Local gardens are reaching their peak in productivity and need lots of attention including weeding, irrigation and pest control. But it’s also time to think about planting a fall garden.
Home gardeners can get timely advice about vegetable and berry gardening from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, July 8, during a tour of the Fifth Street Community Garden, 328 E. Fifth St., Port Angeles.
The event is part of the “Second Saturday Garden Walks,” an educational series sponsored by WSU Clallam County Master Gardeners on the second Saturday of each month through September. The format includes a one-hour walk through the Community Garden to show gardeners what needs to be done in vegetable gardens at this time of year (and how to do it) as well as problems that are likely to appear. After the walk, Master Gardeners will share ideas on how to use and preserve garden produce.
Master Gardeners Bob Cain, Laurel Moulton, Jeanette Stehr-Green, Audreen Williams and Lois Bellamy lead the walks. Betsy Wharton (Master Gardener and WSU Clallam Extension food preservation adviser), assisted by Laura Orton, will demonstrate how to use seasonal fruits and vegetables and share recipes.
Because July and August are the time to plant a variety cool-weather crops for harvest in the fall, the July 8 walk will focus on fall gardening. The walk also will cover water conservation, weed control, renovating June-bearing strawberries and much more.
“Second Saturday Garden Walks” are free and open to the public and occur rain or shine. The walks are ideal for persons starting a vegetable garden for the first time and gardeners who are new to the Pacific Northwest but also are beneficial to the more experienced gardener.
The Fifth Street Community Garden is located just off Peabody Street, right across from City Hall. The garden includes over 50 individuals plots that are each 9 feet by 12 feet. The garden was developed on city property in 2011 with a vision to connect people to the earth and their community through growing food.
For more information about “Second Saturday Garden Walks,” call 565-2679.
