Metro Recycling Upcoming Event Dates

I recently received an email from the folks at Metro Recycling regarding these FREE gardening events that they will be holding. Learn more about recycling, composting, weeds, and natives at these fascinating presentations.

Learn more about Portland Metro and sign up to be a pesticide-free growing space at 503-234-3000 or www.oregonmetro.gov/garden.

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Water-wise gardening

June 5, Saturday, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Beaver Den room, Nature Park Interpretive Center, 15655 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton

Why waste the rain? Instead, put it to good use in your yard during all but the driest months with tips from The Oregonian garden writer Kym Pokorny. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/aNOeS1.

Blooms for birds, bees and butterflies

June 5, Saturday, 10 to 11 a.m.

Drake's 7 Dees – Eastside, 16519 SE Stark St., Portland

Enjoy watching birds and butterflies in your yard? Discover with local gardening expert Glen Andresen how native flowering plants in your yard can add new dimensions of beauty and benefits from birds, bees and butterflies. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/9sejyi.

Terrific turf without toxics

June 12, Saturday, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Washington County Fair Complex Demonstration Garden, 872 NE 28th Ave., Hillsboro

Want to mow less, keep your lawn looking great and protect your kids and pets from chemicals? Learn the latest techniques for safely and effectively controlling weeds, preventing pests and watering wisely with Oregon State University horticulturist Weston Miller. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/aMfAbV.

Blooms for birds, bees and butterflies

June 12, Saturday, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Blue Lake Regional Park, 21154 NE Blue Lake Road, Fairview

Enjoy watching birds and butterflies in your yard? Discover with Metro natural gardening educator Paul Sanford how native flowering plants in your yard can add new dimensions of beauty and benefits from birds, bees and butterflies. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/cuZ6VE.

Organic soils and compost

June 13, Sunday, 1 to 2 p.m.

Farmington Gardens, 21815 SW Farmington Road, Beaverton

Jump-start your garden's growth with soil improvement tips from gardening expert Glen Andresen. Learn time-tested techniques for amending, mulching, composting and protecting soil for perfect plant health. Advance registration required: Call 503-649-4568. To learn more visit http://bit.ly/aEZmSw.

Pesticide-free pest control

June 19, Saturday, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Metro's natural techniques garden, 6800 SE 57th Ave., Portland

Discover effective, nontoxic ways to tackle weeds, pests and plant diseases from Oregon State University horticulturist Weston Miller. See how a few simple steps for preventing problems early on can save a lot of work later. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/dbLqtu.

Water-wise gardening

June 20, Sunday, 1 to 2 p.m.

Buffalo Gardens, 728 NE Dekum St., Portland

Why waste the rain? Instead, put it to good use in your yard during all but the driest months with tips from local gardening expert Glen Andresen. To register call 503-234-3000. To learn more visit http://bit.ly/clmRhq.

Water-wise gardening

June 26, Saturday, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Tualatin Valley Water District, 1850 SW 170th Ave., Beaverton

Why waste the rain? Instead, put it to good use during all but the driest months with tips from local gardening expert Glen Andresen. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/9DEv3Z.

Water-wise gardening

June 26, Saturday, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Clairmont Hall, room 117, Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City

Why waste the rain? Instead, put it to good use during all but the driest months with tips from celebrated garden author Linda Beutler. To register or learn more call 503-234-3000 or visit http://bit.ly/aDBXk3.

Organic soils and compost

June 27, Sunday, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Gresham home garden; address provided with registration.

Jump-start your garden's growth with organic soil improvements. Join gardening educator Glen Andresen and renowned home gardener Kathleen Fortune in her beautiful, hand-tended landscape. Registration required: Call 503-234-3000. To learn more visit http://bit.ly/d9Fgcm.

First Work Party of the 2010 Growing Season

Hey folks,
Just wanted to let you know that the first work party of the 2010 growing season will be held on the 13th of March, from 10am to 3pm. This event is important because it is when contracting, plot selection, and signing up for community work groups will take place, as well as contracting and re-contracting for keys. If you want a plot for this growing season, be there! If you can't attend, email me and we can set up a separate appointment.
Keep on growing!
Morgan
{PSU Community Garden Coordinator}

Community Gardens get Positive Press

Over on Apartment Therapy they recently posted a nice short article on community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland. It's fun to see the design community getting involved!
Check out the article here.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend! The Rose Parade's on Saturday, so you know where I'll be!

~Morgan

First Work Party-- A Sucess!

Hi guys!

Our first work party of 2009 was on Saturday, and it went GREAT! I'm really grateful to everyone who showed up, we got a lot of work done and real progress was made.

If you want to see some footage from it, here's a short camera-phone clip shot by Cody.

I'm hoping to have the next one scheduled soon, looking potentially at the Saturday AFTER the Saturday after finals (namely, the 20th of June). Until then, there are a few things you can do for the garden if you find yourself there with time to kill/steam to blow off:

~Pull weeds in the natives garden! Especially along the back fence, where the morning glory and nettles are trying to take over. A big dent was made in the front on Saturday, and we want to continue in that positive direction.
~Pull weeds in the second composting area. You know that place that is now entirely hidden by five-foot tall thistles and other weeds, over in the western corner of the garden next to the natives? Yeah, there's a compost heap hidden under there somewhere. I applaud any intrepid soul who would be willing to dive in and tackle those behemoths.
~Pull weeds in the bamboo. I don't think this area was attacked much on Saturday, and it really needs some lovin'. The sticky weeds and thistles are particularly vicious. Look out for the errant shattered bottle!
~Pull weeds in the orchard. This area got a lot of attention on Saturday, too, but try an excursion back towards the thornless blackberry or against the fence. I'm sure you'll find plenty of little nasties to vent your frustration on.
~Pull weeds in and around the patio area. Mostly the aim of this is to make the patio a nice place to sit again. Please avoid damaging things that look important. (EG: grapes, lavender, tulips, etc.)
~Sort and wash plastic pots to be taken to the Re-Potting center. This trip will probably be undertaken when I've got two legs again, but it would still be nice to get all of those assorted plastic pots sorted, with the nasty ones thrown away and the good ones ready to be taken elsewhere. It's that cosmetic thing again.
~Haul loads of weeds to the recycling center next to Stott. This is a bit of a trek to undertake, and is definitely made easier by the employment of a handcart. It can only be done while the center is open, which is between 10am and 3pm on weekdays, but if you do it you will deserve a place in my personal pantheon of heroes.

Also on Saturday, I discussed the topic of composting with a few of our veteran gardeners. As it stands now, and I'm going to put this in writing, please haul all weeds that were not pulled from your plot to the recycling center next to Stott. For weeds that you did pull from your plot, you can make the choice to compost them at the garden, or to haul them as well. If one compost bin is full (I'm particularly thinking of the bin in the south-eastern corner of the garden) take your weeds to a different one. Simple as that.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or reports of alien abduction, you can forward them to me at psucommunitygarden@gmail.com.

Stay golden!
Morgan

PS: If you have any pictures of the garden that you or anyone else has taken, feel free to send them to me! If I use them here on the blog, I'll give full credit and acclaim to the photographer!

PSU's Sustainability Celebration 5/29/2009

Mark your calenders! The PSU Sustainability deparment's 2nd annual Sustainability Celebration is on May 29th, from 3-5 pm.

MORE INFO:

"Please join PSU students, faculty, and staff for a celebration of our successes in sustainability during the 2008-2009 academic year.

WHAT: Portland State University's Annual Sustainability Celebration

WHEN: Friday, May 29, 3-5 p.m. Poster session and refreshments begin at 3 p.m. Program begins at 4 p.m. with remarks by PSU President Wim Wiewel.

WHERE: PSU Native American Student and Community Center (710 S.W. Jackson St.). For information on transit options, visit ride.trimet.org.

ABOUT: This annual celebration gives the PSU community an opportunity to recognize those individuals and efforts that have made this past year a transformative time for the University's many sustainability initiatives. The event includes:

• Poster session of those faculty and student projects funded by the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation grants;

• Highlights from the year in sustainability across campus, including student group accomplishments;

• Recognition of graduating student cohorts in undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs

• Recognition of outstanding graduating student employees;

• Remarks from campus sustainability leaders and a look ahead at some of the exciting plans for 2009-2010.

This event is co-sponsored by the PSU Sustainability Office and the Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices. Please consider bringing your own mug or beverage container. For more information, call 503-725-8951."

It's the day before our community garden work party. Two days of green-living oriented fun! Please come!

Urban foraging, anyone?

Urban Edibles is an interesting (Portland centric!) urban foraging database, with all sorts of great information about the movement and about "wild" edible plants you can find around the city. A fascinating read, at the very least!

Our Vanguard Article!

The Daily Vanguard, the PSU student newspaper, published an AWESOME article on the garden in its sustainability article today! You can find the full text of the article here along with some awesome pictures of the garden. It also has a couple of great interviews with a few of our gardeners. I was so surprised!