06/26/2025
Veggie Volunteers Report (6.25.25) - excerpted. The Real Feel was already 89 degrees when we arrived at CFBG this Wednesday morning. Various issues caused a start delay and the temperatures continued to rise throughout the morning. The lovely hibiscus and dahlias we admired along the path to Heritage Garden did not seem affected in their shaded beds.
Our walkabout revealed stressed tomatoes and sunflowers; peppers and other plants eaten by deer who left behind their telltale signs; four o’clocks need continual thinning; all ants seem to be gone from the potato bed; pumpkins are continuing to grow and spreading their vines; grass clumping continues in the walkway; pruning is needed; cucumbers, squash, peppers, and coriander should be harvested; and the Crocosmia is blooming! – it looks orange-red so far.
Just as we started to work, the timer on the sprinkler came on and was a welcome sight even though we had to make a quick dash out of its reach. Then Brenda brought over new volunteers so we used that time to take the volunteers on their first tour of Heritage Square. They admired the flowers, the plants, the bountiful fig tree and the pear trees, and were interested in everything.
Soon the irrigation timer stopped and we set to work weeding and harvesting. The first task was the coriander which is the fruit from the cilantro plant. This plant made a nice presentation while flowering all spring and self-seeds there in the herb bed. After harvesting the coriander, we then gathered in the cucumbers and squash, pruned basil, and weeded beds. We scrambled to finish the walkways and put down more straw to help protect the freshly cleaned areas. Resident composter, Leslie K., will find quite a bit of grass in the compost bin tomorrow.
We ended our day earlier as the heat intensified and other obligations called. Next week we hope to plant a succession crop of green beans and complete the pruning.
