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Post by stratcat on Mar 2, 2014 21:26:57 GMT -5
Hey, rintintin! It's been awhile. Good to see you. I like your method of planting green when ripe tomatoes so no one picks them. At the front of my cottage garden, I plant green, blue and other "weird" color tomatoes and they don't get noticed much. It seems the town-folk are always on the lookout for red tomatoes to lift, heheh.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Mar 2, 2014 21:59:39 GMT -5
I had a 10'x10' plot in Seattle for $20 per year. You could keep the same plot each year, as long as you paid up each spring. 5 years ago, the waiting list was over 2 years long, but is most likely much longer now. I had heard of the complaints about pilfering before everything was ripe, so I planned ahead. I planted green when ripe tomatoes. Everybody else was complaining that they never got a ripe tomato, but nobody touched my (ripe) green tomatoes. LOL! I love the GWR idea. Last year I planted my ghost peppers along the path, since it was a new-to-me garden, and I wasn't sure how respectful people were of each other's gardens. I thought maybe the super hot pepper would scare people off. But I think we don't have any of those kind of problems (yet, knock on wood). I saw far too many people with tomatoes rotting on the vines because no one was tending them. If someone wanted to pilfer, there were plenty for the taking.
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Post by stratcat on Mar 2, 2014 22:12:04 GMT -5
When Red Savina Habanero peppers were still the hottest in the world, I often planted them as sentries in the corners out front. Other years, different fiery peppers. At least it made me feel better.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 3, 2014 9:33:04 GMT -5
. I grew hot peppers the first two years at the garden. Everyone learned their lesson. I can now grow look alike sweet peppers without fearof theft!
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desertrat
Pro Member
Posts: 143
Joined: October 2011
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Post by desertrat on Mar 3, 2014 10:46:15 GMT -5
Hi desertrat, does that garden have access to water and does the fee cover that expense? Sorry I didn't see this way back when but yes, each plot has a faucet to the garden and the fee covers the water. We have to provide a fence if wanted to keep out the rabbits and whatever irrigation system you choose, I use drip tapes. It is on a main timer but we can put our own on the faucet if we want to but so far the main one works for my purposes so I'm not planning to do that. There has been some pilfering which is to be expected I guess, I was keeping a close eye on some very large Marconi peppers for my granddaughter to pick but somebody else got to them first. I also lost most of a row of onions and other members also reported losses, just have to live with it I guess. Generally speaking it has been a good experience but still battling Bermuda grass, this has been the biggest challenge and many plots have been abandoned for that reason. We are allowed to keep the same plot from year to year, we renew in Sept. and I haven't heard of a price increase yet. I like the suggestions for GWR tomatoes, dusting with flour and the hot peppers and will put them to use for sure.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 3, 2014 12:42:39 GMT -5
Our plot fees have stayed the same now for three years. We renewed last night for $20. Of course, water is included in the fee. The excitement of the annual community garden meeting. One of the gardeners put up a ruckus over the garden rules. If you don't like them go somewhere else. There is a three yeAr waiting luster fir our garden. They only changed one rule, plant by April 30th rather than May 15.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 9, 2014 19:50:10 GMT -5
The drama continues! Love the fun of sitting back and watching fellow gardners do things that will only hurt them. Those of us experienced gardeners suggested to our new members not to work ine garden yet! It is way too wet to work in clay. But instead of listening to the wisdom of experience, they chose to learn the hard way!
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Post by bestofour on Mar 11, 2014 8:07:36 GMT -5
The sun comes out and immediately people start tilling and planting.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Mar 11, 2014 8:31:04 GMT -5
We've still got several feet of snow here, so I expect it will be mid-April before we get the e-mail that we can get in the community garden.
I'm itching though! Yesterday it was so warm and lovely, now we have two days of colder/snowiness, but I've definitely been bitten by the gardening bug.
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Post by bestofour on Mar 11, 2014 10:53:08 GMT -5
Are the individual plots usually tilled or turned over by the owner of the land or is each person responsible for their own work from start to finish? If my county has a community garden I've got no idea where.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Mar 11, 2014 12:45:36 GMT -5
At my garden, each gardener is responsible for their own tilling and preparing of the site. My brother gardens in another state and his garden is tilled for them at the beginning of each year.
I found our community gardens through the University Extension system. A simple google search led me to them.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 11, 2014 20:32:20 GMT -5
Are the individual plots usually tilled or turned over by the owner of the land or is each person responsible for their own work from start to finish? If my county has a community garden I've got no idea where. I belong to Reedy creek park community garden. If you are ever in north charlotte, would be delight to show you around. We are responsible for tilling our own garden. But you can always get some one to help you. I sent you a pm with a phone number to help you find a garden in your county.
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Post by bestofour on Mar 12, 2014 9:46:24 GMT -5
I know exactly where Reedy Creek Park is. My step daughter used to play soccer there and my grand children play ball there sometimes.
Am I ever in North Charlotte!?? We go to church in NoDa. My husband grew up in North Charlotte.
For some reason I thought you were toward the Lancaster SC area.
Thanks for the info.
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desertrat
Pro Member
Posts: 143
Joined: October 2011
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Post by desertrat on Mar 12, 2014 15:22:32 GMT -5
My community garden plot is on a community college campus and the director of the garden is head of the ag dept and has students that will till the plots if requested but it's our responsibility to till it or get it done. Garden members bring tillers and will also dig up plots, generally speaking a very helpful generous group.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 13, 2014 0:19:36 GMT -5
I know exactly where Reedy Creek Park is. My step daughter used to play soccer there and my grand children play ball there sometimes. Am I ever in North Charlotte!?? We go to church in NoDa. My husband grew up in North Charlotte. For some reason I thought you were toward the Lancaster SC area. Thanks for the info. I work in that southern area. Let me know what Sunday afternoon would be good for you and will walk the gardens together!
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Post by bestofour on Mar 13, 2014 8:18:42 GMT -5
My community garden plot is on a community college campus and the director of the garden is head of the ag dept and has students that will till the plots if requested but it's our responsibility to till it or get it done. Garden members bring tillers and will also dig up plots, generally speaking a very helpful generous group. That's a good plan. One of my nieces is involved in a communal garden in Charlotte, Project something or other. They are donating a few acres to a group from another country to work as a garden.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 20, 2014 15:05:31 GMT -5
Rant, rAve, stomp feet! Gardeners trompping thru your raised beds!! It's too early for this to start......
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Post by timothyt on Mar 20, 2014 15:51:58 GMT -5
That be a Bummer Izit!!!!
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Post by stratcat on Mar 21, 2014 10:44:41 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that already, Izit! Grrr...
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Post by bestofour on Mar 24, 2014 18:50:49 GMT -5
Rant, rAve, stomp feet! Gardeners trompping thru your raised beds!! It's too early for this to start...... people walk through your bed to get to theirs? Surely not.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 24, 2014 19:20:29 GMT -5
Rant, rAve, stomp feet! Gardeners trompping thru your raised beds!! It's too early for this to start...... people walk through your bed to get to theirs? Surely not. No, there are 4 foot to 8 foot wide paths between each garden. They walk through your raised beds on purpose or in complete ignorance to get, take or steal things from your garden. There is no reason to walk in a raised bed that has a pathway on all sides. They just do it. It was someone whom I said could help themselves to some walking onion starts. They just chose the wrong way to get to them. I think I know who did this, but proving it is another thing. But it has taught me to pot up or pick what I don't need and leave it on a table with a note. "Free to a good home."
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Post by bestofour on Mar 25, 2014 11:32:03 GMT -5
I've always heard and thought that gardeners were the nicest sort of people. I hate to find out that even gardeners are JUST people. Some nice. Some not so nice. And you were doing this person a favor. So sad.
Last year I gave one of my husbands employees some tomatoes and squash one day. A few days later I went to the garden to pick some tomatoes I had been watching and waiting on. They were gone. Not only where the ripe tomatoes gone but the green tomatoes were gone too. I found out a few days later that this employee had come back and picked all the ripe tomatoes and the green tomatoes, plus all the squash for his 4th of July celebration. He said he didn't think I'd mind and I really wouldn't have if he hadn't taken the green tomatoes too. I told him I thought he was greedy not to even leave me anything that would soon ripen and that he'd never get anything else from me.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2014 23:09:18 GMT -5
the community gardens run through the americorps urban garden project here (i believe they are hoping to be a csa some day) only has small plots for the community:
even taking into account I have a garden at the duplex I rent (if I didn't have kids, I would have the whole yard area in our partition gardened to the max), i wish these rental plots were much, MUCH larger (like say 40x80 or better still would be 400x800), though for most people around the ghetto, I suppose it is more than enough. They have tons of un-rented plots, sadly, so imo the space really should be reorganized in the future. they already removed the raised bed wood this spring, so this would be even easier to make larger areas for those that would use it (well). there is no real clearly defined division in beds now, though they have some pvc pipes at the corners of where the beds were raised at, as an expectation to stay within that. the issues around here are not just theft but brutal vandalism and stupidity of urban decay manifesting in hugely ignorant displays.
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Post by gixxerific on May 11, 2014 7:47:05 GMT -5
What you do is become a mentor and friend of someone with land and he will let you plant for free.
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Post by bestofour on May 11, 2014 17:55:40 GMT -5
mb3 maybe you can organize things. A lot of times if you can get vandals motivated in the right direction they stop vandalizing. We used to have a homeless man who showed up at church drunk every once in a while and was verbal and harassing. One day my husband saw him and told him that he needed help guarding the people in the church during service because the world was such a crazy place and no telling what might happen. That man totally changed. He sat still and watched everyone who came into the church.
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indigogirl17
Pro Member
Blazing here again...90's and dry after aq period of 3 weeks of solid rain a few weeks back. .
Posts: 191
Zone:: 5b
Favorite Vegetable:: sweet corn, collards, turnip greens, yellow wax beans, Cherokee purple tomatoes
Joined: March 2011
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Post by indigogirl17 on Mar 16, 2015 13:57:28 GMT -5
This sounds great..let us know how it goes?
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 5, 2015 18:04:38 GMT -5
New community, new community garden for me. I was never as excited as I was to move into our new home last summer and see a community garden literally across the street. I promptly got on the waiting list and bit my nails all winter long, waiting to see if I got a plot. I got in, much to my delight, and it's been absolute craziness getting the garden ready for the year. So many weeds! (Of course.) It's an all-organic community garden, and at the end of the season I have to remove everything. However, I do still get the same plot every year as long as I pay, and I am responsible for garden prep in the spring. Cost was $30 the first year, but half of that is a deposit, so next year I'll pay $15 for a 20x25 space. I have planted mine this year with 65 tomato plants, pole beans, onions, leeks, a few herbs,brussels sprouts, celery and tomatillos. Here's a picture I took the other day. One thing I am concerned about with this garden is thievery. One of my fellow gardeners told me of an encounter last fall with an elderly gentleman harvesting vegetables last fall. He had just moved into the apartment next door to the garden, saw this man out picking veg and went to talk to him to find out how to get in the garden. Turned out this man did not have a garden! He flat out said that it seemed like the vegetables weren't being tended, so he was going to help himself- and then encouraged the new gardener to do likewise! Hopefully I will be able to stay on top of things, given that the space is right across the street. If things start missing, I won't be afraid to put up a caution tape barrier along with a sign to stop stealing.
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Post by izitmidnight on Jun 10, 2015 7:54:59 GMT -5
Congratulations on the new garden! It looks beautiful.
I understand about the theivery! The first year at my garden, had the gate locked and a car pulked up. A group of four got out wirh paper bags and demanded I let them in. When I told them to unlock the gate, they got mad. Sorry, we pay to grow theae veggies for our family. They gave me a few choice words and threTened to call the police. I pulled my phone put of my pocketed and acted luke I was calling 911. While talking to my answering machine, they fled,
Beat deterent for your garden is to throw flour on your ripening veggies. They think it is poison and will move on to the next garden
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Post by paquebot on Jul 1, 2015 17:24:08 GMT -5
Been trying to find something good to say here about ours for several years but no go. For at least 3 years, one of the rules has been: "Live traps may be used in the garden; however, it is your responsibility to take care of your catch." I caught and killed a rabbit. I have been evicted and charged with destruction of park property. I am not joking!
Martin
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jul 2, 2015 10:48:57 GMT -5
Been trying to find something good to say here about ours for several years but no go. For at least 3 years, one of the rules has been: "Live traps may be used in the garden; however, it is your responsibility to take care of your catch." I caught and killed a rabbit. I have been evicted and charged with destruction of park property. I am not joking! Martin I have no words. So sorry to hear that. Can you appeal the eviction at all?
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