Luscher FarmJune 2012
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Welcome to Luscher Farm's Community Garden Newsletter!

 

It appears that Summer weather has arrived with a few days slipping back to more Springlike weather.  This area's average last day of frost has come and gone and gardeners are ready to plant most of  their early and mid-season vegetables .  Continue to watch soil temperatures before planting the more tropical plants like basil, squashes and melons. 

 

 Karen Davis

 Luscher Farm Coordinator
 503-638-0376

 

Things To Do This Month

  • Plant annuals such as zinnias, marigolds and cosmos to attract beneficial insects.
  • Check charts and soil temperatures for the best time to plant seasonal crops.
  • Keep up with the weeds. If they are pulled before they scatter their seeds you will have saved yourself a LOT of weeding time. Weeds suck up water and nutrients meant for your vegetables.
  • Monitor your garden for aphids and flea beetles to keep things under control. 
June's Work Party
Saturday, June 9, 10a-12p at Luscher Farm 

 

Classes at Luscher Farm
Floral Designs for Dummies
Yes, you can do it! Learn how to make beautiful flower arrangements from your garden and find the greens to compliment them. Master Gardener Kathy Whitman shows you how.  To register, click here.
Saturday, June 16 at 9:30-11a
Class #3336000

 Kestral

Bridening
Organic gardening is for the birds! Select and grow flowers and other garden plants to attract many birds to your garden. There are lots of  options for both sun and shade. Learn how Luscher's FRCC gardeners do it. To register, click here.
Wednesday, June 27 at 6:30-8p
Class #3325067 

Small Space Gardening Q & A
This is your chance to ask Tilth's gardeners questions and learn what works for your space. We'll spend time on seasonal topics and make sure your questions get answered throroughly. To register, click here.
Saturday, June 16 at 1:30-3p
Class #3325137

 

 
To register for other classes, click here.

Consider These Ideas

  • Plant successive crops about two weeks apart to extend the season of your favorite vegetables.
  • Talk with a neighboring gardener about sharing some plants.  She grows zucchini and acorn squash, and you grow yellow crook neck and delicata squash.
  • Stretch out food production for beans by planting bush beans as well as pole beans.  When the bush beans are just about finished producing, the pole beans will be starting.  My favorites are Royal Burgundy bush beans and Blue Lake pole beans.
  • Don't forget the watering co-op sign up in the tool shed if you are going to be away for a while. Water for someone and they will water for you.
Did you Know? 
  

What veggies will get the most bang for your buck?

Veggies can be fussy. Start with varieties that are the easiest to grow for rewards along the way, then expand. The easiest edibles to start from seeds are peas, beets, radishes, potatoes and greens, including spinach, Swiss chard, kale, arugula, kale and lettuce. Potatoes are great for kids, especially at harvest time. And potatoes planted in Spring won't need any water other than seasonal rain.

 

Take a look at the good bugs

If you aren't a bug expert, be sure you recognize both stages of ladybugs - more correctly lady beetles. Everyone knows that ladybugs eat aphids. But did you know that in the larva stage, they eat three times the amount that adult lady beetles do? The larva look like tiny black and orange alligators. Larvae are also one of the good guys.

 
I hope you find these new monthly newsletters interesting and informational. I hope by now you expect these monthly Community Garden emails. I plan to send them out the fourth Thursday of each month. Please tell me if there are any topics you would like me to include in the future and I will try to discuss them as they are necessary.
 
If you have any comments  or questions you may reach me at luscherfarm@ci.oswego.or.us or 503-638-0376.  

See you in the garden,
Karen
In This Issue
Things to do this month
June Garden Activities
Consider These Ideas
Discover Active Living!

To view the Summer 2012 Catalog, click here. To register for Parks & Recreation programs, please call the registrar 503-675-2549 or visit www.lakeoswegoparks.org
 
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- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 

Luscher Farm Sponsors
 
The Garden Corner in Tualatin
 
Boy Scouts of America
 
Dennis' 7 Dees
 
Red Pot Nursery