Gardening Articles & Videos

Wed. April 3: South Jordan and West Jordan Gardens help needed ASAP

Sheryl McGlochlin - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

I know it may be raining off and on over the next few days but let me know if you can help with any of this work:

South Jordan A:

The garden is looking GREAT!!! This was the first "west side garden" we planted, with lots of early spring crops. They are tiny but are coming up!!! There is nothing more exciting than to watch your food grow from just a tiny seed!! It makes me so happy!
We need to watch this garden closely to recognize where the row of little seedlings are and where the weeds are. For the next several weeks, we need to keep children out of this garden since it's really easy to step on these fragile plants if we're not careful. Don't weed anything unless you've talk to me first. Many "well intentioned" garden members over the years have tried to help weed only to learn later that they weeded up all of our new little spring seedlings. I'm sure that is any gardener's worst nightmare!

South Jordan B Garden:

Help us clean the big heap of black plastic and drip line into a truck and take to the dump. Lana has a truck but needs others to do the lifting. If we had a few people to help us load this, it would be done in less than 30 minutes, then follow her to the dump and empty it. I'll pay the $30 dump fee. Let me know if you are willing to help and I'll put you in touch with Lana to work out a time. Just a few people are needed for this project, more help would be nice but not necessary.
I want to put some bright string and tie it onto the sticks again so we can see more clearly where we planted our crops. In this garden we have a LOT of morning glory to deal with. It's moving into this garden right now and we have to stay on top of it. Don't weed this garden UNTIL I talk to you since it will be very easy to take out all of our little seedlings again along with the morning glory. If we keep a close watch on these weeds while they are small, it will be a cinch to deal with them. No need to get down on your hands and knees to weed either. I have a favorite weeding tool that is so fast and easy! Let me know if you can help and I'll teach you how to use this garden tool.
We have a LOT of potatoes to plant in this garden.

South Jordan C Garden:

Similar to South Jordan B Garden regarding the weeds. This is our largest garden by far and we are going to need to pay very close attention to it to make sure it doesn't get out of control during our spring crop growth.
We have a LOT of potatoes to plant in this garden too!
All the black plastic has been removed so it's looking a lot cleaner in the front area, as you walk in.

South Jordan D Garden:

This garden just got planted last Monday and we'll get some potato plants in this garden as well.

West Jordan Garden:

I need to know who is willing to help me watch over and work exclusively in this garden and for sure keep an eye on it.

Gardening is like cooking with a pan of water on a hot stove. Someone BETTER be watching it often or I can promise you there will be trouble!

All of our gardens need to be watched carefully now that most of them are planted with early spring crops. Before we can plant in this garden, I need help weeding. I have plenty of Fast and Easy Gardening Tools made for weeding. We also need a few shovels for stubborn, deeper weeds. I have this favorite garden weeding tool that I want to show everyone how to use. I just bought 10 of them so within 30 minutes, as a group we could have this garden weeded and ready to plant OR work on it individually if you like.

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Wed. April 3: Garden Help needed over the next 4 days in Holladay Gardens

Sheryl McGlochlin - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Let me know if and when you can come and help over the next few days.

Holladay A:

This garden is looking GREAT!!! Reid has kept up on the watering in the greenhouse. The garlic area and compost bins look fantastic. The lawn fertilizer I put on before leaving for Tucson on March 20 is doing a great job making my lawn look great! Dave and I took all of the used black plastic mulch and drip line from Holladay A and So Jo C and heaped it into ONE big pile in So Jo B Garden, ready to be taken away in a truck to the dump. We need 2 people and a truck to haul all of this to the Dump ASAP! I'll pay the $30 dump fee.

Work to be done:

Rake up weeds left out by the 60 ft. garlic area
Rake all old leaves near the west side fence area and put in any one of the compost bins until we are ready to put them in buckets again to be hauled over to Holl. D Garden and tilled into the soil. All dead leaves in the backyard need to be cleaned up and removed.
Reid will keep a close watch on the back door or WEST side of the greenhouse area to keep the Creeping Jenny vines from coming in the greenhouse. There needs to be a clear walk way in that area without stepping on vines. If you ever have issues with these vines and don't know what to do with them, instead of cutting them, just direct them back over the fence.
All of the green water walls that are laying down in the dirt, need to be filled up with water and put a larger cage on the outside of it to hold it in place. We'll be planting tomatoes in there VERY soon!! I'll try to create one for an example OR if you don't see any large tomato cages, just put a white bucket inside of it to keep it standing up for now.
Clean off the back fence, by the garlic, of any dead vines in preparation for planting pole beans in a few weeks. Reid said he'll bring a weed wacker often to trim my neighbors side of the fence. In order to successfully plant crops vertically on a fence, both sides need to remain weed free.
THREE easy "sit down at a table" garden jobs that need to be done ASAP:
1) Has to be done when it's warmer and sunnier. A lot more little starter plants like the little ones growing in the greenhouse need to be put together. I have a HUGE bag of seeding soil, plenty of newspaper containers and new seeds to use. We can continue to make little newspaper containers as well. This could even be worked on in the greenhouse while it's raining.
2) In preparation of planting potatoes, 2 jobs are required: 1) wrap pink neon ribbon around at least 100 smaller rocks. I'll make an example to show you. We have PLENTY of rocks. The neon rocks will be our marker for where we have planted potatoes in several gardens so we know where they are until they are tall enough to recognize. 2) I just picked up 100 lbs of potato seed, enough to plant at least 500 potato plants of Red Potatoes and Yukon Golden Potatoes. The potatoes have to be cut so there is an "eye" on each piece of potato.

About Holladay B:

This is another absolutely BEAUTIFUL garden right now!!! If only we can keep it as nice and clean as it is right now!!! Wow. The peas, rhubarb, oregano, chives and strawberries are all coming up really well!

The 2 rows closest to the WEST side of the garden need the most help with weeding. They are not planted with peas and won't be. We need to get this area cleaned up since a lot more crops i.e. pole beans will be planted on these fences over the next 30 days.

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2013 Garden Addresses

Sheryl McGlochlin - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

I am excited to have you visit, tour and/or work in any and all of our beautiful gardens, however, this is by invitation ONLY. There are rules that will be enforced.

All of our garden properties belong to private home owners around the Salt Lake valley, who have been very kind and generous in lending us their land. I am very protective of their property and careful not to ever lose this privilege.

Basic rules:

(whether attending as a member or not)

No one is permitted to enter any of our gardens without an invite from me.
Properties are generally not visible from the street.
Specific group garden work outings are posted online which include dates, times and may include the type of work we'll be doing. You may come and work with us OR just come and check it out for a few minutes and ask questions. RSVP if possible.
No charge for first timers. You'll receive more info on how to become a member when you attend.

Watch our CALENDAR and RSVP soon!

Garden Addresses:

Holladay A - 2836 East Casto Lane (5060 South) Headquarters w/ Greenhouse
Holladay B - 2915 East Casto Lane (5060 South)

NOTE: Holladay A & B Gardens are approx. 5 houses apart

Holladay C - 2650 East Milo Way (4910 So.)
Holladay D - 2225 East Fardown (approx. 6000 So. 2300 E.)

South Jordan A - 11371 South 2865 West
South Jordan B - 11131 South 2865 West

NOTE: South Jordan A & B are approx. 10 houses apart

South Jordan C - 9978 South Redwood Road
South Jordan D - 9640 South 1895 West

NOTE: South Jordan C & D are 2 blocks from each other

South Jordan E - 528 Miller Hollow Cove (approx. 11400 So. 600 W.)
West Jordan A Garden - 7180 So. 2881 W.

East Millcreek Gardens - 3300 South 1300 East area

East Millcreek A Garden: 1479 E. Woodland
East Millcreek A Garden: 1505 E. Woodland
East Millcreek A Garden: 1515 E. Woodland
East Millcreek A Garden: 1595 E. Woodland

NOTE: All 4 gardens are on the same street fairly close to each other

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Garden Work Schedule & Tours: March 29 - April 6

Sheryl McGlochlin - Thursday, March 28, 2013

Happy Easter!!

I am out of town over the Easter Weekend, however, there are garden members doing a variety of little jobs in several gardens that you can participate in

Thursday, March 28, No garden work today
Saturday, March 30, Easter Weekend, no group garden work today
Monday, April 1, 10 AM - 12 Noon: Holladay Gardens & 3 - 6 PM: South Jordan D Garden
Tuesday, April 2, 11 AM - 1 PM: Holladay Gardens
Wednesday, April 3, 5 - 7:30 PM: West Jordan and South Jordan (B & C) Gardens
Thursday, April 4: TBA, Wait and see
Friday, April 5: TBA, Wait and see
Saturday, April 6, 2 - 4 PM: East Millcreek Gardens (A, B, C, D)

Times posted above are when a group of workers will meet. IF you are familiar with what currently needs to be done in a particular garden AND you have contacted me first so I know what you plan to work on, then you can work alone and on your own time. After you work, email to let me know what you got done and basically what the next worker should do when they come. I depend on our garden members to be my eye's for each garden since it's difficult to visit each garden on a daily basis. I'll post these group dates on the calendar as well.

Gardens that have Early Spring Crops planted already:

Holladay A Garden - 1200 Square Foot Greenhouse w/ variety of lettuce, carrots, spinach, 60 ft. of garlic, onions, oregano
Holladay B Garden - East Side Pea Plantation, strawberries, oregano, rhubarb, chives, concord grapes
Holladay C Garden - 30+ early spring crops i.e. variety of lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, carrots, onions, etc.
South Jordan A Garden - 30+ early spring crops i.e. variety of lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, carrots, onions, etc.
South Jordan B Garden - 3/4 of this garden now planted w/ 30+ early spring crops
South Jordan C Garden - West Side Pea Plantation, PLUS 3/4 of this garden planted w/ 30+ early spring crops, Our largest garden

About the Potatoes:

This is 100 lbs. of Potato Seed that I am having brought down from Idaho. It is not here yet, but will be by next Wed. April 3, which is why we will start planting LOTS of potatoes in several gardens on that day.

Work to do:

Holladay A Garden:

Interested in working in or touring the Holladay Gardens? Contact Xiomara: xiomara@xmission.com
She is overseeing several jobs in these gardens: Cleaning off a fence to plant beans on, light weeding, emptying some compost bins, raking up fall leaves, etc.

Plant new seed starts to keep in greenhouse - Starting next Wednesday. Reid is overseeing all work done in the greenhouse, including the watering. Want to work with him or take a tour of the greenhouse? Contact Reid at: reidhall7@gmail.com

(NOTE: We have room for 5000 new little plants in our greenhouse at any one time - This is easy but important garden work that can be done sitting down at a table and possibly work you could do at home. Want to be trained for this type of work, which will be going on for the next 30 days, let me know. )

Holladay B Garden:
Clean up compost area, rake it up and condense it so it's farther away from our Pea fence. Clean up west side of garden.

Holladay C Garden:
Watch for weeds

Holladay D Garden:

Tilling in compost, garden clean up, prepare to plant. Anyone have a tiller?

South Jordan A Garden:

Watch for weeds

South Jordan B Garden:
Finish cleaning up the branch pile. Stack pieces neatly on East side of garden. Cut up wood using a chain saw. These are all branches on the ground. Plant potatoes Wednesday night, April 3. Light weeding especially around the fence area of the garden. Lana has been working on this along with some other people. Call her if you have a chain saw or want to work on this project: Lana's phone: 801-969-6119

South Jordan C Garden:
Light weeding, Plant potatoes on Wed. evening, April 3.
- red and yukon gold

South Jordan D Garden:
Monday, April 1, 3 - 5:30 pm: Create furrows & plant a large variety of Spring Crops. Laura Owens is helping me oversee this work on Monday. Want to help or come and check it out? Contact: Lora.Owens@kennecott.com OR just show up

East Millcreek Gardens: (A, B, C, D) done all in one day

Saturday, April 6, 2 - 4 pm - Create furrows, plant a variety of spring crops including 2 kinds of potatoes. Come and get better acquainted with these four east side gardens. Work in these gardens with Sarah on Friday, March 29, then email: plainoldsarah@gmail.com

West Jordan Garden

Wednesday, April 3, Create new furrows, plant spring crops including 2 kinds of potatoes

Is this work close to being finished?

I know our members have been working on these jobs. I would be really grateful if someone would tell me the status of these jobs (via email). Are they half done or all the way done so I can pass this info on to others. If you want to help with any of these projects, contact me by email or phone: 801-278-5313 OR sheryl@liveandthrive.com

Dispose of several bags of black plastic and disposable drip line used from last year's garden at the dump. A truck is needed. Located in 3 gardens: Holladay A (in the trailer), So Jo B & C. Dump fee: Total of $30, which I'll reimburse. Let me know beforehand if you do this.
Compost Bins emptied in Holladay A Garden - smaller compost items taken to Holl. D garden
Branch Pile cleaned up in So Jo. B Garden

Scavenger Hunt Items!!

Help us find these items if you can. Item's we need soon. Before purchasing anything, check with me first

12 Bails of straw (used for planting potatoes)
40 White storage buckets or empty hard plastic laundry buckets
45 6' green, studded, metal U fence posts - donated if possible - I'll trade harvest
300+ Milk and Juice Containers, Save your gallon AND half gallon size, empty water/juice containers, then if you would, fill them with water. What they are used for: 1) watering spring crops, if needed, until irrigation water comes in May. 2) A weight, which holds down all the black plastic that we'll be laying down in May in several of our gardens. Benefits of Black Plastic: 1) eliminates HUNDRED'S of hours of weeding 2) plants thrive due to the warm and moist soil 3) creates a very "water-wise" garden

Garden Addresses:

Holladay A - 2836 East Casto Lane (5060 South)
Holladay B - 2915 East Casto Lane (5060 South) (Holladay A & B Gardens are 5 houses apart)
Holladay C - 2650 East Milo Way (4910 So.)
Holladay D - 2225 East Fardown (off 6000 So. and 2300 E.)
South Jordan A - 11371 South 2865 West
South Jordan B - 11131 South 2865 West (South Jordan A & B are about 10 houses apart)
South Jordan C - 9978 South Redwood Road
South Jordan D - 9640 South 1895 West (South Jordan C & D just 2 blocks from each other)
West Jordan - 7180 So. 2881 W.
East Millcreek A: 1479 E. Woodland
East Millcreek B - 1505 E. Woodland
East Millcreek C - 1515 E. Woodland
East Millcreek D - 1595 E. Woodland
All East Millcreek Gardens on the same street near 3300 South 1300 E. area

You are invited!

6th Annual

Live and Thrive

Community Working Garden Group

Garden Calendar -

Weekly schedule will expand during the peak months

Registration, join now!

Every month we are looking for people who...

Like being outdoors
Aren’t afraid to work
Enjoy meeting new people
Want to grow their own food, regardless of prior training or experience
Love eating "right off the vine" produce! Members enjoy an abundance of fresh, delicious, locally grown food

What others are saying

Videos, Articles, Recipes and the latest news!

Benefits include:

Generous portions of harvest (based on how often you come and work)
Valuable knowledge and experience in farming and gardening
Increased self reliance skills
Less visits to a grocery store
Big savings on groceries
Discount tuition for Sheryl's "6-3-4 Meal Plan" Classes (6 min. prep time, $3/meal made from scratch, easily feeds 4 adults)
Eating less processed foods
Variety of ways to help regardless of experience, physical limitations or abilities
Opportunities for leadership roles
Working with mentors who are skilled, experienced farmers and master gardeners
Delicious harvest while working a minimum of ONE hour each month
Mini classes and demos held each month
Weekly garden tours offered

Register here

Financial Hardship?

For those unable to pay $100 annual fee upfront but are able to work, financial assistance and payment plans may be available, contact Sheryl

Garden Tours:

Every Saturday, 2 - 4 pm

EXTRA Perks!

Join early in the season
Join as a group of 12 or more, receive 13th membership FREE!

Register early for more food!

Annual Cost:

$100/household

Household consists of 1 - 6 family members

Families larger than 6 may need to pay a small additional fee. Contact Sheryl

10 months each year: February - November
3 acres and growing
14+ gardens with rich, fertile soil
Work together as a team

Locations:

Holladay
South Jordan
West Jordan
East Millcreek
Riverton

Always interested in additional garden space in and outside of Salt Lake County

Join here

2013 Garden Classes and Hands On Demonstrations

January: Intro to Garden Text Book, Winter Gardening in Greenhouses

February: Working in our Pea Plantation - a Vertical Garden, Protective Gardens, Starting Seedlings Indoors

March: Using Organic Matter, Soil Types, Garden Layout, Easiest Crops to Grow

April: Creating a Water-Wise, Weed-free Garden, Compost, Buying seed and plants: When, Where, How much

May: Tips on Planting, Tilling, Creating Furrows, Best Plant Food, Temperature & Sunlight Tips

June: Transplanting, Watering Tips for Irrigation, Drip, The do's and don'ts, More Planting Tips

July: Preserving the Harvest: Drying Methods, Water-Wise Tips, Keeping Plants Healthy

August: Preserving the Harvest Freezing Methods, Fall Crops to Get Planted

September: Harvesting Seeds for Spring, Preserving the Harvest: Canning Methods, Starting the Fall Clean Up

October: Fall Compost, Preserving the Harvest: Easy Potato Cellar Methods, Putting a Garden to Bed for the Winter, Part 1

November: Putting a Garden to Bed for the Winter Part 2, Preparing a Garden for Early Spring Planting

Crops we are growing

February - November

Spring Crops:

Radishes, Broccoli, Cabbage

Onions, Garlic, Peas

Dark Green Leafy Lettuces

Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower

Spinach, Kale, Swiss Chard

Herbs:

Oregano, Basil, Garlic, Chives,

and more...

Summer Crops:

Beans, Corn, Crenshaw

Watermelon, Cantaloupes

Pumpkins, Rhubarb, Eggplant

Squash - Summer and Winter

Peppers, Potatoes, Yams

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Onions

Strawberries, Grapes

Crops we buy or trade with other farmers:

A variety of fruit i.e. apples, pears, apricots, peaches, raspberries, etc.

Register here

Contact Info:

Sheryl McGlochlin

Live and Thrive

Email:

sheryl@liveandthrive.com

Website:

liveandthrive.com

Cell Phone:

801-278-5313

Website Calendar:

liveandthrive.com/Gardening/Calendar

Visit Youtube Videos for Garden, Outdoor Adventure and Feed a Family topics

Join me on Facebook: "Sheryl McGlochlin" and "Live and Thrive"

Join my Healthy Eating & Gardening Meetup Group

Register now!

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No Group Garden Work this Easter Weekend

Sheryl McGlochlin - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

I had to make an emergency family trip to Florida today, Wednesday, so I'll be gone for a few days.

Most of our gardens are now planted with early spring crops. We should be harvesting most of this food in mid April and early May.

A big huge thanks to all those who have been helping us do all this work during the past month or so.

East Millcreek Gardens will not be ready to plant until Saturday, April 6.

100 lbs of potato seed are coming from Idaho and they won't be here until early next week either, which is when I'll be back home.

Don't worry about the West Jordan Garden either until I get back.

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Garden Work & Tours: Week of March 25 - 30, 2013

Sheryl McGlochlin - Monday, March 25, 2013

Work Schedule and Garden Tours this week:

(These are the times we'll be working together AS A GROUP. If you are new, come and check out our gardens during these times. Info will be posted on my garden calendar soon!)

Monday, March 25, 10 AM - 12 noon - Holladay Gardens
Tuesday, March 26, 11 AM - 1 PM - Holladay Gardens
Tuesday, March 26, 5 - 7 PM - So Jo Gardens - A, B, C, D - Starting at So Jo D Garden
Wednesday, March 27, 5 - 7:30 PM - West Jordan Garden
Thursday, March 28, No garden work today
Saturday, March 30, Easter Weekend, no garden work today

Crops NOW planted

with PLENTY of Early Spring Crops growing:

Holladay A Garden - 1200 Square Foot Greenhouse w/ variety of lettuce, carrots, spinach, 60 ft. of garlic, onions, oregano
Holladay B Garden - East Side Pea Plantation, strawberries, oregano, rhubarb, chives, concord grapes
Holladay C Garden - 30+ early spring crops
South Jordan A Garden - 30+ early spring crops
South Jordan B Garden - 3/4 of this garden now planted w/ 30+ early spring crops
South Jordan C Garden - West Side Pea Plantation, PLUS 3/4 of this garden planted w/ 30+ early spring crops, Our largest garden

Work to do:

Monday - Saturday, March 25 - 30

Weather: Warmer and Sunnier!

Holladay A Garden:
Empty bigger compost bins by taking the smaller compost i.e. leaves, etc. and putting in white buckets, which will then be taken to Holladay D Garden and tilled into the soil, light weeding and winter cleanup, also...

Plant new seed starts

(NOTE: We have room for 5000 new little plants in our greenhouse at any one time - This is easy but important garden work that can be done sitting down at a table and possibly work you could do at home. Want to be trained for this type of work, which will be going on for the next 30 days, let me know. )

Holladay B Garden:
Light maintenance/cleanup, keep an eye on peas to make sure they are still in the soil

Holladay C Garden:
Light maintenance, check garden for weeding

Holladay D Garden:

Take compost-filled buckets from Holladay A garden over to this garden, till in before planting

South Jordan A Garden:

Light maintenance, check garden for weeding

South Jordan B Garden:
Branch cleanup, lot of branches on the ground to cut and dispose of, Cut wood w/ Chain saw, light weeding, plant potatotes

South Jordan C Garden:
Light weeding, 2 kinds of Potatoes planted - red and yukon gold

South Jordan D Garden:
Create new furrows, Plant Spring Crops including Potatoes

East Millcreek Gardens:

Saturday, March 30, 2 - 4 pm - Create new furrows, plant spring crops including potatoes, introduce people to these 4 east side gardens

West Jordan Garden

Create new furrows, plant spring crops including potatoes

Special Projects

Let me know in advance if you can help w/ these special projects.

Go to the dump: Take several bags of black plastic and disposable drip line used from last year's garden in a truck and haul to the dump. It's all located in 3 gardens: Holladay A, So Jo B & C. I'll pay dump fee
Compost Bins emptied in Holladay A Garden
Big Branch Pile: The trees branches are now on the ground. This pile needs to be cleaned up and hauled away as well. - So Jo B Garden

Prior to working in a garden, email or text me

Items needed for our gardens:

Clean white storage buckets or empty hard plastic laundry buckets
45 6' green, studded, metal U fence posts - donated if possible - I'll trade harvest
300 Containers, Gallon AND Half Gallon size, empty water or juice containers filled with water - 1) used for watering crops until irrigation water comes in. 2) water-filled containers will be used to hold down black plastic in our gardens. Benefits of Black Plastic: 1) eliminates hundred's of hours of weeding 2) plants thrive since it keeps the soil warm and moist 3) creates a "water-wise" garden

Garden Addresses:

Holladay A - 2836 East Casto Lane (5060 South)
Holladay B - 2915 East Casto Lane (5060 South) (Holladay A & B Gardens are 5 houses apart)
Holladay C - 2650 East Milo Way (4910 So.)
Holladay D - 2225 East Fardown (off 6000 So. and 2300 E.)
South Jordan A - 11371 South 2865 West
South Jordan B - 11131 South 2865 West (South Jordan A & B are about 10 houses apart)
South Jordan C - 9978 South Redwood Road
South Jordan D - 9640 South 1895 West (South Jordan C & D are 2 blocks from each other)
West Jordan - 7180 So. 2881 W.
East Millcreek Gardens - 3300 South 1300 E. area - Specific addresses posted on calendar soon - these 4 gardens are all on the same street close to each other

You are invited!

6th Annual

Live and Thrive