Welcome to our new members!
In September we have welcomed new member John Coxon (Plot 53). We look forward to seeing you around the garden.
Saturday, 5th October 2019
9 to 12 noon
BBQ lunch There are always lots of jobs to do to keep our beautiful garden neat & tidy, but we especially need everyone's help while our Manager, Stocky is recovering from his operation.
The Herb Group ladies have been busy every Tuesday planting up seedlings. So many different varieties of herbs and summer vegetables. We will have lots available for sale on our Open Day and at the Replenish the Planet Festival in November.
We had fun making Climate Change signs with Megs Nicholson. Have you got your sign made yet? Join the Climate Strike on 20th September. See details below.
Fresh produce picked and made up for a beautiful share lunch with our wonderful hardworking herb garden group which just keeps growing.
Eucy Redd Raw Ecodyes' Tine Brok presented a fabulous workshop at the garden last Saturday. Lots of great fabric created and lots of fun and knowledge had. If you missed this workshop there is another scheduled for 9th November.
Our Acting Convenor, Julie Eagles, accepting a Community Development Fund grant for Warrnambool Community Garden from Warrnambool City Council (WCC). We will receive $2,000 for planting in the quarry once earthworks are complete. Thank you WCC.
Was great to see some wild ducks enjoying our frog pond. The kids from Nullawarre Kinder really enjoyed them.
We welcomed some very special kids from the Nullawarre Kindergarten. What a fabulous bright bunch of kids. They had their lunch with us after visiting Tower Hill and then had a tour of the garden. Each child received some seeds to plant at home and the herb group sent them on their way with lots of potted herbs to put in their patch. A special surprise were the 2 ducks swimming in our frog pond.
Clontarf boys at the community garden recently with Rob Lowe Snr. They came and worked in the garden, had a special tour and then cooked pizzas for lunch. Our community garden is amazing.
Thank you Mandy for a lovely morning teaching us about beneficial native bees, wasps and lady beetles and for helping us make a great insect hotel for them to keep warm and dry.
Thank you to the Warrnambool & District Orchid Society for presenting a wonderful talk about how to plant and look after orchids a the garden.
We are thinking about Stocky, our wonderful site manager and his family while he recovers from major surgery. Thank you to all our members who are stepping in to help fill part of the huge gap we have without him. We will scale back and re-organise on some things for now so if the gates are not open as often as before then please be patient and contact via FB or via our secretary warrnamboolcommunity@yahoo.com.au if you need information or assistance.
Dates to Remember
Sunday, 29th September - Sri Lankan Cooking Class
Saturday, 4th October - General Working Bee 9am to 12 noon
Wednesday, 9th October - Committee Meeting 7.00 pm
Saturday, 18th October - Bushfood Garden Group 9.00am to 12 noon.
At Warrnambool Community Gardens, we now have a developing patch of native Murnongs, also called Yam Daisy, and for the botanical minded folks Microseris scapigera. This plot is on the east side of the gardens, over near the shelter. There are currently approx 200 plants and probably more will be added. The leaves will get bigger and yellow ‘dandelion’ type flowers will be growing, which will attract native pollinators. The buds first of all appear in a nodding position, then the open flower is totally upright, then the spent flower heads nods again as the seeds develop. Then the seed head stand upright . The seed head is somewhat like a dandelion seed head, quite fluffy looking with multiple seeds. The tubers ‘yams’ grow below ground usually as a cluster of approx 5, They can be eaten raw, baked, the best is very slow baked as this brings out the natural sugars. This year our journey is see if the plants like Warrnambool, see if the tubers develop and in which months, then we can plan what to do with them. Maybe an event at one of the working bees celebrating what we have learnt, our own comments on cooking styles, tasting and planning for next years crop.
September in the Garden
The smell of jasmine and apple blossoms are now upon us. Spring is here!
Fertilising, mulching and watering
In early spring we can consider raking up mulch to expose the dark soil, allowing it to warm up under the day’s sunshine. However be sure to return it by mid spring or if it looks like the soil is drying out.
Before you put in all those wonderful spring planted vegetables, prepare your beds. Everything will appreciate some well made compost, a dash of dynamic lifter, finished off of course with some straw mulch.
What to Plant in the Patch
As we all know, Spring is one of the busiest times of the year in the garden and a great time for the planting of a whole range of vegetables that don't cope with Winter frosts; like tomatoes, capsicum, and cucumber. Use this link to find a full list of what to plant https://www.yummygardensmelbourne.com/spring-vegetable-garden.html
It’s time to plant citrus, blueberries, passionfruit, citrus, feijoas, guavas and if you’ve got a taste for the exotic, babaco (a type of paw paw which grows well in Melbourne.)
Herb Patch
Every Tuesday, 10 am to 12 pm
Come and help with the upkeep of the Herb Patch. Everyone welcome.
Communal Gardening Thursday & Saturday, 10am to 12 noon
Come and help plant, water, weed and learn gardening skills in the Communal Garden areas. Everyone welcome to come help and share the joy of gardening and take home some fresh produce.
Sunday, September 29th - Sri Lankan Cooking Master Class with Chamari 10.00 am to 1 pm.
Saturday, Oct 26th - Dairy Free (nut milks & nut cheese) Connect Cooking with Kylie Treble
Saturday, November 9th - Eco Natural Plan Dying Eco Printing with Tine Brok from Eucy Red Raw Ecodyes.
Sunday, November 17th - Garden Open to public as part of the Self Drive Tour of 5 gardens for Replenish Our Planet Festival
Sunday, December 1st - Gluten Free Cooking with Kylie Treble 10.00 to 12 noon.
MORE EXCITING WORKSHOPS TO COME
DO YOU HAVE A WORKSHOP YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT AT THE GARDEN? EMAIL warrnamboolcommunity@yahoo.com.au.
We would love to hear from any presenters.
