VISTA MATTERS: Time to Learn

September 6, 2019

New! Upcoming classes from UF IFAS

Planning and mapping your garden bed

Saturday, September 7

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Lisa Meredith from UF will teach us about the importance of properly laying out your bed to ensure optimal growth.

Reference link: Mapping Garden Beds

How to transplant your crop for a great bounty

Saturday, Sept 28

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Lisa Meredith from UF will teach us how to successfully transplanting and raising nightshades. Informing gardeners before they transplant their eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. Ideally, we would offer two consecutive thirty-minute presentations - the first presenting basic information for beginning gardeners and the second presenting more sophisticated information for experienced gardeners

How to plant winter crops

Saturday, October 12

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Lisa Meredith from UF teach us how to successfully transplanting and raising brassicas informing gardeners before they transplant their broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, collards, and kale. Ideally, we would offer two consecutive thirty-minute presentations - the first presenting basic information for beginning gardeners and the second presenting more sophisticated information for experienced gardeners.

Fall Planting Potluck

Saturday, September 7

Noon

Join us at VISTA Gardens to kick off the fall planting season, meet your fellow gardeners and share some yummy food.

We also will have our committee chairs in attendance to share the fun work they lead on behalf of the community - and how you can join them!

Bring your chair and drink, plus a favorite dish to share.

For more info., or to RSVP, contact Laurie K. at 813 758 9457

Generations Gathering

Saturday, Sept 14

9:30 a.m.

Join Little Villagers and their families to help them explore and learn about the planting stage of gardening.

In addition to exploring the gardens, children will enjoy familiar and unusual vegetables and fruits with Ann Wallace and Vivian Mao, paint rocks and create butterfly paintings with Scarlet Rodriguez and Susan Golden, and hear stories about birds and explore bird feeders and houses in the garden with Mary Ellen Dallman and Jay Nilmeier.

Lori Vella is planning and leading the event that brings together many generations and is funded through a grant VISTA received from Forever Friends.

RSVP to Lori V.

ENCORE: Getting Your Garden Going

From Bill West, President, VISTA Gardens

Greetings VISTA Gardeners,

We will soon all be starting up our gardens, weather permitting! Actions items needed to get your garden off to a fast start:

Weed your plot and surrounding pathway: We had a really productive day last weekend with members and volunteers, but your help is needed to tend to your plot and its surrounding area
Reset your plots soil level: The soil in your bed should reach the top of the wood frame. Adding soil is a physical task and there are many of us who are willing and able to help with, so please ask. You can return the favor by helping weeding beds and pathways!
Mulch your pathway. Fill your surrounding area with mulch until it reaches the half way mark of your plots wooden frame.
Amend your beds. Once your soil is in your bed and your pathways are mulched, it is time to add amendments to the soil. Ask Roberta, Marty or myself if you are unfamiliar on how to do this. If your plot was covered for summer, you should recover and let it rest for one week after adding the amendments. If you have plants in your plot at this time (like Okra) then you next planting stage should be planned for one week after the Okra is removed. Or you may elect to work around and/or transplant your existing plants.
Plant your beds. Once the soil as rested it is time to add your seedlings,or seeds, along with the final amendments.
Final last step step: Attend our super fun Pot Luck September 7th to kick off the season!

One last note that I have mentioned before, some insurance policies ask if you participate in regular physical activity and list gardening! The up and down movement, outdoor activity is really great for your health! When you add this to the vegetable harvest, the aesthetics of your plot, the technical problem solving challenge, the connection to the environment, and the community interaction and you have the one of the healthiest most rewarding activities. A healthy well maintained VISTA is a reflection of the health, fitness and creativity of it's members. See you at the garden. - Bill

VISTA Gardens

13572 South Village Drive

Tampa, Florida 33618

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