Wednesday 9 April 2014

Stink(y) Bug(gers) invade Ontario, pest to fruits and vegetables


Read the CBC story here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/invasive-stink-bugs-spreading-across-ontario-1.2602769

Quote from article:

Spring is when adult stink bugs emerge from the warm confines of where they spent winter, usually attics and soffits.

The agriculture ministry is asking anyone in Ontario who finds a stink bug to catch it, take a photo and send the picture to the ministry.

“The best way to preserve specimens, and to prevent them from being crushed, is to place them in a small container with rubbing alcohol or vinegar,” the ministry says. “Good quality digital photos, showing key features such as the two white bands on each antenna, can also be useful for identifying [them].”

Friday 4 April 2014

Things you Need to Know about the NAGA Garden Waiting List


This post is to explain the general process in dealing with the waiting list for garden plots at the NAGA garden. Even given the large size of the NAGA garden, there is more demand for plots than available supply. Each spring the waiting list for an Annual Plot (20 ft by 30 ft, 600 sq. ft.) is approximately 80 persons. Each year anywhere from about 10-20 Annual Plots become available, so unfortunately it can take several years to get into the garden. Of the 80 people on the list one year, some people move away, or are no longer interested in a plot when offered, so a person's position on the waiting list may occasionally improve quickly.

For non-members: To get on the waiting list, any Ottawa resident who is interested should notify the Chairperson of the desire to obtain a new membership in NAGA (i.e. to get a plot). The best way to do this is to email nagagardens@gmail.com, with your name, address and phone number(s) and state whether you are only interested in a raised bed (large box), a perennial plot or an annual plot. From this email the person’s name and the date their request was made are recorded on the waiting list in chronological order. If you do not specify which type, you will be offered, when your turn comes up, whatever is available at that time. Keep in mind that waiting time for perennial plots is much longer than that for the other two types.

For existing NAGA members: People who are already NAGA members are sent renewal notices each spring (usually in late March). They are offered the same plots they had the previous year. If the member is renewing their license to garden in NAGA, they must return their renewal form with any requested changes (for example, add a plot if eligible, reduce the number of plots, swap one type for another, or move to or from a raised garden bed, etc.). However, not all requests can be met. A specific plot that a member wants may not be available, and another person may be higher up on the waiting list. Priorities are given to current members in good standing to obtain more plots as specified in NAGA’s Bylaw (Maximum of 1,200 Sq. Ft.). Once all the renewal forms with payments are received by the Registrar, and the data is entered into the current member database, the Registrar determines which plots become available for new members. Some members may reduce the number of plots in their care, or decide to retire from the garden for any number of reasons. Final tally doesn’t normally occur until after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) date, which is the deadline for paying membership fees and that usually happens around mid-April.

In early May, and after the gardens have been ploughed and staked for numbering purposes, the Registrar contacts people from the waiting list to see if they are still interested in a plot being offered to them by NAGA. People are contacted in chronological order from the date the name was added to the waiting list (members requests, who are in good standing, are filled first, and then new members requests are handled).

For existing NAGA members who requested a change in plots (number or location), they may not get the exact plot they would prefer. There are many other gardeners to consider, who have also made requests, possibly before your request was made.

Please be patient and wait for your turn. Please be respectful when dealing with the Registrar and all Directors of NAGA Board who are volunteers and are trying their best to provide fair access to the garden for all current and future gardeners.
 

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Gardens that grow more than food - Article from Ottawa Citizen


On March 30 there was a great article about allotment gardening in the Ottawa Citizen by Shannon Moneo. Shannon lives and gardens on Vancouver Island and grows on a 250 sq ft plot, almost the size of a NAGA perennial. Read and enjoy the article.