Urban Farming Externship-Week 1

I have the awesome pleasure of helping out at Trustees' Garden in Savannah, GA. For the next 4-5 weeks, I will be learning and helping with their Community Garden. The community meets up every other Saturday to learn and grow.  This past week we learned a quick and simple way to Hoop Covers to protect our raised beds from frost. We pulled up what was left of the summer plants and replanted with winter crops. We also planted cover crops to replenish the nitrogen in the soil and bring the soil pH levels back up.

There are 10 raised beds. For my first week, I helped clear some of the cover plants that were choking out the kale, lettuce and Swiss chard. I also fertilized several of the newly planted beds that looked like the needed a bit of a boost. One of the raised beds growing Lacinato Kale and Siberian Kale has a mite problem; not quite an infestation yet because it is not on all plants. This same bed got infested over the summer when they were growing eggplant and collard greens. The plants that are not suffering with mites are not growing well so I picked a section (left half of bed) to fertilize with Organic Choice Fertilizer to see if that a lack of nutrients is the problem. I also sprayed the mite infested plants with Nature's Care Insectida/Soap.  When I return on Monday for week 2, I will report on the mites and how well the fertilized beds are growing.

I spent some time brain storming with my sponsor on setting up a composting system. My goal is to have composting system setup up by the end of my externship. I'm also looking to present setting up rain barrel system to catch rain water. I'm very happy to help out. My boys and I have been participating in the community garden for several months, they absolutely love going. I also see that it is such a great blessing to some of the other volunteers. As a single parent for so many years, it warms my heart to watch the men interact with them and teach them how to plant and build. This is what community is all about. Please enjoy the pictures for last Saturday and  week 1.   ~Blessings & Love~

 Removing Basil to replant.

 Building Hoop Cover to protect from frost.

 Mites on kale.

 This picture did not turn out well, I was trying to show mite infestation on this leaf. Up close the leaf had 3 different kinds of mites, some tiny flying insects and a slug. I was so creepy, I felt for the plant; it was like having lice. YUK. Hopefully they will be gone next week, but if not I will bring one home so I can look up the different kinds and how to treat with Essential Oils. 

Sad little babies needed some nutrients; hope they are happier next week.