April Club Virtual Meeting

[Mikel]

1. Welcome Everyone! Hope you are all staying safe and HEALTHY! Glad you could make it. =)
   1. Remember to Reference the agenda number e.g. (4c) to let everyone know what you are answering to or chiming in on.
   2. I’ve paired down the meeting topics to just two to keep it simple.
2. @Patti, can you give us the Club financials, please?
3. Spoke with Mindy regarding the Ice Sales at Zumwalt Park for Oregon Country Fair (OCF)
   1. We are in a holding pattern for now. Nothing has been cancelled yet, she will keep me informed.
   2. Once we know for sure, I will let the Club know via email / forum.
4. The Garden Club Garden Beds:
   1. Cliff has weeded them, and added decomposed Granite to the boarders, to keep the weeds at bay.
   2. Spoke with Cynthia @ Doakcreek Nursery, She doesn’t want to hold onto the plants until Fall.
   3. We need to purchase 2 1/2 yards of top soils & mulch – This can get delivered. (Lane Forest Products) Will ask Cynthia what type she thinks is best.
   4. We need a couple of trucks and driver volunteers to pick up the plants, and bring them to the garden beds behind the Community center.
   5. We also need about 5+ volunteers to plant them in the garden beds, when they get delivered. We can do this responsibly and keep our distance.
   6. Once they are planted, we need volunteers to keep them watered on a schedule. 3x a week to July, then 4x for July & August. Please comment here if you have the time, to schedule 1 day a week for watering the garden beds. Should we need more than 4x a week, Cliff and I can pick up the slack during hot weeks.
   7. Planning and signing up as a volunteer can be done in the forum.  https://www.westsidegardenersclub.com/forums/topic/garden-club-pollinator-garden-beds/
5. Depending on how today goes, club feedback, and what happens in the next few weeks, we may have our May meeting online as well. Will keep everyone posted.
6. Get involved in the Forums and post to  https://www.westsidegardenersclub.com/forums/forum/community-events-and-news/ and community things you think the Club should know about.
7. If you have anything else to discuss, please post here, and give it a unique number, so other members can reference it and chime in!  That’s all from me!

 

[Mikel]

Please click the thumbs up icon above to let us know you are here! =)

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Mikel.

[Becca Hale]

4d.  My son could bring 1 truck to pick up plants at Doak Creek.

 

[Mikel]

@Patty, can you give us your treasury report?

[Patti]

Item 2

Our bank balance is $918.  We still need to purchase soil and compost for the Community Center garden beds which should be about $150 or so.
It looks less likely that the Oregon Country Fair will happen this year which means no revenue from ice sales and recycling.  But luckily we have enough funds for our minimal club expenses and will be fine.
 

[Kate]

Ditto that

[Helen]

Can you see that Im here? Steve and I could probably help collect plants too from the nursery

[Becca Hale]

To heck with the damn virus—–no OCF–NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Mikel]

I realize you need to refresh your browsers to see the new comments.

Do this every so often to see new comments. Live and Learn!

[Mikel]

4e – I’m thinking we plant in early May? What do you think? Too late?

[Edie Moro]

I can pick up plants, too.

Edie

[Becca Hale]

May would be good.  We need to test the soil temp just in case we get a cold spell.  I’ve got a couple of thermoms.

[Edie Moro]

The plants are in pots, right? So they can be put in the ground anytime. We just need to make sure they are watered regularly.

[Mikel]

Technically Yes, Edie. But speaking with Cynthia, she said they needed to get planted sooner than later.

[Becca Hale]

Maybe the soil temps are for seeds and not starts….whoops.

[Cheryl]

#2 Does the $918 bank balance already have the purchase of the plants for the community park bed deducted?

[Mikel]

Let’s schedule it for May 9th. That can take the place of our regular Club meeting.

Looks like we have 3 drivers to pick up plants:  4d

• Becca
• Stephen & Helen
• Edie

Now we need a few more to help plant and spread the soil.

[Patti]

Item 2- Yes the bank balance of $918 is after payment of the balance of the plant purchase.  It does not include the soil purchase yet.

[Green Aline]

I would strongly recommend digging up the grass roots in the bed before adding any soil. The layering will have set back the grass, but not eliminated the roots…

 

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Green Aline. Reason: spelling

[Mikel]

Good point Aine.

[Helen]

When do we need to pick up the plants? Will there really be enough to require 3 trucks??

[Becca Hale]

I’ll probably be able to help with planting too.   I’m sure others with want to once the date gets out.

[Patti]

I will help plant and move soil for the garden beds.  Good clean fun!

[Patti]

Ambrosia Farms is having a nursery starts plant sale tomorrow from 11 to 2.  All organic of course.  I purchase from them a few years ago and had great results.

[Helen]

This is quite fun Mikel, once one gets the hang of it…. but somehow lacks the social buzz of our regular meetings!!

[Edie Moro]

We can ask Cynthia if they’ve been hardened off. If they’re really hardy, they will have been outside all winter. In any case, May is a good time – we can get them in the ground before we get really busy with our own garden beds.

[Mikel]

I’m pretty sure they have been hardened off, but doesn’t hurt to ask! I will confirm with Cynthia.

 

[Green Aline]

I think this can be accomplished fairly easily with a digging fork rather than a standard shovel. The soil should be fairly loose, and a fork will not cut up as many roots as a shovel.

Also, there’s no need to turn the soil…

[Becca Hale]

Let’s do find out how many plants we’ll be picking up to see how many trucks we really need.

 

[Mikel]

Can I get a motion, or a vote / agreement (not sure what to call it) that we Schedule the Plant pick up, and planting on Saturday May 9th?

Does anyone have a small tiller or something to completely dig up the grass / weed roots as @Aline suggests?

Has any checked on the composting progress of the garden beds?

[Becca Hale]

May 9 sounds good to me.

[Green Aline]

I don’t recommend tilling.

 

[Patti]

I motion for a May 9 plant pickup.

[Helen]

May 9 th should work for us…. I think sat Market jas been postponed indefinitely

[Helen]

I dont want to be superfluous so please lets not take more trucks than we need…. I’d prefer to be planting

[Patti]

Mikel, let us know when you get the soil delivery scheduled.  Maybe a week beforehand so we are ready on May 9.

[Mikel]

I was thinking we would get it delivered the day before. Too late? I don’t want it just hanging out all lonely for a week, unless we are going to do something with it. =)

[Becca Hale]

So, @aline, you just recommend digging, forking?

[Edie Moro]

May 9 works for me & I love my digging fork.

[Kate]

May 9 works for me. Planting wise

[Kate]

And I have a fork

[Helen]

Actually Sat market tentatively starts May 2nd but personally I think it will be further postponed, in which case I will be happy to dig and plant

[Edie Moro]

We’ll need to do the forking before the soil delivery – unless we have them just pile it on the unused bed while we prepare the planting bed. About the second bed – if we are not doing anything to it, should we put more cardboard/newspaper on it to keep weeds down? I’d hate to have to do heavy weeding on it (or have Cliff do it, since he’s the one who seems to get the default weeding chore).

[Mikel]

I was thinking we could pile it on a tarp, next to the beds, and do it all that day.

Maybe too ambitious?

[Janine Smith]

I can supply a truck and help with the garden. I’m wondering about the cost of the delivery of soil rather than getting it ourselves. I have been buying soil all winter and its easy.

[Green Aline]

Yes, I can bring 2 digging (aka spading) forks, and a rake to remove these roots in long strands from the soil.

Breaking the roots up with a tiller or shovel will make the grass multiply, as each piece can start anew.

In my experience, this is the best way.

[Patti]

Janine you are right about the cost for delivery.  We just need someone to volunteer to pick it up.  Cliff thinks we need about 2 1/2 yards

[Mikel]

Cliff and maybe Stephen or Terry can do a soil run. Cliff’s truck can only do a  1/2 yard of soil at a time.

[Mikel]

Ok, We will get some soil from Lane Forrest, as recommended by Cynthia.

Plan on meeting at the beds Sat. May 9th. I think 2 trucks would probably be enough.

We will plant and get everything in the ground that day.

Let’s continue the planning here:

Garden Club Pollinator Garden Beds

If someone could check on the composting progress and post photos and soil status of the lasagna method, that would be great!

[Becca Hale]

I think we need a summary of everything to do in a list.

[Mikel]

I can do that and post it https://www.westsidegardenersclub.com/forums/topic/garden-club-pollinator-garden-beds/

[Edie Moro]

My truck will also only hold a half yard, but I don’t mind making two trips to get soil.

[Janine Smith]

My old truck can carry 1/2 yard.

[Janine Smith]

Gosh, I’m starting to get a handle on this. Next I’ll figure out pictures.

[Mikel]

Tech Support: How to use this forum

[Green Aline]

I’d like to propose a pollinator garden prep day 1-2 weeks before planting day.

[Mikel]

I agree Aline. This will be better to break it into multiple days.

[Patti]

@aline.  I agree.  I think doing the soil work and the planting on the same day would be a bit much..  We would need more people than should be gathered at one time.

[Mikel]

Take a vote: Prep Day Saturday 4/25

Click the thumbs up on this to vote yes.

[Mikel]

Take a vote: Prep Day Saturday 5/2

Click the thumbs up on this to vote yes.

[Patti]

How about a soil pickup and till and fill day on Saturday May 2

[Patti]

Mikel I like your day of April 25 better

[Mikel]

Anybody have anything they want to bring up? Any other club member news?

[Janine Smith]

Keep in mind that for all this planning the weather may not accommodate us. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more rain. We need it.

[Patti]

Yes please rain, rain, rain.  Our “lake” needs it.  We may not have boating if we can’t get water to the docks.

[Cheryl]

Some members may still be social distancing through April unless something changes.  Should we consider that before committing to an April date?

[Mikel]

Hi Cheryl,

When we do this we will be mindful and can do this responsibly, and keep our distance.  The April and May dates for prep looked like members liked both. So maybe we split up the taks between the two date with smaller groups, so we can be safe about it.

I for one am not willing to put anyone (including family) in jeopardy!

So I total concur with what you are saying. =)

[Edie Moro]

If we do the soil prep on the 28th and are somehow not able to finish, that gives us some completion time the next week.

[Janine Smith]

I want to bring up that I miss the garden club and worry about the members. If there are members who are fighting this virus, I wish to know so I can send them my prayers and offer assistance.

In future forums I’d like to talk about ways we could as a club help to support our local community. Creative thinking is called for these days.

[Green Aline]

@cheryl

We can limit the size of the prep group to what feels appropriate.

We can also do the work in several, say 1/2 to 1 hour shifts in order to further “isolate in time” from one another.

I recognize the continued need for physical distancing. Thank you for pointing this out, as we may need to go on well into May with these considerations.

[Mikel]

Ok, as Cheryl rightly brought up, let’s plan on soil prep over 2 days: Sat April 25 and May 2nd.

Since it is just soil prep, we can go anytime, solo or small groups and keep our distance. We as a state / community are doing so well, let’s keep up the good work, and be smart!

I am sure everyone is missing each other, as much as I miss you all.

We will need a much more coordinated approach on planting day. But the soil prep can be much more laid back.

PS: As you prep the soil or do work on the garden beds, please take photos and post them to that discussion, and show off your work! =)

Garden Club Pollinator Garden Beds

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Mikel.

[Green Aline]

Seed Sowing

I am open for any questions if you may have about starting your garden with seeds. I’ll be turning my focus to this topic, now.

[Mikel]

Okay! I think this was pretty successful virtual meeting. I am going to close it now. Obviously you can still reply to stuff. =)

I will take the detailed planning over the Garden Bed topic, and make a post of all the notes, dates, etc there for easy reference.

Garden Club Pollinator Garden Beds

Aline will be online until noon so you can ask her any questions regarding Sowing Seeds.

Sowing Seeds…your questions, please?

I think that’s a wrap! Thanks for joining us, and stay healthy! =)

[Cheryl]

Sending Mikel a huge thank you and a round of applause for setting up this virtual meeting.  So happy you are our president and have special techy ability.

[Patti]

I second that!  Great job Mikel.  Miss you all.

[Mikel]

Thank you! I miss you all so much! XOXO

[Lindasclarkrn]

I looked at the posts. Did not see the meeting.

[Mikel]

Sorry you missed it Linda. One thing we learned today, was you need to reload / refresh your browser a lot to see new comments….

[Author]

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