upcommunitygarden

Your Guide to Gardening Success in 2025

Even if you didn’t bust out the plant catalogs and a glass of vino back in February, you still have time to complete one of the most critical parts of a successful growing season; planning.

Natural Area and Seasonal Wetland

Between our garden and Evergreen Primary School lies a field which becomes a seasonal wetland during our rainy season. While the area usually dries out during the summer, A consultation from from Melissa Breckenridge of the Pierce County Water Conservation concluded that enhancing the area with native plants and continuing to remove invasive species couldContinue reading “Natural Area and Seasonal Wetland”

Food Bank Project

2018 – 1464.5 pounds in November2017 – Over 3000 pounds Even with a rainy start this spring UPCG looks to surpass its 1300 pounds of fresh organic produce harvested in 2018. Our UP partner Families Unlimited Network Food Bank provides produce to those in need – part of our mission as a nonprofit WithContinue reading “Food Bank Project“

Composting Project

Aged compost is active – help yourself Bacteria, good nematodes, beetles, earthworms and fungus are part of the nutrient web of life. Sieve to get just the fine compost But I don’t like the wood chips and other large pieces of material. Use the sieve over the wheel barrow or hold over the garden and gentlyContinue reading “Composting Project“

Harvest Pierce County

Harvest Pierce County is a valuable resource for education and knowledge about growing and harvesting in our local area. Their website has many resources and tools for your use as well as up-to-date materials. See their calendar for current activities.

Building Healthy Soil

Not just dirt! What are the components of your soil? How do we make soil? Or better yet, How is soil made? Who makes soil? Is sand soil? What is UPCG’s parent soil? Dirt, dust, mud, earth, grit…hmmm…lot’s to think about. Nitrogen gas is drawn into the earth by means of rhizobia a bacteria thatContinue reading “Building Healthy Soil“

Pollinators

Visit pollinator.org. Wondering about Zika mosquitoes and pollinators the government is meeting on this and considers local vector control .

Children in the garden – romping, digging, playing, learning.

A Whole Foods-Whole Kids Foundation grant for school gardens was awarded to Evergreen Primary School’s PTA to spend towards connecting the school to the garden.https://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/kids-club/project/READ:+Book+Club  More online resources: http://www.biokids.umich.edu/ is a fun web site with information for the student scholar or 5 minute breeze for information. Keys to animal tracks, animal shelter, what animals leave behind –Continue reading “Children in the garden – romping, digging, playing, learning.“

Saving Seeds – Tomato Seeds

Nothing like a garden side conversation. A member asked me about saving tomato seeds from a tall vine of cherry tomatoes standing at the north end of her bed. Do you have an heirloom or special tomato you found particularily tasty? Can you save the seeds? YES! I found a permaculturenews.org site that gives aContinue reading “Saving Seeds – Tomato Seeds“

More on bugs: “antlions, tigers and spiders, Oh My!”

There’s a spider in my garden. Her web is spread over my plants. First they are bug catchers and big eaters. Bug catchers = good. Poisonous spiders 2 in WA State are the black widow and yellow sac. See this site for photos, locations, bite signs and symptom ms. http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Pests/Spiders There are no brown recluse spiders inContinue reading “More on bugs: “antlions, tigers and spiders, Oh My!”“