Spring Registration February 1,2023

Please remember there is a hard deadline for registration of February 15, 2023. (This means you will not be able to register after this date and your plot will be given to someone on the waitlist.)

If you know you do NOT intend to garden this year, please drop us a line at hellocggs@gmail.com. Thank you!

AGM: please join us!

Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. 

A Zoom link will be sent out to our 2023 gardeners the Sunday before, so it does not get buried in your emails.  It is very important that we have a representation of our members to continue as a functioning non-profit society. There will be time for new business to be brought up: ideas, comments, concerns.

We are also in need of a president in order to continue operating.

Most members in their current role have also been in other roles or have been with the garden so long that they are very knowledgeable on all the tasks that need to get done and are able to help out members in new roles. We are a team! – you will not be on your own and it only takes a few hours a month, mostly during the beginning of the gardening season.  

Executive Role Descriptions:

The executive names and addresses are registered with Service Alberta every year after being voted in at the AGM.

President: vacant

• Formal head of the society
• Works with the other executive to ensure the society is operating as per its bylaws and Service Alberta
• Chairs meetings including the AGM – usually via Zoom
• Creates the agenda with other executive
• Liaison with the Library, City and community in general

Helps where they can or want to in other areas such as social functions, events, communications, maintenance, registration, etc.

Being president they are able to make the role suit their strengths and be involved in the future of the garden.

Vice President: Diana

• Often is the past president or a member thinking of taking on the President role
• Helps the executive in general and helps fill in for the President
  

Treasurer: Jenny

• Creates the budget with the executive and leads
• Creates, presents at AGM and files the financial report with Service Alberta
• Manages the bank account and issues cheques
  

Secretary: Jayne M

• Keeps minutes of meetings
• Creates agendas and Garden Schedule
  

2023 Garden Classes

Once again this year we are privileged to have our very own Debbie VanDeventer share her gardening expertise with us. Classes will be held in person in the garden and/or in the library meeting room. I don’t know about you but I cannot wait!

Saturday, March 25, 2023, 10:00 a.m. 

New and returning gardeners – Jumpstarting the season:

• Seed selection and seed prep
• early planting indoors
• milk jug and cold frame planting
• garden soil amending

Get an early start on the 2023 garden season. Make a plan for your garden planting by selecting seeds best suited to your location and planting needs. Stratification needs for seeds for successful germination. Soil temperature needs for different crops means some can be planted earlier than others. Explore early indoor and outdoor seeding with flats, lights, cold frames, and milk jugs. Get your soil ready for an abundant harvest with compost, minerals, and other nutrient amendments.

Please bring an empty 4L plastic milk jug and seeds suitable for cool planting; for example: lettuce, greens, cabbage, or pansies. Debbie will have potting soil.

Saturday, April 22, 2023, 10:00 a.m.

Square foot planting for small spaces:

Plan a small space vegetable garden using square foot principles. This gardening plan efficiently produces more plants in small spaces and offers the advantages of better moisture retention and less weed germination. Plan the garden to utilize space to grow early and midseason crops in the same space.

Saturday, June 3, 2023, 10:00 a.m.

Companion planting

Let nature do some of the work for you. Companion plants can bolster a plant’s performance and at the same time assist in preventing insect colonization and damage. There are many options besides marigolds that are easy to grow and known by gardeners everywhere to attract beneficial insects, deter nuisance insects, and even enhance flavour of specific crops. Try something different this year.   

Enviro-Diana’s Corner

The worldwide garden

How far are you from Common Ground Community Garden? Most of us are within 10 kms. Aren’t we lucky to have fresh produce so close in the summer!

How far is your fruit and vegetable garden the rest of the year? If your mid-winter blueberries are coming from Chile, the garden is 10,000 kms away and New Zealand is 12,000 kms. Those Mexican cherry tomatoes that look so good in Superstore travel 4,000 kms. Similar tomatoes from Redcliff, AB (under 300 kms) or Gull Lake/Lacombe (175 kms) travel less, are much fresher and support local farmers. By reading place of origin information on fruit and vegetable packaging we can make better choices for the earth since “food miles” travelled adds significant CO2 to the environment. It takes little time to compare, but vegetables and fruits grown in Alberta or BC, or even Washington or California instead of Chile, New Zealand and South Africa can make a big difference for a healthier world. 

Written by Diana Badenduck

Grants for our Garden

Lesley Peterson has graciously volunteered to research and apply for grants for our garden! Some possible initiatives we came up with at our last meeting are:

• Replacing existing garden beds with new wooden frames
• Walk-in garden shed
• Building higher garden beds which would require less bending to make gardening accessible for more people 
• Rejuvenating our garden by looking at a redesign to accommodate more garden plots
• Planting fruit trees
• Installing a water feature to accommodate birds; as simple as a bird bath

If you have any ideas or would like to assist Lesley please email hellocggs@gmail.com.  

Garden Angel

• Garden Angel is a mandatory duty that each gardener must sign up for on registration.
• It involves one week during the summer.
• These duties are shared with another gardener.
• Each Angel must water certain designated areas of the garden and attend to other responsibilities during their week.
• The specifics will be outlined prior to the start of the gardening season.
• The Garden Angel Co-ordinator will orientate new gardeners to their roles and will be available to answer any questions.
  

2023 Garden Calendar 

• February 1 Spring Garden Registration Begins
• February 15 Spring Garden Registration Ends
• February 16 Registration for waitlisted gardeners begins
• February 28 AGM via Zoom at 7:00 p.m.
  
• March 25 New and returning gardeners–Jumpstarting the season 10 am 
  
• April 3 Open meeting to welcome new gardeners and plan at 7:00 pm
• April 22 Square foot planting for small spaces at 10:00 am
• April 29 Compost and Leads Day
  
• May 22 Planting Day
  
• June 3 Companion Planting at 10:00 a.m.
  
• August 26 Garden Party at 10:00 a.m.
  
• October 7 Garden Clean-up and Garlic Planting 
  

Communication

Members wishing to send information for list-wide distribution can send an email to hellocggs@gmail.com which will be forwarded to all members. Questions, comments and concerns in and about the garden can also be sent to hellocggs@gmail.com. 

Safety

Common Ground is a public space. We occasionally have vandalism in our garden. If you see vandalism, report it to hellocggs@gmail.com.