To prevent a leaky hose, lay the hose and hose wand on a flat surface and align well, before fastening them together. The wand should fasten with ease when aligned properly.
Due to high water pressure, there should be a constant flow of water from at least one of the hoses at all times while the water is turned on. If you are the only person watering, situate the hose in your plot and then open the corresponding valve in the garden before turning the water on at the fire hydrant. Also, since the lock has been known to fail, do not lock the fire hydrant in the on position!
Do Not Compost Tomatoes and Tomato Plants
Tomatoes are especially susceptible to fungal/viral diseases, which are prevalent in our garden soil. Do not compost those fruits or plants. The compost may not get turned or watered enough to reach the temperature needed to kill the fungus/virus. Please bag that plant material and take it home for curbside pick-up.
Garden Tasks
A few gardeners have asked about how to earn garden service credits outside of the Saturday workdays. Here are a few suggestions for self-directed tasks you can do anytime.
1) Water community flowerbeds and food shelf plots*.
2) Pull weeds, dig out small tree saplings, or cut back dead flower stalks from community flowerbeds.
3) Pick up garbage/recyclables along sidewalk, paths and garden perimeter. Take trash with you and dispose of it.
4) Sift out large stalks and twigs (the size of your thumb or larger) from "Dump Here" piles and move to "Stalks & Twigs" pile.
5) In "Dump Here" piles, break down the large plants and stalks into 6-8-inch pieces so they will compost faster.
6) Pull large weeds around compost piles.
7) Sweep sidewalk along west edge of garden or sweep out the garden shed.
8) Organize tools in shed and clean/sharpen garden tools.
Email the garden coordinator with a record of the time served so it can be credited.
* 2013 had 1 1/4 unclaimed plots that were used for food shelf donations. The gardens were named Blue Octopus after a little stuffed animal was found in one of them.