End of Season

As another gardening season is about to wrap up, I'd like to send out a few reminders...

Work Bees
The Wednesday night work bee will continue for the rest of September. The weather has been holding out fairly well, so for the sake of the food bank deliveries if it continues to do so by the end of the month, I may add an extra one into October. We're losing our light rather quickly now so they will likely be abbreviated. I will be holding one last Saturday work bee on September 28th from 10-2pm. This is just a final chance to make up for any of the 12 hours you were not able to put in and we'll be concentrating on end of season tasks. Putting barrels away, hoses, compost etc. The City will likely turn the water off this week as well.

Plot Cleanup
If you are not planning to return next year and would like to get your bed deposit back, you must clean out your plot completely. Remove your vegetables or any weeds that may be left in the plot and turn the soil. This must be done and I must be notified by September 30th in order to get your $20 deposit back. Those who plan to return and stay in the same plot may leave their plot until the spring if they wish. Those who plan to return but would like to change plots are asked to clean their plots by the end of the season.

Compost
A reminder to put your weeds in the weed compost. Anything else from your garden can go in the regular compost. The more we can get in the pile this fall, the more compost we'll have for the beds in the spring! Anyone who would like to drop off their compost at the garden over the winter is more than welcome to do so.

Water Jugs
Some of you have been taking advantage of Russell's offer of old water jugs from Yukon Springs to use as planters. He would like me to pass on that he will have more, between 25 and 100, for the next work bee on September 18th. First come, first serve.

Greenhouse
If you used the greenhouse this year, please clean out your containers and take them home. I don't mind if you store your containers in the greenhouse as long as they are cleaned out, stacked neatly and clearly marked with your name.
On a container note, anyone with extra containers or cloth or any other 'accessories' for your plot, please put these away neatly and so they don't blow out of the plot over the winter.

Plant a Row
This year has been a great year for the Plant a Row program. We've taken approximately 478lbs of vegetables to the food bank to date! Our biggest season so far. Our goal is 500lbs so anyone with veg to spare let me know or meet us on one of the last two Wednesdays when we do the collection. A big thank you to all that have made their donations. Big and small, every little bit counts!

I think that's it for now. I have some updates that I still need to post in regards to the on goings of this past summer. I'll get to them yet. Until then, I hope this post finds everyone well and warm. -k.

Harvest Social & Volunteer Appreciation

Join us Wednesday, August 21^st from 6:00 – 7:00 PM at 7^th Avenue & Ray Street, in the main garden, under the clay cliffs for our annual Harvest Social and Volunteer appreciation. If you like, bring a dish. Supply of recipes encouraged! 

As always, work bee to follow ... :)

 For more info contact Randy at 633-7979

Pest Info Session: Second Try

A quick note...
I just wanted to mention that the work bee for July 24th has been cancelled. I will not be able to make it. However, do not let this discourage you from getting to the garden and working on your task! Also, Shannon will be there collecting for the food bank drop off. If you have anything you would like to donate from your garden please let us know or meet at the garden at the usual work bee time 6-8 pm. and she will gladly take it in.

Because we had such a positive response to our unfortunately cancelled workshop, we will be giving our pest info session a second try. Wednesday, July 31st, from 6-6:30 pm. Meet us in the garden with your pest questions ready. Randy Lamb, pest expert, will be in attendance.

See you all then!
Kathryn

July 3rd Information Session

Join us in the Whitehorse Community Garden for an information session on "Pests in the Garden". Wednesday night, July 3rd, from 6-6:30 pm, Randy Lamb, DUGS president and garden expert, will talk about pests in the garden from the flying insects to the larvae to the two-legged varieties and how to prevent, identify and manage infestations. An excellent opportunity to ask any questions about pests you may have. This session is open to any gardeners interested. Hope to see you there! Work Bee to follow...

Reminders

Just a few reminders for everyone...

The cut off for planting at the garden is June 10th. If your bed is not planted by June 10th it may be given to another gardener. We do have a waiting list and people patiently waiting to get a chance to secure a bed.

I was at the garden earlier and found an empty jug of Miracle Gro in the garbage. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE are you to use chemical fertilizers or pesticides in the community garden. We are an organic operation and practice only organic gardening methods. The only soil amendments we allow in the garden are those listed on Appendix B. Appendix B can be found above under the 'Fact Sheets' tab. Please respect this for the other gardeners around you and future gardeners.

On the note of garbage, please do not leave your garbage at the garden. If you can take it home with you and dispose of it there, please do. We have to pay to take it to the landfill and the garbage cans are more there for the public to dispose their trash into rather than leaving it around the garden.

The Saturday work bees are officially over and have been replaced with a Wednesday night work bee from 6-9 pm.

Thanks for your cooperation and have a great weekend

A Few Notes

Water
The water is officially and finally on. I have filled some barrels to get everyone going but not all. I am handing over those reigns to the volunteers who belong to that task. On that note, if the barrels are ever empty and you happen to be spending some time at the garden, feel free to fill one or two up - as in you don't have to wait for someone else to do it. We have quite a few more barrels this year so I'm hoping we won't empty them as fast as we have in the past.
There is confusion every year on how to turn on the water in the garden. If you want to know how, come by the garden on a Wednesday night while I am there and I will show you. It has proven too hard to explain in written form and much easier to demonstrate but it still all boils down to "turn on tap - get water".

The Fox
Some of you may have noticed a bushy tailed visitor in and about the garden. A red fox has taken a liking to the garden area and is spending a lot of time patrolling the area for ground squirrels and mice. This is a good thing for the garden and free pest control at its finest. Having said that, I ask that you do not try to feed the wild animal or leave food for it. I also ask that you keep an eye on your pet and children if you bring them to the garden. The fox has shown aggression towards a smaller dog in the garden and wether that's due to territory, a young family close by or an easy meal, I don't know but we should not be tempting the animal in any regard.

Task Assignments
I've posted the task assignments above. If anyone is confused about their task or where to find it, contact me and I will explain further.

Planting 
If you haven't yet, this weekend would be a great time to plant. Rain and warmish temperatures are forecast throughout the weekend which the seeds will appreciate. Remember that the deadline for planting is June 10th. Plots not planted by that date may be turned over to those on the waiting list or planted for the foodbank.

Have a great weekend everyone!

May Catch Up

What is it about spring in the North that makes us feel like we just don’t have enough time in a day? I’m a bit behind in my posting so I’ll just get right to it.

Work Bees and Tasks

There is a work bee on every Saturday of May from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come for an hour or come for four. A great way to make a dent in those volunteer hours. We are mostly doing clean up in and around the garden and thanks to the tremendous show of gardeners last weekend, we have most of the heavy work done. Thanks again to all of you that were able to help out.

Starting in June, I will cut the work bees down to one night a week and that night will be Wednesday night. We usually run from 6-8 pm. Wednesday night work bees are a “Rain or Shine” affair. I draw the line at snow which may seem funny but last year on May 16^th we had this:

Taken from my front door. I'm hoping Mother Nature has a kinder plan for us this year.
I am still working on task assignments but hope to have that wrapped up this weekend. I will email everyone when that is done.

Greenhouse

I'm doing the greenhouse a little bit different this year and will only be offering space for 6 gardeners. I found last year that we had a lot of donations with no one to take care of them and often in pots that were too small to even withstand a day's lack of watering. I currently have three gardeners expressing interest so if you are interested shoot me an email and I'll make the space happen for you.

Planting
The general rule of thumb for the "safe to plant" date is any time after the Victoria Day weekend, this weekend in fact. I've been keeping an eye on the seven day forecast and Environment Canada is still forecasting below zero temperatures for next week. I know some of you have planted already and if your seed is underground it should probably be fine. The growth may be a bit delayed because of the cooler nighttime temps but I don't think it is anything to worry about. I wouldn't suggest any transplants yet, if you intend to use them. Even with the aid of row cover, they may suffer some damage. As for when to safely plant? I would say sometime in the latter part of the next two weeks.

Water
The City of Whitehorse will not hook up our water system until the frost is out of the ground (very slow this year) and all risk of freezing has passed. This is one more reason that it may be a good idea to hold off on planting. I will let everyone know when it is in place.

Biffy

The port-a-potty should be in place for this weekend in its usual spot behind the shed. Please use at your own risk. I do not clean it nor do I take care of it but it will be emptied once a week. Be courteous to the next user when you do use it. I usually keep a couple extra rolls of toilet paper in the shed should the need arise.

I think that's it for now. If you have any questions at all, please shoot me an email. I hope to see many of you on the weekend and until then, enjoy the returning Robins and the beautiful Crocus' on those southern exposed ridges. I haven't seen any dandelions yet, have you?

2013 Garden Sign Up

Our annual sign up date has been set! April 6th at the Whitehorse Food Bank (306 Alexander Street) from 12 noon - 2pm.
This is a sign up only. Bed assignment and orientation will follow at a later date in May (to be announced). Fees required for sign up for a new members are as follows:
$20.00 annual membership fee,
$20.00 bed deposit,
 and $5.00 key deposit (for shed)
For a total of $45.00

If you are a returnng member from last year, you need only pay the annual membership fee of $20.00 and possibly the key deposit if you require another key.

Sign up is first come, first serve and each gardener is allowed to sign up for one plot only. Those gardeners who fulfilled their volunteer hours from last season and wish to return, are given first choice and preference to their existing plots or a new plot if they choose to move.

Any questions can be directed to me, Kathryn, at dugsyukon@hotmail.com.

Look forward to seeing both new and familiar faces! See you then.

2012 AGM

We're a little late but we will be holding our 2012 AGM on Wednesday, January 30th at Maryhouse (506 Cook Street). It will be the usual potluck affair at 6 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Come meet the board! Come join the board! Or just stop in to say hi!