Mrs. McAtee's morning class came to the garden with a very cool gardening tool; their rulers. We used the width of the rulers to make straight row indentations for the seeds we planted. We lightly pressed the rulers into the soil since the carrot, beet and swiss chard seeds we sowed only need to be planted 1/8"-1/4" into the soil. Then we used the rulers to measure how far apart the rows should be. We planted a rows of Red Core Chantenay Carrots, Dragon Carrots, Yellowstone Carrots and Chioggia Beets. Then we planted rows of Multi Color Swiss Chard seeds close between the carrot rows so the swiss chard would shade the carrots as they grew. The swiss chard will be ready to harvest as the carrots are getting bigger and then leave room for the carrots to grow. Mrs. McAttee's class- you rule!
Mrs. McDonald's class learned the trick to growing lettuces all summer long. With a little help from its friend cucumber, lettuces can grow under the shade of the cucumber plant when you make a rainbow shaped support with chicken wire for the cucumber plant to trellis onto. The students planted cucumber plants and cucumber seeds, this way there are cucumbers all summer long and not all at once. They planted the small lettuce seeds with an easy seed sower (pictured above). They also planted seeds of melons in the bed directly behind the cucumber/lettuce bed. They sprinkled nasturtium flower seeds along the edges of the two beds. Nasturtiums have been shown to repel ground beetles and squash bugs, the flowers also act as a living mulch to keep down weeds.
Mr. Downs' 2nd Grade class did a fantastic job in the garden this week. We talked about the importance of diversity in the vegetable garden. They planted six tomato plants and then planted the seeds of good companion plants as well. All around the tomato plants they seeded the edible flower borage (pictured above) and the herb basil. The borage flower is useful because it attracts pollinators to the tomato plants. The basil is important because its aromatic oils may confuse the pest tomato hornworms. When in the garden brush up against the basil or pick leaves to release the aromatic oils. The students were very helpful in tidying up the garden as well; they weeded the beds, straightened the gravel pathways and started edging the perimeter beds. What a crew!
If you are considering purchasing a new hose this Spring consider this, many hoses are made of polyvinyl chloride, which uses lead as a stabilizer. Lead leaches into the water flow at 10 to 100 times the allowable EPA levels for drinking water. Phthalate ester, an industrial chemical that you taste, is also a health concern. Look for a lead-free, antimicrobial, rubber (preferable over plastic) hose. With any hose, flush by allowing water to run for a minute or more to let fresh water reach the hose end. The Parkdale Community Garden purchased two lead-free garden hoses from Reboy Supply Inc. in Elma.
The Parkdale Community Garden is funded through the East Aurora Educational Foundation's Leadership Grant program and the Priscilla Gleed Memorial Fund. Miss Gleed was a lifelong resident of East Aurora and a teacher in the East Aurora Union Free School District for 41 years. Her life was devoted to charitable activities in support of children, the elderly, wildlife and community in general.
