Rain Barrel Workshop

Date: Saturday, August 13th

Time: 10-12 am
Location: 430 West Trinity Place (behind the jail) in Decatur

Cost: $49.00

We will show the power point,  “Atlanta-All Tapped Out”. Everybody leaves with a finished recycled rain barrel. You have the choice of white, blue, grey (olive barrel), or terra cotta (olive barrel) recycled barrels.

To RSVP: call 404-829-2647

therainbarreldepot.com

www.waterandgrits.com

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Board Meeting

Next board meeting is Thursday, July 28 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm at Goldberg’s Deli in Georgetown Square.

We welcome anyone to attend, although we don’t set aside time for public comment. We do, however, always welcome feedback. You can leave a comment on our blog, email us (membership@dunwoodygarden.org), or talk to any board member in person.

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Workday Saturday

Most of the members of the grounds team will be having a work day  this Saturday morning from 9:00 until 11:00.

Anyone who may not be interested in committing to being a member of  the grounds team, but who would like to help out this Saturday, we would welcome the extra muscle. All you need is gloves, and  enthusiasm.  We’ll provide the rest. Non-members are welcome to volunteer.

This might also be a good time for anyone who needs to weed around a plot to take advantage of a lot of expertise and tons of free advice.

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Squash Vine Borer

Squash vine borers are native to the eastern US, and by this time of the year, they’re munching on our plants and causing damage. Squash vine borers are different from squash bugs, by the way.

The telltale signs of an infected plant: rotten stem, sawdust-like substance, and/or wilting leaves. Check the base of the stem. If it looks rotten or hollow or you see a sawdust-like substance, act quickly. If your squash leaves are also wilting, it might be too late to save the plant.

The adult moth resembles a wasp, and here in Georgia, has two broods a year, laying its eggs at the base of the stem. The egg hatches and then the larvae bores itself into the stem. The sawdust-like substance is actually waste from the larvae. The larvae, after doing a number to your squash vine, burrows itself into the soil and pupates the next spring, restarting the cycle.

Larvae

Adult Moth

How to save an infected plant: Slit the stem with a sharp knife and pull the larvae out. Cover the damaged area with plenty of soil to encourage root growth and keep it moist. With a little luck, the squash plant will perk up.

What to do with the larvae: Squish the sucker, but if you can’t stomach that, drop it inside a birdhouse. If you drop it into the soil, it will overwinter and pupate next year.

How to discourage squash vine borers:

• Till the soil to expose overwintered larvae.
• Rotate crops.
• Wrap the base of the stem with pantyhose or foil to prevent egg laying.

Further reading:

• Clemson Extension (Disregard any non-organic recommendations! But they have great pictures and descriptions.)
• ATTRA (Organic recommendations!)

Do you have squash vine borers in your garden?

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Pear Gleaning

Members of our garden helped glean over quarter ton of fruit from one pear tree, and nearly all of it went to Malachi’s Storehouse, the food pantry that runs out of St. Patrick’s church. Pattie Baker, our food pantry co-leader, spearheaded this project and partnered with Concrete Jungle.

Read all about it here.

Want to head up a Dunwoody fruit gleaning team? Email us.

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