Classes and Activities (July 27 - Aug 1) during Cobb Extension Hort Week

For the week of  July 27 - August 1, UGA Extension office has planned several activities to highlight horticulture in Cobb County. The scheduled presentations are free and open to the public.

 

Supporting Our Pollinators

Monday, July 27, noon—1:00 p.m.

At the Cobb Water Training Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, 30060.   

   

Dahlias!

Wednesday, July 29, noon—1:00 p.m.

At the Cobb Water Training Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, 30060.   

 

Planning the Fall Vegetable Garden

Friday, July 31, noon—1:00 p.m.

At the Cobb Water Training Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, 30060.   

 

Family Fun Day at Green Meadows Preserve Park

Saturday, August 1, 8:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

Bring a picnic and enjoy all the park has to offer. Bluebird Trail walk begins at 8:00 a.m. Then,  activities, classes, and games for kids and adults begin at 10:00 a.m. , at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, 30127.

 

Anytime: Stop by the office, M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 678 South Cobb Drive in Marietta, to pick up research-based information from UGA about lawn, garden, and landscape care and about conserving our natural resources. 

 

To reach by phone: 770-528-4070.

 

 

Family Fun Day at the Garden - August 1, 2015

Free Onion Sets - Back by Popular Demand!

I thought it might be nice to kick off the official start of the fall season with some free onion sets.  That's right; they're back by popular demand!  Onions do so well at Green Meadows and are among the variety of crops requiring very little care and maintenance.

Get them while they last!
Fresh off the truck!

This wonderful member of the allium family is suitable for planting in either the spring or the fall.  However, planting the sets in the fall will yield substantially larger bulbs vs. those that are planted in the spring.

Onions do well with all of the leafy greens and root crops.  They are especially good neighbors for members of the brassica family, as they are known to repel many of the pests that affect these plants.

About the only bad companions are members of the legume family which includes your peas and beans and some references do make mention of sage.  If legumes are in your plans for the spring and early summer, it is important to locate the onions in an area away from where you plan to put these.

Squirrels can become problematic at Green Meadows for digging them up so any defensive measures to prevent their actions will serve you well.

All three varieties in the shed are good for scallions and dry storage onions.  They are also well suited to indoor growing.  The link below is to the Old Farmer's Almanac with some nice planting tips and if we can do anything to help, just let us know.  In raised garden beds, they can easily go 4 inches apart in all directions.  It is important to note that the spacing between rows mentioned in the article is for those directly planting into the conventional garden.

http://www.almanac.com/plant/onions - link to The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Happy Fall,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Whew That Was A Job!

You guys grow way too much food!
I can barely keep up with it all!

Sometimes

 you 

need 

to just stop

and

photograph

the squirrels!

Happy Gardening,
Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Horticulture Day at the Garden

Heading out to walk the Blue Bird Trail

It was a wonderful day at the garden in spite of the humidity. We had lots of visitors and showed the children who visited all kinds of interesting things - like fritillary caterpillars.

There was something for everyone either in the garden or outside the garden.  Approximately 26 people  went on the Blue Bird Trail walk with Jim.




Off to visit the bee yard!

Rita and Mike had a fabulous bee display in the garden. There was a honey extractor to look at and honey to taste which was made by the bees at Green Meadows Preserve. Mmmm.

Thank you to Vann & Dalita for coming out Tuesday morning and talking to our visitors. Especially for spending so much time out in the sun where the plants were!

Many thanks to Heidi for the Herb and Vertical Gardening handouts made available on our table. And to Carol and Vicki for helping during the event.

Just one of the tables full of information visitors could take away.

Fritillary caterpillar. They look vicious
 but this particular caterpillar is
 harmless. The spines are actually soft.

The bee exhibit was fantastic. It
was fascinating learning how
 the honey extractor works.

Special thanks to everyone helping the children with the scavenger hunt. It was a lot of fun for everyone to look for everything.

Rocks were easy to find but where to find the radish pods and tomatillos really stumped the searchers. As did the caterpillar on the list! Luckily for us, they are always on the passion vine (may pop) so are easy to find.

Vicki and Rita 

Definitely thank you to all the gardeners at Green Meadows who worked so hard at getting the garden ready for this event.  The garden looked and still looks fantastic. Special thanks to all the community gardeners who came out and did extra mulching throughout the garden and on the fence line.


Mike, the Bee Man

I heard lots of great comments about the Period Garden that Jack and the Master Gardeners have created around the house and the Native American Garden Tony, Jack and the Master Gardeners have created between the house and the woods.


Jack and Louise

Louise, Amy, Renae, Hope and Neil from Cobb County Extension put together a fun and enjoyable event. Thanks for asking us to participate!

Photos by Renae, Mike and Vicki

Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Ice Cream

Carol's son-in-law Chad made this Ice Cream for the Ice Cream Social. It was soooo good. Surprisingly so since I was mentally going Mascarpone? In the ice cream?

 Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Ice Cream with Biscoff Cookie

4 large egg yolks 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 
2 cups whole milk
1 cup mascarpone (7 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
One Vanilla Bean

1. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. In a saucepan, combine the milk with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sugar, split length wise the vanilla bean and scrape insides of pod , add both scraped pod and vanilla beans into mixture and bring to a simmer.
2. Strain milk and vanilla mixture.
3. Slowly beat the warm milk into the egg yolks at low speed. Scrape the custard into the saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes; don't let the custard boil.
4. Pour the custard into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water and whisk in the mascarpone, lemon juice and salt. Let stand until chilled, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
5. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the mascarpone ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

 Make Ahead  - The ice cream can be frozen for up to 2 days.

Easy Strawberry Ice Cream

For the Ice Cream Social today, I made ice cream using strawberries I picked when I went to the Lcclstrawberry Farm in Rome with Mike last month.  This is a really easy ice cream recipe if you want to make a quick, no cook, egg free ice cream.

1 1/2 pints (3 cups) half and half

16 ounces of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 1/2 to 2 cups strawberries, pureed or mashed (they can be fresh or frozen as long as they are in small bits)

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Pour into ice cream canister and freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.

Makes 1/2 gallon

To Make Vanilla instead of Strawberry:
Omit Strawberries
Increase half and half to 2 pints (4 cups)

2nd Annual Ice Cream Social - Saturday June 21st

Last year we had such a great time, we decided to make the Ice Cream Social a yearly event. Below are the details for our event this year.

 

When: Saturday, June 21, 2014

 

Time: 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

 

The concept is simple. Bring your frozen home made ice cream  to the garden with a label saying what kind it is. (And an ice chest to keep it cold until the end of the meal!)

 

We will happily supply hot dogs, buns, chips and water. If you want to bring a side dish to round out your hot dog and ice cream, please do.

 

Vote for your favorite flavor to find the best of the garden! Last year we had 10 flavors I think - yum yum.

 

Prizes to be awarded for Best Ice Cream and Most Unusual Ice Cream.

 

 

 

Master Gardener Garden Tour Saturday May 10, 2014

Through the Garden Gate

 

Presented by

Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County

 

Garden Tour

Saturday, May 10, 2014

10 am – 5 pm

Tour Tickets: $15.00 in advance – $20.00 at the gate

Available at Cobb Extension Office: 770-528-4070 or

online at http://www.cobbmastergardeners.com   

And The "Chilly Nilly" Prize Goes To.........

Hey Everyone,

And this year's "Chilly Nilly" prize goes to Ken of Bed 5 and Mark of Bed 45!

That's right you two!  Both of you tied for the coolest beds in the garden right now having a temperature of 65.3 degrees Fahrenheit.  It has been so nice to see the steady rise in temperatures this week and hopefully the few nights of approaching cold weather won't take us back too far from what we have gained. A special THANK YOU goes out to Reagan for helping me take all the temperatures Sunday evening. You were such a good helper!

Ken & Mark's Prize
Bu's Brew Bio-Dynamic
 Compost Tea Bags from Malibu Compost!
http://malibucompost.com/goods/layin - for awesome tips
 and a link to information on the brew.

The week started off with a garden average of 64.7 degrees.  As of Sunday evening, we are currently right at 70 degrees for an overall garden average.  Temperatures run from our chilliest at 65.3, to our warmest at 77.4 degrees.  As always, I take temperatures late day between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. to maximize any heat we may gain throughout the afternoon hours.  The temperatures of each bed are recorded with a digital meat thermometer, added together, divided by the total number of beds, giving us an overall average for the garden.  This gives us a pretty good idea of where our temperatures stand for planting purposes.

Here are the results for this week of recording:

Our chilliest section of the garden remains the area near the pecan tree and picnic table.  All beds in this section remain under 70 degrees with Ken being one of our "Chilly Nilly" prize winners at 65.3. This section actually has an advantage over others in the garden when growing cool weather vegetables in the spring as they can hold onto the chillier ground temperatures a bit longer.  This gives them the opportunity for a greater length of time harvesting before the heat takes over and causes the plants to end their life cycles. The overall average for this section as of Sunday is 69.0 degrees Fahrenheit.

The section of the garden that houses our special needs area is still the most consistent with their temperatures running from 67.1 to 74.2 degrees.  The average for this section is now at 70.2 as of Sunday evening.  When ground temperatures in this area climb, they tend to fluctuate less with the ups and downs that are common of early spring weather.  The largest advantage in this section is that both soil life and plant growth experience less stress due to fluctuating ground temperatures, which does go a long way in keeping plants healthy and productive once they get started.

The largest surprise was the warmest area of the garden at the last recording is now the second to the coldest when dividing the garden up into four sections.  It also houses one of our "Chilly Nilly" prize winners (Mark) at bed 45.  The temperatures in this uppermost right-hand section closest to the orchard have an overall average of 69.1 degrees.  The lowest is Mark at 65.3 and the warmest is 72.3 degrees.  In looking back at last year's recordings this scenario was the same as another bed in that section was also a "Chilly Nilly" prize winner.  It looks as if when looking towards the future at garden trends, this area has a distinct advantage for winning our "Nilly" prizes, grin!

Our last section on the right hand side of the gate closest to Dallas Hwy is still the warmest area overall. In fact, our "Garden Hotties" remain the warmest bed in the garden at 77.4 degrees.  The temperatures in this section range from a low of 67.2 to a high of 77.4 degrees.  The average for this section is 71.7 overall.  Many beds in this section have the advantage with the temperatures needed to support "tomato territory" and once the nights stabilize and the beds are prepped they will be off and running.

I am hopeful that this next little spell will be the last of the cold weather.  It is always a nice reminder though to respect those last frost dates for our area as planting too early can cause quite a bit of damage to our plants.  I will continue to keep us all posted!

A great big CONGRATULATIONS to Mark and Ken, you are sooooooo cool!  I'll drop the prizes by the shed my next trip over.

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29  

Who's Our "Hottie"?

Hey Everyone,

And the "Garden Hottie" Prize goes to Susan & Steve Phillips of Bed 18!

Susan & Steve's "Garden Hottie" Prize!
Farmer D's Bio-Dynamic Blend Organic Compost
 providing a wealth of versatility in the garden!

Yes Susan & Steve, it's you!  You have the hottest bed in the garden right now!  Taking the garden temperatures this past week has been rather interesting.  While our desire is to see the ground temperatures consistently on the rise, we have experienced exactly the opposite.  Unfortunately, the few nights of extremely cold weather has taken our temperatures from the start of the week at 64.3 degrees Fahrenheit down to an average of 59.8 degrees as of Thursday.

I took all readings late day between 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to maximize any heat we may have acquired throughout the afternoon hours.  I use a digital meat thermometer when taking temperatures as these do provide very accurate results.  The temperatures of each bed are taken, divided by the total number of beds, and the result is the garden average.  If you have two beds, I utilize the warmest or coldest one depending on which serves you the best for the purpose of contest prizes. 

As one may expect the chilliest section of the garden remains the area that receives the most shade near the pecan tree and picnic table.  This section had only one bed breaking the 60-degree mark.  That was John and Maxine's with a soil temperature of 61.8 degrees.  The overall average in this section is 58.1 degrees Fahrenheit.  

The most consistent section where the temperatures show the least fluctuation is the area of the garden that also includes special needs.  I believe that when we do obtain our heat, it is lost at a lower rate based on some insulation from the surrounding woods.  This scenario was also the same last year during the period at which temperatures were monitored on a regular basis.  The overall average for this section is 58.6 with those who cover on a regular basis having temps in the low 60's.

Now let's look at the garden's hottest areas!  The overall warmest section in the garden is the uppermost right hand side closest to the orchard.  The average for that area is 61.4 degrees with only a couple beds under the 60-degree mark.  This area continues to warm the fastest when looking at trends in the garden. However, this section also experiences the greatest fluctuations due to the openness of their bed locations.

The section that houses our "Garden Hottie" prize winners has both the warmest and coldest beds in the garden.  Steve and Susan's bed was 68.2 degrees Fahrenheit, which has to do with the fact that they remain diligent in their covering during periods of cold weather.  This allows them not only the ability to retain most of the gains in any ground temperatures they acquire but also the option to get an early start on warm season vegetables when the time arrives.  The coldest bed was number 22 belonging to Carol. Her temperature was 53.6 degrees.  It is always interesting to see how two beds right next to each other can have such a difference in micro-climates.  The temperature of Carol's bed is due to the mulch layer she has surrounding the garlic.  This will serve her very well during the bulbing stage, as if the soil temperatures get too high the garlic tends to shut down affecting its final size during the end game.  The overall average for this section is 60.9 degrees with only a couple beds under the 60-degree mark as well.

I am hopeful that the last of the really cold weather is behind us and we will start to see the warming trend that we look forward to with anticipation of great summer produce.  I will continue to keep us all posted! Congratulations Susan & Steve, you are the hottest!  

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29  

Free Onion Sets!

Hey Everyone,

I thought it might be nice to kick off the spring planting season with some free onion sets.  Onions do extremely well in the garden and are among the variety of crops that require very little care and maintenance.

Get them while they last!

For spring planting, it is important to get them in the ground as soon as possible.  The sets need time to produce some green top growth before nature gives them the signal to make a bulb.  Spring planted onions will be substantially smaller than those planted in the fall but the keeping quality and flavor is every bit the same.

The Old Farmer's Almanac has some basic onion care and planting information for those in need.  The link is below for your convenience.  In raised garden beds they can easily go 4 inches apart in all directions.  The spacing between rows mentioned in the article is for those directly planting into the conventional garden.

http://www.almanac.com/plant/onions - link to The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Happy Spring,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Cut the Pie - Snow Day Style!

Hey Everyone,

 Nothing like a snow day!

There is nothing like a day off school and a fun game to play with the kids while enjoying this unusual snow!  Cut the Pie was always a neighborhood favorite back home when the boys were young.  I thought it might be nice to share since we have so many families in the garden with children.

Ingredients:

Snow
Kids with energy to burn

Directions:

In the snow stomp around in a large circle, about 10 feet in diameter.  Make sure the path is about a foot wide and well packed down.  Then section the circle in half and repeat until your masterpiece resembles an 8-piece pie.

Make sure the children understand they cannot cut through the pie but only travel on the paths you have made.

For the game of tag, the child who is "IT" stands in the center of the pie.  On the word "GO", they must cut the pie and try to catch or tag another child.  The child who is caught or tagged is then "IT" next.

Repeat as necessary to burn off energy!

I also found this pie on Pinterest with slightly different rules that sounds like fun as well.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/90142430011347347/ - link to a Cut the Pie game on Pinterest with similar rules.

Happy Snow Day,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Caption The Photo Contest Winners!

Hey Everyone,

Hope you are all staying snugly and warm.  Gosh, it is cold outside.  For our Caption the Photo Contest those who entered certainly made us giggle and smile.  The winners with the best captions are Mike Plumb and Vann Gaskin.

Made from the green waste of prepared food
 and the produce department of Whole Foods Markets!

Your prize is an 8 qt. bag of Farmer D's Biodynamic Blend Organic Compost.  This is an amazing product loaded with an abundance of beneficial micro-organisms to build the soil and we hope you will enjoy its versatility in the garden.  It has the ability for use as a fresh soil amendment, planting aid during transplant, side dressing as a fertilizer, and a favorite, fresh-brewed compost tea.  It is located in the shed with your names on the bag.

We sincerely hope you enjoy and thank you so much for playing.

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29
Vicki, Bed 41

Caption the Photo Contest!

Hey Everyone,

                                                                                                                                       Photo #1 - 

We need a caption!

It has been awhile since we have had a guessing game or contest so how about a little fun?   "Caption the Photo Contest" sounds like a plan!  Here is how it works.

Before you are three photos that were taken at Green Meadows Community Garden.  One prize will be awarded for the best caption to each of the pictures appearing in this post.  Simply write your captions, including the photo number, along with your bed number in the post a comment section below.

(i.e. Photo #1 - Is there anything on TV besides the squirrel channel?  Denise, Beds 25 & 29)

          Photo #2 -

I need a caption!

We will choose the best caption for each photo and award a prize to that person during the week of November 10th.
                                                           

Bring your sarcasm, unique wit, and/or a funny bone. Please keep in mind we do have children reading our blog, so any use of profanity is prohibited, deemed inappropriate, and will be excluded from the contest.

Have fun and be sure to enter as often as you like.  All entries must be submitted by November 9th at 5:00 p.m.  You can't win if you don't play.................

                                                                                       Photo #3 -

I need a caption!

If for any reason, you experience difficulty getting your entry on the blog, just let us know and we will be happy to assist.

The contest is open to all gardeners, Green Meadows volunteers, and their immediate family!

Enjoy the competition and as always,

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29
Vicki, Bed 41

Oktoberfest at Green Meadows Today

Green Meadows Community Garden

 is definitely 

having an Oktoberfest today,

Sunday, October 6^th

to celebrate

Our First Annual Oktoberfest

from 4 to 6 p.m.

We’ll have brats, pretzels & pot roast,

plates, utensils and iced tea.

Bring your favorite side dish

or  dessert

and a chair to sit on.

We have door prizes!

You could win a coveted Green Meadows 

Community Garden Water Bottle.

But you have to be here to win.

Guess the number of Potatoes! Win a Prize!

Mike digging potatoes

The Ice Cream Social on Saturday has many parts to it.

Eating! Socializing & Fun in the shade of the pecan tree!

Homemade Ice Cream Taste Off !

Guess the Number of Potatoes we grew!



The Fabulous Prize for the Guess the Number of Potatoes Contest

Today and Friday the potatoes are being dug up. During the Ice Cream Social on Saturday you will be given the opportunity to guess how many were produced. There will, of course, be a fabulous prize for the person who comes closest to the correct number.

There will also be a prize for the best tasting ice cream. Be sure and have your ice cream at the garden, ready for tasting by the Judge by 12:30 pm. Also be sure to bring an ice cream scoop or other big spoon to dip it out with.


Weekly Calendar June 26 - July 3

Thursday June 27
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Master Gardeners in the Garden

Saturday June 29
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Ice Cream Social
Come one! Come All!
Ice Cream Social - Details

Ice Cream Social

We have been thinking. I know - beginners luck.
How about a Green Meadows Ice Cream Social gathering?

When: Saturday, June 29, 2013
Time: 11:30am to 2:00pm

The concept is simple. Bring your ice cream churn to the garden and your favorite recipe. We will happily supply hot dogs, buns, chips and water.

We will have a special guest to sample your churned ice cream and declare the best of the garden. Prizes to be handed out for best ice cream and most unusual ice cream.

If you want, you can churn your ice cream the night before and bring it to the party.

We hope to see all of our fellow Bedbugs that want to have a little garden fun before the holiday.

Also, the bed checkers will be looking at the four quads of the garden and declaring garden beds of the spring/summer. Four Best of show ribbons will be handed out to the garden beds that have the following:  Best looking over all, pest free, and full of garden whimsy.

Weekly Calendar May 31 - June 8

Saturday June 1st
Garden Party to Celebrate our 1st Year
6:00pm - 8:00 pm
Bring a chair and a dish to share!
Enjoy the beautiful garden.

Tuesday June 4
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Gardeners on Duty

Saturday June 8
9:00 am to 11:00 am
Saturday workday
We are almost done but there are a few more things to do to be all set for the summer.