Hello Members,

The gardens are looking so nice.  Many of us are already harvesting our summer crops.

Upcoming Work Party — Saturday, June 1st:  We have a lot of maintenance projects so if you are able to attend and complete at least 2 of your required Community Service hours (more if you bring additional workers) we would really appreciate it.  Assignments will be given at the gazebo from 7:15 to 7:30.

Please let us know if you will be attending by replying to this email so we can plan accordingly. 

All Plots are required to have 2 hours completed by Dec. 31.  Don’t procrastinate — come Saturday!  As a reminder the garden will be closed Saturday morning to the general membership during the work party and will open at 9:30.

Orchard Work Parties:  The Orchard work parties are every other Tuesday from 5 to 7 and are by appointment only by signing up at the Gazebo. Also, individual appointments are available by contacting Alan Coles at:  lbcg.orchard@gmail.com. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Pet Adoption Event: On June 22nd,  Animal Care Services  will be having a very large event from 10 AM to 3 PM. Delays to enter the garden are expected. We will have a booth at the event and we will have several volunteers to represent us there.

July 20th ~ Annual Picnic: We are excited to have a picnic this year on Saturday, July 20th starting at 4 PM.  Details will be coming out soon.

Powdery Mildew Control: It’s that time of year when zucchini and cucumber leaves get coated in the fungus known as powdery mildew.  The most common treatments are sulfur or neem oil.  There is another treatment that gardeners may wish to consider:  biological fungicides.  The bacteria in these products are effective at combating various types of fungus and are harmless to people and beneficial insects.  They can be found at garden supply stores or online.  Monterey Complete Disease Control, Garden Friendly Fungicide, Serenade are among the popular brands.  The main disadvantage is that the bacteria can be short-lived when exposed to the sun so they may need to be reapplied every 3 to 5 days.  They are compatible with other fungicides unlike sulfur and neem oil.  More information about powdery mildew:  https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7406.html

Dogs in Garden: No dogs are allowed in the garden. Not even in your vehicle. Correction Notices will be written.

Orchard  Share Table: Please be considerate to your fellow gardeners when taking fruit from the table.  The amount is posted on each bin on the whiteboard.  Each person can take their share but not extra for others.  The limit applies for one day.  Regrettably some gardeners have lost their membership privileges from repeatedly taking excess fruit.

Accessibility at the Garden: Ours is an inclusive garden.  We welcome people with all levels of abilities.  Please keep this in mind as we use the garden facilities:

  • We have one accessible table in the gazebo.  Keep it clean and clear for everyone to use.
  • Try to keep the road access pathways clear.
  • Keep plants and support structures from obstructing the pathways.
  • Return wheelbarrows and wagons in an orderly way.  Don’t turn wagons upside down or leaning over.
  • Drive the posted speed limit (5 mph) and watch for gardeners on the roads. Even if no one is around, don’t speed.
  • When pulling out onto the main road, please be careful no other cars are coming.
  • Park on the pavement to allow gardeners access to areas adjacent to the road. Please don’t park on the edge of the road or in pathways. Park on the designated side of the road.
  • Wind hoses back on the rack and not a tangled mess or obstructing the pathways

Garden Reviews:  All plots will be reviewed throughout the month by the president. Please be sure your plot is in compliance and dig out all weeds in the plot and pathways and be sure that there is no overgrowth of plants outside of your plot borders.

Zoom meeting:  If any member would like to join the board meeting, please reply to this email to receive the link. The next meeting is June 3rd, @ 6:30pm

Thank You for the Food Bank Contributions:  The amount of produce contributed to the Long Beach Mission was amazing this year.  Those of you who contributed your 10% and more should feel very good about this at a time when so many are in need.

Happy Gardening!

Greg Marcotte