and highlights from our Master Gardener Volunteers and their Victory Garden Circles around Los Angeles.  We hope you continue to visit the blog, and our Initiative web page.  Welcome!

Your Victory Garden Counts More than Ever!

Victory Gardens touted on Pearl Harbor Day

The Fresno morning news show KSEE Sunrise used the occasion of Pearl Harbor Day yesterday to encourage people to plant Victory Gardens. Victory Gardens are fruit, vegetable and herb gardens that Americans traditionally planted during wartime to aid the war effort.

Director of UC Cooperative Extension in Ventura County, Rose Hayden-Smith, is a vocal proponent of a Victory Garden resurgence in California. She maintains a Victory Grower Web site and blog. Hayden-Smith says the connection between American military involvement and the home front isn't what it was in the past, but the American way of life is imperiled by more than foreign wars. The country is facing ever rising fuel and food prices, the threat of global warming and a high rate of obesity.

UC Cooperative Extension Fresno County Master Gardener Carole Grosch explained on the morning TV program that gardening is not just for summertime, but that in most of California a variety of vegetables can be grown outdoors through the winter, such as lettuce, Swiss chard, onions and spinach.

The Fresno County Master Gardeners appear on KSEE Sunrise once a month year round to provide gardening tips and raise awareness for the county's very active Master Gardener program, which involves nearly 200 volunteers and includes a one-acre Garden of the Sun demonstration garden at the corner of Winery and McKinley avenues in Fresno.

Master Gardeners work at the UC Hansen Research and Extension Center in Ventura County.

First Garden, First Hives, First Bees

This week (June 22-28) is National Pollinator Week, and what better time to celebrate the honey bee...

Poster Child

THE HONEY BEE (Apis mellifera) is a cause for celebration during National Pollinator Week, June 22-28. This honey bee is nectaring sage. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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