As the temperatures creep into the 100s in the midst of the dog dayz of summer, the garden is going gangbusters! All but 2.5 plots are being gardened this season! After a rough start with ravenous insects and some dry patches, beautiful produce and flowers grace many plots. Gardening not only teaches patience but also resilience. It is also known to increase longevity. We hope all that weeding and harvesting is strengthening and rejuvenating, or at least makes you sleep well!
Updates
Share your Surplus Veggies!
Veggie donations to Veggie Van, our Partner organization, are in full swing! Bring your veggies to the Barn before 8 am by Sunday and Thursday so they can be picked up by Shelley and delivered to communities in need. The produce you donate goes a long way with this organization as it is brought to areas that are considered food deserts and offers a nutritious option to families who struggle to find healthy choices in their areas.
Tip for being a Good Garden Neighbor
Use Splitters: If you are going to use a permanent watering system in your plot, then please use a splitter on the main water faucet tap with a valve to ensure that all gardeners have access to water for their plot. They are priced at around $10 and Gary, Operations Lead, would be happy to help you pick one out! Reach out to our Leadership team Here with questions.
Bugs, Bugs and More Bugs
Bugs this year: gardeners report the insect du jour is grasshoppers!
Gary and Jeneyne recommend using Neem Oil or border your plot with garlic in all forms. Cucumber beetles ate many seedlings, but some gardeners report catching the eggs of squash beetles can ward them off, if you have time for that sort of thing (you can find them on the underside of the leaves). Flea beetles ate many seedlings, and Patty and Katie report that row covers can protect the seedlings (for future reference next season or if you decide to do another round of planting as it cools off).
Event Recap
Rose Roots Garden Volunteer Day – June 15
The leadership team would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to the 22 volunteers who collectively donated 52.5 hours of their time on a hot June Saturday morning. The volunteers began working at 9 am and the last tool was put back in the shed by 1:30 pm. Many worked on weeding along the south and west fence lines, cleaning up the east and west composting areas, weeding and graveling common areas and low points in the garden, cleaning up around the barn, covering 4 unleased plots, and sweeping and weeding at the pavilion. We made a large dent in our to do list! Thank you all for many jobs well done! Please remember to log your hours Here. There were 22 volunteers and we worked 52.5 human hours and got quite a bit of work done.
Rose Roots Garden Volunteer Day Memories
Leadership Opportunities
Joining the Volunteer Garden Leadership Team is a special opportunity to expand your gardening knowledge and your friend base! in October 2024 we will be electing a new board for the 2025 Garden Season. The Board is composed of 9 people, including five elected members and four appointed Members at Large. The elected positions available in the 2025 season include:
President
Vice President
Administrator
Membership
We are also looking for Leads for:
Community Outreach
Events Coordinator
Please fill out this Leadership Interest Form if you are interested in joining our board next season. Volunteer leadership requires only as much time as you can give and offers many opportunities for sharing ideas and connection. We would love to have new and experienced gardeners and all of your ideas for maintaining and improving our garden community!
Volunteer Organization Opportunities
Do you have organizations wanting to serve your community and needing volunteer hours? Learn about the importance of Pollinators and drought-resistant perennial species pollinators love and get volunteer hours logged for your 12 Service Hour requirement per plot per season (or 6 hours for half and raised plots). We would love more participants to help maintain our crown jewel Rose Roots Pollinator Garden which frames the garden entrance, is enjoyed by many community members along the pathway, and is often featured in the annual Arvada Pollinator Garden Tour. Thank you especially to Katie, Shannon, Joan, and Alyssa for maintaining the thriving perennials which has been a labor of love for generations of Rose Roots service teams.
Upcoming Events
Sat July 20 at 8:30 am-12 pm: Garden Work Party: Please join us for a social work party to help maintain our Pollinator Garden, Westside and Community Spaces. This is a great way to get your Service Hours in and meet new friends in your garden community! Come when you can, leave when you must.
Wed Aug 28, 5:30 pm-8 pm: Garden Maintenance Party: Join Community Volunteers for an evening Garden Maintenance Party. Gardener Jason Anderson's church community comes periodically to support garden maintenance and we so appreciate their contributions!
Save the Date!
Sat Sept 21: 5 to 7:30 pm: Potluck BBQ and Music in the Garden
On the Horizon
Planters Galore: in Fall we plan to plant four large planters. If you’re splitting your irises or any other perennials, we will be having work day in the fall to plant the troughs, and we encourage you to reach out to Special Projects Lead Patty Sacks Here if you have plants to share at that time.
Gardener of the Month: Steve Wheeler was nominated as the Gardener of the Month for his positive garden vibe and his willingness to jump in to help wherever help is needed! Thank you Steve for all you do!
Gardener Gratitude
Margaret Jacot and Anna Campbell: thank you for sprucing up the children’s garden. Your hard work is noticed and appreciated!
Jack Nix: thank you for stepping up on the Fourth of July holiday to fix a broken valve. Your dedication to the garden helps keep the place running smoothly!
Shannon and Katie: Thank you for maintaining the Pollinator Garden along with a small team of volunteers including Joan, Anna, and Alyssa. The Pollinator garden maintenance team welcomes new participants. Check the Calendar Here for upcoming Pollinator Garden Maintenance Socials.
We especially would like to thank Calvin Chisum for assisting with watering the trees at West Side. Calvin is a retired farmer from Nevada who recently moved to Arvada to be close to his son, gardener John Chisum, who regularly pitches in the assist at the garden. John and Calvin, thanks for your efforts.
The Rose Roots Leadership Team looks forward to seeing you out at the garden and at one of our upcoming events!
Happy Gardening,
Laura Bennett, President, Membership
Erin Newton, Vice President
Shannon Sawyer, Administrator
Tom Glum, Treasurer
Gary Williams, Operations Lead
Jim Richards, Operations Lead
Patty Sacks, Special Projects Lead
Katie Meis, Pollinator Garden Lead
Commentaires