CORE Garden: It's not easy being green

CORE Garden: It's not easy being green: We have certainly had our share of setbacks, but that has not diminished our enthusiasm for the project.  We have so many folks on WCC's...

Preparing to plant from Kady Maser

Make a list of all that you want to grow, be it new varieties, or ones you’ve grown before. If you’re newer to gardening, you may want to check that list and see if you have room for everything you want. If you’re anything like me, you may have gone overboard with the seed buying sprees. (Did I really need ten different varieties of melons, or seven different varieties of cucumbers, and six different kinds of squash? All at once, and then some more, because, apparently, why not?) I recommend choosing two or three different kinds of each plant, then sticking with that, no matter what. (Don’t be like me, and go back to buy more seeds…and then some more…oh, and maybe one or five more…because…REASONS.) Then, after figuring out what you will grow and buying those seeds, you need to gather some more tools. You’ll need containers, seed-starting mix, and preferably a heating mat or grow lights to help your seeds grow more quickly

May 29, 2014
K. Maser

It's not easy being green

We have certainly had our share of setbacks, but that has not diminished our enthusiasm for the project.  We have so many folks on WCC's campus who are lending a hand to make this project a success.  This year is our learning year and we are learning every day that planning takes time.  Currently we are 8 days behind schedule, but  the work is being done to get the ground ready.   The staff in facilities are building planters for us, clearing the land, finding space to harden our plants before they go into the ground, moving boulders  and bringing in soil and compost. 

The first weeks of June we will have our work cut out for us.  We will need hands in the garden to plant, water, tend, trellis and stake.  If you interested contact Kimberly Groce at kgroce@wccnet.edu. 

The Dig-In I am projecting will be June 6th...fingers crossed. 

Stay Tuned.

Planting Season

Spring is here!

Yes, it’s FINALLY here, after a long and harsh Michigan winter. The trees are starting to grow leaves again, tulips, daffodils, and lilac are blooming, and the grass finally needs to be mowed. Plants of all kinds are being sold, people are bringing out their tomato, eggplant, pepper, and other seedlings they started earlier in the year out, and the first crops of salad greens are being harvested. Warm temperatures are here, the last frost of the season is done, and with it, hope and new beginnings are on the wind.

Speaking of wind, welcome to May in Michigan! These past few weeks the weather has been topsy-turvy, with warm and cold temps, tornado warnings, and torrential rain. This has been troubling for many people, because right now is the time to plant many different kinds of crops, mainly cucumbers, melons, squash, and late peas and beans. The erratic temperatures, intense wind, and horrible rains are almost impossible for seeds to start and thrive in. However, there are ways around this! All you have to do is start these finicky plants indoors with the right tools and knowledge.

                The reason that these plants are usually directly planted in the ground instead of indoors, like tomatoes and peppers, is because they do NOT like being transplanted. They hate having their roots disturbed, due to having delicate root systems that are sensitive to disturbances, which can lead to wilting, stunted growth, or temperamental growing spurts. This is why starting them about two weeks before you intend to plant them, which is usually around late May to early June in Michigan, is the best time to start them indoors. The plants get a head start, but don’t grow so large that they become root-bound in their containers, which inhibits root growth for these plants, and causes the before mentioned problems. If timed right, this will not be an issue at all. This week, May 18-24, is a perfect time to start the melons, squash, cucumbers, and late peas and beans for this area.

Kady Maser