Fall Gardening Begins Now!

The 2012 fall harvest schedule is based on Arlington’s first frost date of early to mid-November, and  should not be used outside the Beltway.

The schedule was created by Don Webber – garden volunteer extraordinaire and Research Entomologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavoir Laboratory.

Download and print the rough guide for planting vegetable for fall harvest in Arlington (pdf)

 

Need help with your garden? Want to talk to an expert?

Come to our Garden Talks on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m., or Master Gardener Advice sessions, Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. – both at the Central Library vegetable garden unless otherwise stated. Download and print the updated 2012 Garden schedule.

 

 

 

Extending Your Garden Season

Get the Fall Vegetable Planting Schedule.

“Arlingwoman” is a local gardener who volunteers with Plot Against Hunger. She blogs about AFAC,  the Central Library vegetable garden and Garden Talks at arlingwords.wordpress.com.

 

I mentioned in last week’s blog that I had started planting for fall.  Just as in the transitioning spring garden, there are plants that have yielded what they will and need to be removed.  You can plant in these cleared spaces.

During last Wednesday evening’s Talk in the Garden at Central Library, Don Weber, a research entomologist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, brought seeds, plants, and extensive knowledge.

This blog is too late to discuss replanting summer crops such as zucchini and green beans, which can be replanted throughout the summer up until mid-August.  But cool weather crops such as beets, carrots, chard, and lettuces can be seeded now until mid-September.  Radishes, spinach and turnips can be planted until October 1^stand garlic can be seeded starting mid-September through November 1.  Don starts things such as broccoli, collards, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and leeks in July for planting in August as seedlings.  Peas can also be seeded, but hurry—just until early September.

The first thing you have to do when starting the fall garden is restore nutrients the earlier crops have used up.  You may recall a few weeks ago, I cleaned up my garden and added composted leaf mulch.  This is good in two ways.  It enriches the soil and it helps keep the ground moist. Whether you plant seeds or seedlings, you will need to keep them moist.  Sprouts that come up in a dry environment won’t last long and seeds that aren’t  kept moist may not germinate.

The nice thing about fall plantings is that they may have fewer insect problems.  If you have had insect problems on particular plants in the garden and wish to plant the same kinds again for fall, it may be a good idea to let the area lie fallow for a couple weeks.  This gives the insects time to lose hope and move on.  Once you have thriving plants, you can care for them and await your harvest.

In Arlington, we usually don’t have a killing frost until mid- to late November.  If the weather service reports the possibility of frost, you can still save your plants by covering them with newspaper, sheets, row cover material or some other thing you may have on hand.  Just remember to remove the coverings by mid-morning so the plants don’t get over heated.  In years past, I have taken fresh arugula and flowers to the Thanksgiving table from my garden.  With any luck, I’ll be able to do the same this year!

Arlingwoman’s garden writings can also be found on twitter, at @Arlingwoman

 

Singing and dancing about animals!

On August 9, the Aurora Hills Branch Library hosted Uno Dos, Tres con Andrés as part of the Summer Reading 2012.

click on photos to enlarge

more photos on flickr

Though Summer Reading 2012 is over, we’re looking forward to our fall programs. Our next program is the Kid’s Club on Wednesday, Sept. 12, to celebrate International Dot Day and make decorations for the children’s room at Aurora Hills.

 

Learn more about Kids Events at the Library.

 

 

 

Do you know how to squirrel-proof a pumpkin in Fairlington?

Share your advice in the PLACE Space conversation about Pumpkins and Squirrels…

 

 

 

PLACE Space: It’s Not a Social Network – It’s Your Local Network

Do you know how to…

• Connect with people and organizations outside your own neighborhood?
• Find out who’s building partnerships, getting involved and making a difference in Arlington?
• Weigh-in on Arlington issues that are important to you and your community?

Share your knowledge on PLACE Space!

 

A Virtual Town Square

It’s a place to foster conversation over shared interests, and to connect people, organizations and businesses from all over Arlington. And it’s designed to be community-driven, though County staff and elected officials can also contribute relevant expertise and knowledge. Learn more.

Build the Arlington You Care About

Only YOU can make it happen – so check it out today!

 

PLACE Space grew out of the Arlington County Board’s Participation, Leadership and Civic Engagement (PLACE) initiative, with the goal of expanding the ways in which residents engage with each other and our government. The site launched in beta at the 2012 Arlington County Fair.

The PLACE Space site was developed by the Arlington County Public Library, where the environment of knowledge-sharing that PLACE Space hopes to create is already an important part of our everyday work.

 

Check out what we made!

Last Sunday, a bunch of teens helped decorate the windows at the Shirlington Branch Library:

 

Come in and see for yourself!

 

Dance, Dream and Play with Us!

There will be no preschool storytimes at any Library location from Monday, August 13 until Monday, September 10.

Were you younger than Andrew?

Andrew is about to become a first grader in Arlington , and he just got his first Arlington Public Library card at the Columbia Pike Branch Library. We think he looks like he’s about to check out lots of great books.

Have Fun Andrew, and Happy Reading!

 

 

…but not us fussing over her.

Eight and a half year old Martha-Anne was the first patron to walk through the doors at the Shirlington Branch Library on Thursday, July 5 – our first re-stored Thursday, thanks to the new schedule approved by the County Board.

As you can see, Martha-Anne was a little put off by all the hullaballoo (although she said it was okay to take her photo).

Her mother, who is a former Library volunteer, happily told us, “It’s great that the Library is open on Thursdays now!  We love the library!”

 

Have you been in on a Thursday yet? We’re open from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and we’d love to see you, too!

 

 

A Great Sleepover for Teddy Bears (and more)

On Saturday night, over 90 children and their stuffed animals came to Central Library for a special Teddy Bear Sleepover Storytime. Then 16 of the stuffed animals stayed overnight in the children’s room (the others decided they didn’t want to be separated from their kids).

The stuffed animals who did stay had an animals-only storytime, checked out books and DVDs, used the computers, explored the shelves, and finally were tucked in for the night:

 

click on photos to enlarge

more photos on flickr