You can plant or harvest something from your garden almost all year. The two major planting periods, however, are spring (March to May) and fall (mid-July to September). The spring plantings are harvested in June and July, while the fall plantings are harvested from October to December. January and February are prime times for looking at seed catalogs, dreaming of warm spring days, preparing garden plots, and getting ready for a productive season.

The following recommendations are based on long term average dates of the last killing frost in the spring and first killing frost in the fall. Every year does not conform to the “average,” so you should use your own judgment about advancing or delaying the time for each job, depending on weather conditions. This calendar is prepared mainly as a reminder and guide for planning your garden work. Other extension publications containing information about specific gardening practices are mentioned throughout this leaflet and are available at your county extension office or on the web at http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubs/pubalph.html

May Tips

• Plant seed boxes. Peppers and eggplants will take eight weeks to grow from seed to transplant size, while tomatoes will take six weeks. When the seedlings form their third set of true leaves, transplant them to individual containers.
• Prepare land for planting – winter and early spring plantings belong on a ridge (raised bed) for better drainage and earlier soil warm-up.
• If nematodes were a problem last year, make plans to plant another crop less susceptible to nematodes in the infected area.
• Make early plantings of your choice from the following: carrots, collards, lettuce, mustard, English peas, Irish potatoes, radishes, spinach and turnips.
• Use “starter” fertilizer solution around transplanted crops such as cabbage.
• Replenish the mulch on strawberries.
• Seed herbs for April planting. Make a list of the ones that are best to buy rather than  seed, such as French tarragon and rosemary. (See your county agent about Herbs for  Georgia Gardens.)

May Planting & Harvesting

Georgia Organics provides a nifty planting and harvesting calendar to keep beginning growers in the know.

• Crops ready to plant: asparagus, beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collard, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, peas, potato, radish, spinach and turnips
• Crops ready to harvest: arugula, bok choy, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collards, cut flowers, English peas, kale & other greens, lettuce, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, radishes, spinach and turnips

Join The Friends of Atwood
and grow with us!

Membership is only $5 a year.  Help us make Atwood one of the best learning gardens in Southwest Atlanta.  Community Service is every 1st & 2nd Saturday (monthly) from 9a-12n and garden classes, workshops and training occur immediately after from 1-2pm.

You can plant or harvest something from your garden almost all year. The two major planting periods, however, are spring (March to May) and fall (mid-July to September). The spring plantings are harvested in June and July, while the fall plantings are harvested from October to December. January and February are prime times for looking at seed catalogs, dreaming of warm spring days, preparing garden plots, and getting ready for a productive season.

The following recommendations are based on long term average dates of the last killing frost in the spring and first killing frost in the fall. Every year does not conform to the “average,” so you should use your own judgment about advancing or delaying the time for each job, depending on weather conditions. This calendar is prepared mainly as a reminder and guide for planning your garden work. Other extension publications containing information about specific gardening practices are mentioned throughout this leaflet and are available at your county extension office or on the web at http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubs/pubalph.html

April Tips

• Plant your choices of the following “warm-season” or “frost-tender” crops: beans (snap, pole and lima), cantaloupe, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, okra, field peas, peppers, squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
• Plant tall-growing crops such as okra, pole beans and corn on the north side of other vegetables to avoid shading. Plant two or more rows of corn for better pollination.
• Make a second planting within two to three weeks of the first planting of snap beans, corn and squash.
• Within three to four weeks of the first planting, plant more lima beans and corn. Remember: for better pollination, plant at least two or more rows.
• Be sure to plant enough vegetables for canning and freezing.
• Cultivate to control weeds and grass, to break crusty soil and to provide aeration.
• Maintain mulch between rows.
• For the crops planted earlier, side-dress as described above.
• Plant tender herbs.
• Remember: Do not work in your garden when the foliage is wet to avoid spreading diseases from one plant to another

April Planting & Harvesting

Georgia Organics provides a nifty planting and harvesting calendar to keep beginning growers in the know.

• Crops ready to plant: beans, beet, cantaloupe, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, eggplant, okra, peas, pepper, sweet potato, squash, tomato, watermelon
• Crops ready to harvest: arugula, asparagus, beets, bok choy, cabbage, carrots, collards, cut flowers, garlic, kale (and other greens), lettuce, mushrooms, peas, radish, seedlings, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips

Join The Friends of Atwood
and grow with us!

Membership is only $5 a year.  Help us make Atwood one of the best learning gardens in Southwest Atlanta.  Community Service is every 1st & 2nd Saturday (monthly) from 9a-12n and garden classes, workshops and training occur immediately after from 1-2pm.

Paying It Forward

We all understand the concept of paying it forward but how many of us truly walk the walk?  Julie Brown, CEO & Founder of Julie Bee’s (myjuliebees.com) has.  Since October 2011, Julie has been an avid supporter, key volunteer and youth mentor for the NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program.  Because of her contributions, NEXT Steps was able to host extremely successful training programs, a summer camp, and youth leadership development activities/outings.  “I personally would not have been able to pull off the phenomenal things we were able to do  during the first two years we were developing Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm without Julie’s help, support for my vision and her big heart.  There’s just no way! She helped me with EVERYTHING!” ~ Dana Jewel Harris, Executive Director, NEXT Steps YEP

Now, it’s our turn to help Julie.  Please support her Kickstarter campaign (http://kck.st/14xgYVU) to launch her new line of eco-friendly shoes (Made In the USA).  Her fundraising campaign video is below.

Good Luck Julie!!
XOXOXO

NEXT Steps has adopted the 12 Permaculture Principles as monthly themes to create sustainable events and activities at Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm. Here’s what’s happening this month!

Permaculture Principle #3.

The icon of the vegetable with a bite out of it shows us that there is an element of competition in obtaining a yield, whilst the proverb “You can’t work on an empty stomach” reminds us that we must get immediate rewards to sustain us.

Atwood’s Month of March Yields Great Results!

To date, over 135 college students, youth/teen groups and community organizations from across the country have fulfilled their pledge to help usher in sustainable lifestyle and behavioral changes in the Beecher-Donnelly neighborhood (West End Atlanta).  Over the past two weeks, we have been meeting our neighbors and introducing NEXT Steps’ initiative to beautify “The Atwood Block”.

The Atwood Block is the collective group of neighbors that share the fenceline with Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm.  Our goal is to help them maintain and enjoy their backyards just as much as our guests enjoy visiting Atwood Gardens.  This involves removing tons and tons of invasive kudzu and English ivy from their trees, walls, lawns and backyard fences.  Because of this initiative, we have been able to learn more about our neighbors, the history and their vision for the community, and fellowship with them.

A special thanks goes to the groups that have committed to helping NEXT Steps with our March 2013 community cleanups (partial list):  TeamWorks!, Hands On Atlanta Civic Leadership Program, GSU Cares, GSU Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, Community Action for Teens (CATS) , Break Away, Jumpstart (AmeriCorps).

NEXT Steps has adopted the 12 Permaculture Principles as monthly themes to create sustainable events and activities at Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm. Here’s what’s happening this month!

Permaculture Principle #3.

The icon of the vegetable with a bite out of it shows us that there is an element of competition in obtaining a yield, whilst the proverb “You can’t work on an empty stomach” reminds us that we must get immediate rewards to sustain us.

Reprint from Leaflet 174 of the Cooperative Extension Service of The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

You can plant or harvest something from your garden almost all year. The two major planting periods, however, are spring (March to May) and fall (mid-July to September). The spring plantings are harvested in June and July, while the fall plantings are harvested from October to December. January and February are prime times for looking at seed catalogs, dreaming of warm spring days, preparing garden plots, and getting ready for a productive season.

The following recommendations are based on long term average dates of the last killing frost in the spring and first killing frost in the fall. Every year does not conform to the “average,” so you should use your own judgment about advancing or delaying the time for each job, depending on weather conditions. This calendar is prepared mainly as a reminder and guide for planning your garden work. Other extension publications containing information about specific gardening practices are mentioned throughout this leaflet and are available at your county extension office or on the web at http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubs/pubalph.html

March Tips

• Make second plantings of such quickly-maturing crops as turnips, mustard, radishes and “spring onions.”
• Thin plants when they are 2 to 3 inches tall to give the plants room to grow.
• Carry out any February jobs not completed.
• Treat seed before planting or buy treated seed for protection against seed-borne diseases, seed decay, seedling “damping off” and soil insects such as seed-corn maggots. (See Gardening in Georgia, Extension Bulletin 577, and Insect Control in the Home Garden, Extension Circular 373.)
• Early-planted crops may need a nitrogen side dressing, particularly if the soil is cool. Place the fertilizer several inches to the side of the plants and water it in. A little fertilizer throughout the growing period is better than too much at one time.
• Before settling them in the garden, harden-off transplants – place them in their containers outdoors in a sheltered place a few days ahead of planting them. (See Home  Garden Transplants, Extension Leaflet 128.)
• Get rows ready for “warm-season” vegetables to be planted during the last week of  March or first week or two of April as weather permits.
• You might want to risk planting out a few of the more tender crops and keeping them covered during bad weather.
• Watch out for insects, especially cutworms, plant lice (aphids) and red spider mites.
• Put down mulch between rows to control weeds.

March Planting & Harvesting

Georgia Organics provides a nifty planting and harvesting calendar to keep beginning growers in the know.

• Crops ready to plant: asparagus, beet, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, collard, corn, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, potato, radish, spinach, tomato, turnips and watermelon
• Crops ready to harvest: arugula, bok choy, cabbage, carrots, collards, cut flowers, green garlic, English peas, kale & other greens, lettuce, mushrooms, radishes, seedlings, spinach, turnips and tomatoes

Join The Friends of Atwood
and grow with us!

Membership is only $5 a year.  Help us make Atwood one of the best learning gardens in Southwest Atlanta.  Community Service is every 1st & 2nd Saturday (monthly) from 9a-12n and garden classes, workshops and training occur immediately after from 1-2pm.

The Permaculture Principle theme for February is “Catch & Store Energy”. This principle is symbolic for us in many ways — especially as we celebrate National Black History Month. By wisely utilizing our precious resources that our ancestors, neighbors, families and friends have given us access to, we give honor to their legacy and support.

During the entire month of February, NEXT Steps will provide a daily highlight of the collective partnerships we have forged in celebration of our communal successes over the past two years.

Our Daily Highlight

Black History Month Honorees:
Dana Jewel Harris, Lili V. Crymes, Debra Robinson, Julie Brown
Collaborative Partnership Outcome:
These four ladies serve as the backbone of what has made Atwood Community Gardens a place where groups, organizations, families and friends come to fellowship, socialize and work together for a mission far greater than any one person.  A great example of their compassion for me is when Lili brought a group to Atwood when I had the flu.  Because of her, not only did our work get done but the group felt the love we try to pour in every corner and every team building task at Atwood.  (See video above).
Permaculture Principle Impact:
Dana Jewel Harris, Executive Director and Visionary for NEXT Steps and Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm
Lili V. Crymes, Technical Advisor and guru for helping us relate all things gardening to life and how it helps us grow as human beings
Debra Robinson - Market Manager, SWOOM Farmer’s Market Project @ Atwood who created the pathway to social entrepreneurism at Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm
Julie Brown - CEO, Julie Bees and first long-term Atwood volunteer leader, youth activity coordinator (Outdoor Nation), and advocate of NEXT Steps’ Executive Management Team

Dedication:

Since February 2011, these ladies have helped and supported me through this phenomenal journey of growth and self discovery.  Hats off to them as I want to personally say, “Thank you and I love you for all that you have done and given to support my dream.” ~ Dana Jewel Harris

Thank you Lili, Debra & Julie!

I am truly, truly grateful for your continued support and encouragement.

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

Dana Jewel Harris
Executive Director
NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program
Atwood Community Gardens & Urban Farm
*** Birthday ~ Feb 24th ***

P.S.For those who asked, below is how you make a donation to NEXT Steps in my honor.
(Awww….You’re making me blush!!!)
Love you guys!
XOXOXO

NOTE: When we find companies we think might offer products and services to help us accomplish our mission, we will share their information with you.  We do not endorse these companies products or services so try them safely and at your own risk. Click on the images below to learn more about each product.

Serenity Health

About The Company: Serenity Health & Home Décor provides you with thousands of stress-free and relaxation and home decor products.  We want you to find products that truly calm, relax and bring serenity into your life and beautify your home both indoors and out.  Whether it is a tabletop water fountain, a wall fountain or a garden fountain you are searching for, water fountains will provide you with the soothing feeling flowing water creates.  We invite you to browse through the site to help bring Feng Shui into your life today.  You will also find true relaxation with our bean bag furniture, natural alarm clocks, hammocks, fire pits, wind chimes and spinners.

Customer Survey:

 Let the Friends of Atwood Community Garden Club know what you think of these products!

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 Proceeds from your clicks benefit the NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program

Strawberries

Home-grown, vine-ripened strawberries are among the garden’s supreme treats- sweet, succulent, and bursting with flavor. Serve them in shortcakes, blended into smoothies, on ice cream, in cheesecakes or crepes, topped with yogurt or whipped cream, or simply savor them “as is” fresh from the garden. Grocery store strawberries, which are harvested early and ripened off the vine, can’t begin to compare in sweetness and flavor.

Strawberries are also easy to grow in the home garden. The plants form foot-wide
mounds of lush dark green foliage that can serve as an attractive ground cover. They
require no staking or training, as do the larger berries, and only basic care. Once planted
they will spread and continue to produce for four or five years before they need to be
replaced.

Strawberry plants also grow well in pots, patio planters, even in hanging planters. While
there are many varieties of strawberries, there are basically only two types: June-bearing (Allstar) and Everbearing (Ozark and Quinalt).

The June-bearing strawberries bloom in the spring and produce a plentiful crop that ripens during June. The Everbearing strawberries produce both a spring and a fall crop, and continue producing some berries throughout the summer, more when temperatures aren’t too hot. For the home gardener, the best strategy is to plant both types and harvest ripe berries over a long season.

Proceeds from your clicks benefit the NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program