Family Fun Day at the Garden - August 1, 2015

More Classes from Cobb County Extension

Moving Toward Organics in the Vegetable Garden

Saturday, October 18, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. Learn what organic gardening and farming really means and steps you can take to have a more environmentally friendly garden.  Presented by Cooperative Extension horticulture staff member Amy Whitney at the community garden at Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, 2663 Johnson Ferry Rd, Marietta, GA, 30062.

Gifts from the Kitchen

Tuesday, October 28, 6:00-8:30 p.m. Learn to use a water bath canner to make holiday gifts from your kitchen. Taught by Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Cindee Sweda at UGA Extension/Cobb County, second floor, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. $10 fee; preregistration required before Oct. 17; space is limited. For additional information and to preregister, call 770-528-4070.

Is it time to say UNCLE?

Does it seem like you just can't get ahead of a particular bug or disease problem? Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, Say UNCLE!  and start over.

Boo hoo...the tomatoes are goners.

It is hard to call it quits on plants you've spent so much time and effort taking care of - all that watering, fertilizing, spraying etc. It doesn't seem right to just give up and rip them out.

But to prevent residual disease and insect problems as well as interrupt the disease/bug cycle, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, say UNCLE and rip out some of your plants.

In the home garden it is much easier to put off crying uncle because what you do only affects yourself. In a Community Garden what you do (or don't do) affects everyone else and their success.

There are many reasons why your plants are looking sad and pitiful - weather (too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry), lack of disease resistance in your plants, heavy insect attack, lack of fertilization, not spraying to knock back disease and bugs.

To help you decide, realistically, whether your plants have a chance if you step up and give them a bunch of TLC, ask yourself these questions:

1) How infested/diseased/damaged are my plants.
         If they are over halfway gone with disease and the season is almost over, rip them out.

         How many insect pests are on your plants - look for adults, larva and eggs. Tons? Do you really want to get into the game of coming out every single day and pulling them all off and looking on the backs of every single leaf every single day?

2) What is the weather going to be like for the next 2 weeks? Are you going to be able to spray and have it stick? Or will you be constantly re-spraying.

3) How long before you would most likely be ripping out that plant and working on the soil for the next season's crops?

4) Realistically, how much time do I have and how much effort do I want to expend to fight off whatever my plants problem is.

Think about the Kenny Rogers song  "The Gambler"
                             Know when to fold 'em
                             Know when to walk away

And in Gardener words, when to rip them out and plant again....                        

 You want to be Proactive instead of reactive!
Depending on what your problem was, there are some easy changes that should make your next planting more successful.


Spacing - putting fewer plants in so you have better airflow and access to all parts of the plants. This way when you spray for disease, the spray gets to all parts of the plant, not just the outside and top of your mass of plants.



 June 19, 2012. The tomatoes eventually took over
 half the bed. Way too thick!

Proper spacing means you can also reach all parts of the plant to check for insect pests and can reach and kill those pests. 

Defending against disease and insects - treating for bugs or disease is not a one shot thing. You have to constantly watch, check and retreat with the proper spray when necessary. You need to be able to come out and check on your plants every 2 to 3 days. It is amazing how fast a problem will zoom out of control in just 3 days.

In a community garden you will have more disease and bug problems to contend with versus in a home garden.  More plants, more opportunities. Therefore you have to continually "defend/protect" your plants.

Reduced airflow creates a perfect climate for disease to flourish. It also prevents fungal sprays from getting to all parts and surfaces of a the plant.

If you grow a solid block of tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, etc you can get the outer edges easily but not the middle. When you have a solid mass of plants there is no way you can see inside to check and remove bugs/eggs  so again you get behind.

Increase Airflow -

Remove leaves repeatedly to increase airflow and ability to take care of plants.  You don't have to denude the plant, just thin some of the leaves out from time to time.



There were 5 tomatoes planted in this bed on April29, 2012.
They became a HUGE mass of diseased vegetation by the
end of July 2012. No airflow

Make a garden plan - you don't have to stick to it but if you make a plan it does increase your chances of success. Spending 5, 10 or 15 minutes at the beginning of EACH planting season, planning out where your plants are going will actually save you hours of work in the long run.

 Plant only half your bed in plants with heavy foliage so you can get to all sides. Just by reconfiguring your plantings you will increase your success greatly.

 

Remembering to think about each plants full, mature size makes a world of difference!

Vicki - Bed 41

Is there a bird in the shed?

Wrens are famous for going where
you do NOT want them.

Did you suddenly find that a bird has gotten in the shed? Or your porch? Garage? The netting over your blueberries?

The first thing to do is Don't Panic!! The poor bird just wants OUT but has become confused and can't find its way out.

I've dealt with birds in all these situations and the solution is the same every time. It isn't always a quick process but it always works.

Provide an opening for the bird to fly out and herd it there. Birds (as well as all wild animals) have a fear circle. You want to get on the other side of the bird's fear circle and to make it fly away from you. No need to actually swat with a broom. If you do need to use a broom to get the bird to fly down, just put it behind the bird and make a gentle motion.

If the bird is in the shed or a garage:
1) Turn the lights out
2) Open the door as wide as possible
3) Get on the other side of the bird and

  ZOOM! it will fly out the opening with light

If the bird is on a screened porch or inside the netting over your blueberries:
1) Open the door on the porch wide. Or create an opening in the netting over the blueberries.
2) Get on the other side of the bird.                             
3) Encourage the bird to go out.

                                                        ZOOM! it will fly out the opening

Now I will admit it is much trickier getting a bird out of the blueberry enclosure than it is getting it out of the porch, shed or garage but it can be done with no harm caused to the bird besides panic because it was trapped.

Good luck if you find yourself in this situation!

Vicki - Bed 41

Summer of 1864

JUNE

The Sounds of Battle drew closer and closer. Cannon Fire. Rifle and Musket Fire. Drums pounding out the beat. Feet thudding on the ground. Battle Yells. Screams.

Smoke and the stench of fighting filled the air.

Regardless of which side you were on, it was a horrific time.  It didn't matter if you were a civilian or a part of the military. It was pure hell.

Visualize Green Meadows Preserve and Community Garden as it is today. Then think back 150 years ago today - this area was a constant battlefield. All through the month of June, West Cobb County was a battlefield with thousands of Confederate and Union soldiers marching to and fro.

As the summer progressed, the war crept closer.

Military action
New Hope Church - May 25
Picketts Mill - May 27
Lost Mountain - June 5-9
Gilgal Church June 15 - 17
Mud Creek Line - June 17
Kennesaw Mtn - June 27


Picture a summer like this one in 2014. Lush foliage. Crops growing well. Rains coming every afternoon.

Then imagine what it looked like after the battles in 1864. Splintered and cut down trees. Torn up earth. Buildings destroyed to make fortifications. Gilgal Church was dismantled and used (as well as the pews)  to build fortifications by the Confederate Army.

As the crow flies, small battles and military actions weren't far from the Green Plantation marker in front of the house at Green Meadows Preserve.

Military Action at Gilgal Church (1.1 miles)
Due West Community (1.2 miles)
Battle of Gilgal Church (1.3 miles)
Mud Creek Line (1.6 miles)
Battle of Pine Knob (1.7 miles)
Darby Plantain  (.8 miles)
Main Confederate Battle Line (2 miles)

To visualize the movement of the various armies using current roads, zoom in to see all the Historical markers in Cobb County.

Visit Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park between June 26 and June 29 to learn more about how the Civil War impacted the civilian population, medicine was practiced on the battlefield, hear music from the era and see demonstrations of cannons and rifles being fired. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is having a huge series of events and programs (link to schedule)  commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

The City of Marietta is also having a variety of events all summer long as is the The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History.

All clipart images proved by Classroom Clipart. Photo provided by Victor Williams.

Additional Gardening Classes to Attend

Direct from the Cobb County Extension Blog,  here are several more classes you might be interested in taking this spring. (Two were in a previous post but this post contains more information).

If you are interested in taking a class be sure and call to preregister! Don't forget, you can also subscribe to the Extension Blog by email.

Home Yard and Garden Equipment: Use and Care

Saturday, March 22, 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Agriculture Agent Neil Tarver at UGA Extension/Cobb County, in the second floor classroom at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

Evergreen Groundcovers for Sun and Shade

Tuesday, March 25, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Master Gardener Shirley Priest, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton, 30126.

Bluebird Trail Tour

Saturday, March 29, 10:00 a.m. Free and open to the public. Cobb Master Gardener and Bluebird expert Jim Bearden will conduct a guided walk of the Bluebird Trail at Green Meadow Preserve Park, at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA, 30127. Follow the Bluebird Trail blog at bluebirdtrail.blogspot.com.

UGA Extension in Cobb County Open House

Tuesday, April 1, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Drop in to discover what Extension in Cobb County has to offer! From Horticulture and Natural Resources, to 4-H for youth, to Family and Consumer Sciences, we provide up-to-date, researched information from UGA to the citizens of this county. Open House with displays and snacks at UGA Extension/Cobb County, second floor, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. For information, call 770-528-4070.

Garden to Table

Thursday, April 3, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Agriculture Agent Neil Tarver and Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Cindee Sweda present a class growing and then using food crops. UGA Extension/Cobb County, second floor, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Preregistration is required; $10 fee for class and materials. Call 770-528-4070 for information and to register.

Moving Toward Organics in the Vegetable Garden

Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Learn what organic gardening and farming really means and steps you can take to have a more environmentally friendly garden.  Presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension/Cobb County, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at Mountain View Regional Library, 3320 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta.

The Beauty of Bulbs! From Amaryllis to Zephranthes

Friday, April 11, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Master Gardener Debra Stockton as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). Debra will give us the ABCs of bulbs with a focus on Georgia favorites: daffodils, gladioli, and tulips.

Work Day - Saturday March 8th

We would like to welcome all our new gardeners and look forward to rekindling our old friendships from the past couple years. Saturday March 8th  from 10 am to 12 noon is the first workday for 2014. Hopefully we will have beautiful weather and a huge mulch pile to spread.

If you have a few extra minutes this week, it would be greatly appreciated if everyone would work on removing weeds and those pesky wild onions in the common areas (under the pecan trees and the two big paths). That way we'll be more efficient when we spread the mulch on Saturday. Even without spreading mulch, we still have a lot of other tasks to accomplish!

What  are the goals for Saturday?

• Clean out the shed
• Mulch Common Areas....
• Dig holes for the blueberries and plant them
• Dig  the iris out and pot them up
• Weed in the orchard besides in the common areas, pollinator & sunflower beds
• Weed around the beds in the Special Needs area
• Work on the compost bins and turn them
• Mulch Common Areas....
• Rake out all the loose leaves in the border with the apple trees
• Cut back the herbs in the sunflower beds
• Deadhead and cut off dead foliage on the pansies
• Mulch Common Areas....
• Cleaning up the bed under the sign

Be sure to bring your own hand tools and a weeding bucket. If you have a stiff tined rake (like the person in the picture) that would be useful too as we only have a couple and it is easier to spread the mulch with them.

Don't forget to bring water and sunscreen also.

      Mike and Vicki

Gardening Classes Offered this Spring

Cobb County Extension and the Cobb Master Gardeners are offering a wide selection of classes to the public this spring in a variety of locations. (See partial list below.) The best way to keep up with what is offered year round is to check the Cobb County Extension Blog

Green Meadows Community Garden will continue their Bed Time Stories education series in the spring and fall as well. (A short gardening related talk followed by a brief walk through the garden.)

Also, the Cobb County Library offers a free online vegetable gardening class that I found quite good when I took it last year.  Link and Course description

Culture of Fruits & Berries

Tuesday, March 5, 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Free and open to the public.  Presented in the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

Spring Vegetable Gardening and Early Disease Management

Saturday, March 8, 11:00 a.m. – noon.  Free and open to the public. Presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension/Cobb County, at Crossroads Community Garden, Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, 2663 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, 30062. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

If Plants Could Talk – a Cherokee Relationship

Friday, March 14, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Master Gardener Tony Harris as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). Learn how the Cherokee used plants for food, medicine, tools, weapons, shelter, and ceremonial purposes. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

Tomatoes 101

Tuesday, March 18, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Renae Lemon, of UGA Extension/Cobb County, at the Powder Springs Library, 4181 Atlanta Street, Powder Springs, GA 30127. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

Seed Saving for the Vegetable Garden

Thursday, March 20, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. The class will be presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension/Cobb County, in the second floor classroom at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Tomatoes 101

Tuesday, March 25, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Renae Lemon, of UGA Extension/Cobb County, at the Sweetwater Valley Library in the Threadmill Mall Complex.  5000 Austell-Powder Springs Rd., Suite 123, Austell, GA 30106.  Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

 

Vegetable Garden Basics

Thursday, March 27, 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension/Cobb County in the second floor classroom at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Moving to Organics in the Vegetable Garden

Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension/Cobb County at Mt. View Regional Library at 3320 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA 30066. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

 

Beauty of Bulbs

Friday, April 11  noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Master Gardener Debra Stockton as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, in the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).  Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

 

For more information, please contact Cobb County Extension at (770) 528-4070, visit www.cobbextension.com, or email uge1067@uga.edu.

 

 

 

 

North Marietta Community Garden

Several of us went and visited the North Marietta Community Garden on Monday. Their garden is really cute! They don't have as many beds as we do but they have lots of great art in their garden. Here are a few pictures from the day.

This is a view of a part of the garden. It backs up to the Head Start
and has lots of space to expand up the hill from this picture.

This is the cutest gnome! But it wouldn't work in our
garden as it is tied to the sign so it won't fall off.

I LOVED the hubcaps!

Close up of the bejeweled hubcaps.

A trellis structure with a hubcap and a pretty
sign personalizing the bed.

Fun paintings on their storage shed.