http://www.foodshed.net/perkins/

Spring at Perkins - Photo taken by Abigail Violet Nietling Haan (age 6).

In the coming weeks, the garden plots will be tilled twice by tractor and discs.  Perkins is expecting to assign garden plots the evening of May 14, weather permitting, so that gardening can begin on May 15.  As of this writing, seven plots remain, although only four are of high quality.  Perkins organizers expect that all garden plots will be rented up by May 14, if not before.

Click here for more about the Perkins Community Garden and to find an application.

Michigan State University’s Integrated Pest Management program puts outs out a great set of newsletters for gardeners and farmers alike, looking at the current pest and environmental issues impacting gardeners.  For more information or to subscribe to email alerts, check out the MSU CAT Alert newsletters page.

Herbs (front to back) parsley, basil, dill and cilantro

2009 is turning out to be a good year for Perkins.  We have all of our plots filled, and only one new gardener totally flunked out this year.  There should be a waiting list for next year.

One notable difference this year is the number of gardeners who are tending two or more plots.  Perkins is seeming to attract those who like a lot of room to grow!

Pest pressure has be low from rodents, but bugs are typical.  Small spring rabbits were once a problem, but are now too big to squeeze into the garden, and a woodchuck that once found his way into the garden seems to be gone now.  For the second year in a row, the 9′ fence seems to be keeping the deer out.

Tomatoes trellised the "Florida weave" way.

Insect pests consist of flea beetles (heavy as usual), cucumber beetles (first flight was heavy, but subsequent flighs have been light), squash bugs, squash vine borers (heavy this year), and Japanese beetles (light).  I found my first tomato horn worm in Perkins this year.  Cabbage loppers are light.

We’ve been picking lettuce and other greens for quite some time now.  Strawberries are gone, and people are picking beans, peas, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, summer squash, beets, and early tomatoes.  Corn, carrots, and onions are on deck.

The garden looks good right now, and probably will for another two weeks until the early plants start dying off and things start to take on the yellow hues of August.

Shallots, onions and cucmbers

Squash, pickles, corn and more.

South Godwin Neighborhood Association community garden grows relationships
by Matt Vande Bunte | The Grand Rapids Press
Thursday July 30, 2009, 7:09 PM

WYOMING — Timmy Gabbert ran around his 20-by-24-foot plot of earth as if it were Christmas morning.

“Look how tall these are!” he said, pointing to a row of sunflowers, then quickly turned toward another batch of plants. “These are tomatoes. There’s a couple of green ones on there.”

Off to another corner he scooted. “This is peppermint –smell,” he said, brushing his hand across the leaves and holding it up.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Toscano kale and Red Bull beets

The fourth of July brings not just fireworks, but also produce from community gardens. Most of the 35 or so plots at Perkins Community Garden are beginning to crank out produce.  While tomatoes are a ways off, the greens and other early crops are coming in strong.

Pac Choi

Want some fresh veggies?  Grow your own by joining us in 2009.

Here are some more pictures of my space at the Perkins Community Garden.

A view of the greens section of my garden plot

Spinach ready for picking

Onions on the right, shallots on the left

Cucumbers fresh from under the row cover as they are now setting blooms

Baby romaine lettuce a couple of weeks from being ready for harvesting