Wotton St. Community Garden, North Chelmsford:

I’m still building the soil. I’ve added well-composted horse manure and compost. Sand was dug in to increase drainage. Nevertheless, there is so much clay; the soil soon hardens when left untended or when walked on. Still the weeds grow through the hard pack. Issues with my back have held me back from digging more.

Corn is coming. You can see seedlings. The third planting completed. It will be a month or so before I start harvesting.

Broccoli showing signs of developing the edible flowers. Cabbage is forming heads.

Butternut squash will soon take off.  A new squash transplanted from raised bed is under the hay. 

brassicas and corn.

There's a transplanted butternut under the hay.

W.F. Lewis Community Garden, South Chelmsford:

This is my fourth season gardening on this plot. The soil is loose, fertile, drains well and weeds are controllable.  I’ve double dug my beds each year; often digging one bed in the fall to ready it for very early season planting of peas.

Potato plants are doing well. Some plants have developed seedpods. I’ve read saved seeds can be planted the next season.

Between the wind of late and the heavy yield, the pea trellis is leaning. An elusive, unknown visitor ate a few pea pods in an interesting manner. It (they) shelled the pea but didn’t just eat the peas inside; they left the outer skin of each pea and ate the middle. We’re thinking it could be a mole or vole.

The peas and the potato made for a tasty dinner.

Will be freezing peas soon.

Tomato plants looking much healthier and baby watermelon plants are starting to vine.

Rotary Community Garden, Lowell

The best soil of all. Weeds are non-existent. Soil is loose to the bottom of the 4’ depth. What a treat.

Bugs are still an issue albeit not major. Now that ladybugs are being sighted it’s time to remove the row cover.

The Serrano pepper plants and plum tomato plants, donated to farmers by Mill City Grows (http://millcitygrows.wordpress.com/), are developing small fruits.  The cucumber, also from Mill City Grows, is doing well. Harvested my first cukes today.

The hanging tomato plant from Community Gardens Greenhouse (www.communitygardensgreenhouse.org) is bearing tasty little tomatoes.

Harvest summary: Cucumbers, lots of peas, potatoes, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and arugula.

Gardens growing

Wotton St. Community Garden, North Chelmsford:

I’m still building the soil. I’ve added well-composted horse manure and compost. Sand was dug in to increase drainage. Nevertheless, there is so much clay; the soil soon hardens when left untended or when walked on. Still the weeds grow through the hard pack. Issues with my back have held me back from digging more.

Corn is coming. You can see seedlings. The third planting completed. It will be a month or so before I start harvesting.

Broccoli showing signs of developing the edible flowers. Cabbage is forming heads.

Butternut squash will soon take off.  A new squash transplanted from raised bed is under the hay. 

brassicas and corn.

There's a transplanted butternut under the hay.

W.F. Lewis Community Garden, South Chelmsford:

This is my fourth season gardening on this plot. The soil is loose, fertile, drains well and weeds are controllable.  I’ve double dug my beds each year; often digging one bed in the fall to ready it for very early season planting of peas.

Potato plants are doing well. Some plants have developed seedpods. I’ve read saved seeds can be planted the next season.

My fingers not that red in real life. But,  you get the idea of the seed pods.

Between the wind of late and the heavy yield, the pea trellis is leaning. An elusive, unknown visitor ate a few pea pods in an interesting manner. It (they) shelled the pea but didn’t just eat the peas inside; they left the outer skin of each pea and ate the middle. We’re thinking it could be a mole or vole. 

Pea vines doing well

The peas and the potato made for a tasty dinner.

small and tasty gotta love new potatoes

almost three cups..another three harvested July 7

Will be freezing peas soon.

Tomato plants looking much healthier and baby watermelon plants are starting to vine.

Rotary Community Garden, Lowell

The best soil of all. Weeds are non-existent. Soil is loose to the bottom of the 4’ depth. What a treat.

 

Bugs are still an issue albeit not major. Now that ladybugs are being sighted it’s time to remove the row cover.

See the lady bug?

The Serrano pepper plants and plum tomato plants, donated to farmers by Mill City Grows (http://millcitygrows.wordpress.com/), are developing small fruits.  The cucumber, also from Mill City Grows, is doing well. Harvested my first cukes today.

The largest of multiple El Jafe jalapeno peppers

The hanging tomato plant from Community Gardens Greenhouse (www.communitygardensgreenhouse.org) is bearing tasty little tomatoes.

tomato plant hanging from blue bracket. Bed partially covered with row cloth

.

Love small cucumbers.

Harvest summary: Cucumbers, lots of peas, potatoes, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and arugula.