UPDATED Mason bees....since the workshop, have you found some in your garden?

We were curious...
"did you attend our mason bee workshop,

and if so, did your mason bees hatch?"

 

From our own garden:  "Our 2  Houses hanging on the shed at the garden have several holes

similar to the electrical outlet. Very encouraging !!"

 

From another gardener:

"Yes I attended the mason bee workshop and received a gift of hibernating mason bees. As you can see in the attachment, they didn't hatch.

However, the mason bee house that I was given and hung in my backyard became home to several mason bees some of which have hatched. I don't know whose bees made their home in my backyard, but thanks!

 

  

 

 

 

Check this out:--DESPERATE MASON BEES!

 

 

 

Bee-utiful poster! Check out this link!

Check out this amazing poster!

Cover crops...in summer!?! from MOTHER EARTH NEWS

From MOTHER EARTH NEWS

The ecological benefits of cover cropping go beyond soil improvement: Cover crops scavenge nutrient surges in soil that result from tilling in fresh plant matter or manure. They also prevent runoff pollution and “bank” excess nutrients for later crops. These beneficial covers boost biological diversity in and around gardens, a key to naturally preventing plant diseases and insect damage. Plus, many cover crops perform double-duty as forage for poultry and livestock, making a homestead less dependent on purchased inputs.
Too often, gardeners practice cover cropping only in the off-season — for instance, to protect soil in winter — and assume it’s not a summer option. But it is, and planting summer cover crops provides big payoffs.


Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/summer-cover-crops-zm0z14aszsto.aspx#ixzz38XvUrUWz

July Workbee, can you come?

Saturday, tomorrow, is a scheduled workbee at the garden, 

July 26, 930-12

You are encouraged to come, meet some other gardeners and have fun. 

Participating in a workbee(s) is part of your community garden,

 it's where we literally put the community in the garden!

 We will be staining and installing the arbour,

painting the benches and general maintenance..weeding etc.

​

We promise you can choose the task and level of effort you put in. 

AND I promise, you will be smiling during and after the workbee,

each time I go I have loads of fun..!  really!

What you could do, if you are shy like I can be, is "check" your plot...say around 1015/20ish..and see what happens..and I promise someone will say hello....

See you on Saturday?

Kids, snacks, water bottles, and smiles welcome

And mark your calendar for Sept 6 BERM BABY BERM!

Strawberry Social Success!

Thank you to all gardeners and friends of the garden

who came to our strawberry social. 

 

We enjoyed a delicious sunny afternoon of conversation, strawberries/cake/cream, fruity/minty drinks, and community. 

HUGE shoutout to Jeff Wilson MLA who sponsored the tasty treats, thank you for continually championing our garden!

 

We hope we meet more gardeners at our next event!

raspberry rhapsody

These raspberries are thriving thanks to our

intrepid volunteers who faithfully water and weed.

Thank you.

Check this out and we hope to see the fruit of their labours soon.

Will you join us? Strawberry social this Saturday

Come Celebrate Summer at our

STRAWBERRY SOCIAL

 

Come out to the Mid Sun Community garden on

 

 Saturday, July 19

 1-230 pm

 

and enjoy the taste of summer with some strawberries!  DELICIOUS!

 

We even have a sponsor!  Thank you Jeff Wilson MLA for supporting our community events!

 

Hope to see you there!

If you can RSVP, that'd be a big help, but otherwise no worries please show up

SAVE THE DATE! Strawberry Social!

Come Celebrate Summer at our

STRAWBERRY SOCIAL

 

Come out to the Mid Sun Community garden on

 

 Saturday, July 19

 1-230 pm

 

and enjoy the taste of summer with some strawberries!  DELICIOUS!

 

Hope to see you there!

one of gardeners shares about her first tomato of 2014!

My First Tomato in 2014

Picked on June 29, this is the earliest maturing tomato I have ever grown!  I planted the seed on March 29 and repotted the tiny seedling to a 2 inch pot for a few weeks.  Later, I put it in a big pot and introduced it to my greenhouse with lots of other tomatoes on June 1. 

It is called Stupice and was bred in the Czech Republic in the 1970’s. It is certified organic, OP or open pollinated. Days to maturity are said to be 60 to 65, right on the mark. This is an indeterminate, vine plant so I staked and pruned it. It will grow tall and bear fruit all summer. It is a potato leaf plant with small to medium fruit, sweet and flavorful. What a treat! This is one of the varieties that we had for sale at TOMATO MANIA. It is great for our short and sometimes cool summers in Calgary. I highly recommend it for your home garden or greenhouse.

CG