• Irrigation System: This year the growing season has been delayed.  While the possibility of freezes are over, one area that needs to be checked is the irrigation system. PLEASE test your part of the system at the valve box and the pipe to your plot for leaks. To turn on your water, remove the round valve box cover, and turn the lever in the direction indicated by the arrow to open. It will be easier to turn if you purchase a turn key.  You can find it at Home Depot (Orbit 28 in Steel Heavy Duty Steel Key for $11.99). If you have a leak where the pipes connect, it may just need to be put back together.  But if the pipe has split it will need to be replaced. If you find a leak and cannot fix it yourself, first make sure your water valve is turned off and then contact garden management. 

            Plot #1 - #43 Kent Binfield   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Plot # 44 - #89 Steve Ng  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Want to Build up your plot?  Use pine boards, NOT PRESSURE TREATED WOOD.  Chemicals are used to treat the wood, which will leach into the soil and defeat our organic program. 

• Do You Need Soil?  It is cheaper and easier if those in the garden who need to add soil go in together on an order from Living Earth Technologies. To decide how much soil you would need, calculate the yards needed. To order soil, one person is needed to coordinate with Living Earth for the shipment. That person would need each gardener’s payment for the soil BEFORE the order is placed and then each gardener is held, by the honor system, too only take the amount of soil as ordered from the group pile. If you are interested, contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . An email will be sent to all those interested for the group to coordinate and get this project done.  

• Mulch Mulch Mulch: Now is good time to mulch pathways: Get a jump on the grass by choking it out with lots and lots of mulch.

• NOW is the time to begin seedlings, as it will take about 6 weeks for them to be ready for planting in the ground. One site that has information about seedlings, direct soiling and transplants is http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/planting-vegetables-from-seed-and-seedling.htm
• Veggie Gardening, general info; http://www.backyardgardener.com/veg/ andhttp://www.vegetablegardener.com/
• Crop Suggestions for North TX: http://www.nhg.com/pdf/NTxVegPlanting_spring.pdf . If you get the Dallas Morning News, check out the Thursday Daily Guide section for vegetable planting articles from Mariana Greene, as well as the Garden Calendar listing both free and for a fee classes. Also go to http://www.dallasnews.com/ and search for garden calendar.

 Class in the Garden for March: 

• Tomato Planting Demo: Heather Rinaldi and Pam Walsh will share the best way to plant tomatoes Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 pm.  Spread the word to fellow gardeners, the public is invited. 

If you have a website or book that has been helpful to you, please share it with the garden by emailing  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  It will be posted on the links page of the website.

Mentoring Program: 

We are developing the mentoring program at the garden.  You do not need to be a master gardener, but someone who is willing to help can use this as an opportunity to learn together with other gardeners. Our survey gave us some names of those willing to be Mentors and those wanting a Mentor.  However, several surveys did not have names so we are asking that you email Membership, on the “email us” page of the websitehttp://www.lhgarden.org/email-us.html if you would like to be a mentor or if you would like a mentor. There will be a meeting in March to get this program up and running, which will be posted on the calendar.  

Donation Garden:

We have begun planting early crops and will continue planting and harvesting from now until next winter.  Come on out any Saturday morning to work side by side with other gardeners, learn from one another and have some fun for a good cause.  Please consider donating left over seeds or seedlings any time.  There is a seed exchange box in the Fridge Shed, key location can be found on the directory page for LHCG website registered gardeners.  If you have never grown a soil-building winter cover crop, come take a look at the hairy vetch, Austrian winter peas and clover growing at the Donation Garden—they are pretty, good for your soil and a great way for your plot to spend its winter next year. For more information contact Nancy Wilson from the “email us” webpage http://www.lhgarden.org/email-us.html.

Butterfly Garden:

Below is a list of plants that we will be planting in March, weather permitting. If you would like to help by donating a plant or giving funds, please contact Lois at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call 214-341-0739

1. Pentas (pentas lanceolata)
2. Purple cornflower (Echinacea purpurea)
3. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
4. Rue (Ruta Graveolens)
5. Tropical Milkweed (ascelpias currassavica)
6. False nettle (Boehmeria cyclindrical)
7. Petunia (Petrunia x hybrida)
8. Zinnia (Zinnia sp.)
9. Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera)  

If you have other plants and want to give it to the BG, call Lois to arrange a time to meet at the plot. 

Volunteer Opportunities: 

Join the Garden Management Team: 

Help coordinate communication and plot activities in the area of Maintenance (ie, irrigation solutions, drainage issues, storage sheds, tools, etc) The duties would not be that of a garden cop, but more to be the go to person for your area to make sure garden issues are handled in a timely matter. The garden will be divided into 6 areas and each Manager, for lack of a better word, would have 15 plots to help Kent Binfield & Steve Ng. The time commitment will vary but usually would be no more that a few hours a month.  This system will help the garden be a better steward of the area and our water. Contact Kent Binfield at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or  Steve NG at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Social Events:  Do you like to party and have fun? Then we need you to help plan our Social Events! All work and no play will make for a dull garden. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  for more information  

Website:

The calendar on the website is one place to find crop planting time suggestions, as well as gardening activities for the community garden and surrounding area. If you know of an event that would help our gardeners, please email it to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

(All websites and businesses noted in this publication are given as information and for educational purposes not as an endorsement)