RE: Transplanting trees & growing cash

 

 

From: utahgardens [mailto:utahgardens@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2004 8:15 AM
To: 'Connie Nelson'
Cc: ACGA Board
Subject: RE: [cg] Transplanting trees & growing cash

 

Connie

 

One of the things that has worked well for one group here in Utah is growing a mix of micro greens in the Spring. They can be sold within 30 days of planting; organically grown, they net a top dollar, and if you get creative, I have been told you can grow them in flats (which makes them a great greenhouse/coldframe crop), cut the greens and get a second crop off of the flat. Then you compost the roots. Of course fresh cut flowers seem to always do well at our farmers market. Ourselves, we have grown bedding plants in small coldframes. We brought in small plugs you can get for about 3.5-4 cents a piece. Put 48 in a flat (about 2.00) pay for the cost of the flat (35 cents), the inserts (25 cents) and the soil (about 50 cents) [total 3.10 cents per flat]; grow them about 6-8 weeks outside in small coldframes covered with plastic and, depending on your market, you should be able to get about $8 a flat. Notice I did not charge for labor, as we count on volunteers. If you do this, only use hardy annuals that are fairly frost tolerant. We grew snapdragons, dusty miller, petunias and dianthus. I found that the dianthus and petunias worked out the best. Plant them early to mid April (after chance of hard frost [upper 20s] has past---Having grown them commercially for 8 years, I have seen petunias go down to 23 degrees without a heater in the greenhouse) for late May sales. Make sure to keep the coldframes covered every night and uncover them by about 11:00 each day. They need water at least daily. This is a pretty time intensive fundraiser, but can be worth it. It also it a more risky one due to the weather.

 

Good Luck

 

Shane

 

Utah GARDENS

 

From: community_garden-admin@mallorn.com [mailto:community_garden-admin@mallorn.com] On Behalf Of Connie Nelson
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2004 12:37 AM
To: community_garden@mallorn.com
Subject: [cg] Transplanting trees & growing cash

 

Thanks to the many folks that responded to my request for advice on transplanting a small fir tree. I feel much more confident this will be a positive experience, for both the tree and myself. Mother Nature has promised beautiful weather this Saturday so will try for a successful tree move to a more harmonious spot.

 

I have another request.  From time to time, the listserv has mentioned different ways of literally growing some of a community garden's funding.  Would people please tell the rest of us about crops that were grown to raise money, for example, the recent reference to wine grapes from Adam.  Also, please tell where they were grown, as in southern Georgia and any difficulties / successes experienced.

 

I, as well as others on the listserv, would be most interested and appreciative.  Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge and experience that is so readily shared with one and all.

 

Connie Nelson

Spokane, WA

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