Inside Brian's Garden

August 21, 2024

Wednesday 8/21 morning harvest for the Port Townsend Food Bank was supported by Karl, Mark, Teresa, Diane, Kathy C, Lys and Amber. They harvested beans, chard, cucumbers, kale, peas, summer squashes and zucchinis, salad mix, stir fry mix, parsley, herb bundles and flower garnishes for a total of 59.25 pounds.

Thanks to August 15th Work Party Volunteers!

A small, yet mighty, crew!

Karl moved the remaining soil pile along the inside east fence-line into grow bags, weeded and mulched where the pile was, and set-up the second Earth Machine composter.

Mehdi weeded behind the chicken coop; the beginning of an intensive project.

Mark harvested shallots and onions (from Bed 9S) to dry in chicken coop, maintained tomatoes (tied them up, topped them off and removed suckers), and tackled some ferocious bindweed.

Kathy removed poppy seeds from dried plants, and trellised squash and cucumbers.

Denny cleaned our drying garlic heads so they are ready to be included in each harvest delivery.

Amber filled the newly emptied grow bags with compost and seeded a second round of radishes, transplanted bunching onion starts into Bed 9S and a couple grow bags, transplanted a second round of radicchio starts in Bed 6N, and weeded Brussels sprout bed under insect netting.

Tasks for August 22nd Work Party

Planting: (HIGH PRIORITY)

• transplant radicchio starts in Bed 6N (round three)
• seed in flats: 
• Afghan collards (4 4-packs)
• onions (1 flat of 4-packs)
• lettuces (1 flat of 4-packs)
• Asian greens/bok choi (1 flat of 4-packs)
• direct seed: carrots (Bed 1S)

• Planting Schedule for Fall and Winter Harvests:
• August 29
• direct seed: beets, radishes
• September 5
• direct seed: Asian greens/bok choi, lettuces, Swiss chard
• transplant: collards, onions
• September 12
• direct seed: kohlrabi, spinach, radishes, arugula
• September 26
• direct seed: fava beans

Irrigation: 

• finish making sure all irrigation lines are in direct contact with the soil underneath any straw mulch, pin in place
• check lines for any leaks or excessive drips and repair where necessary 

Groundskeeping: 

• weed aisles and add additional hog fuel to sparse aisles
• weed vegetable beds
• (HIGH PRIORITY) add straw to top of grow bags with soil in them to keep the soil from drying out
• continue weeding behind the chicken coop, add cardboard and hog fuel to sheet mulch the entire area
• install ollas in celery bed

Plant maintenance: (HIGH PRIORITY)

• remove aphid infested portions of the nasturtiums (leave non-affected plants in place)
• remove dead poppies

We hope you can join us in the garden to maintain this wonderful food hub!

- Amber, Lys and Denny
Co-managers at Brian's Food Bank Garden