- Author: Betsy Buxton
Well, here it is – early spring – or did we have spring all winter? Plants that should be poking up now are gone; they've poked, they've bloomed (beautifully, I might add!), and started to shrivel and dry up. Yes, I'm talking daffodils and anemones. Did the beautiful heart filling thing and have said “so long” til next year. Roses are blooming as are the clematis and all before the end of March.
The Master Gardener info booth in Vallejo is thriving – more volunteers please (hint, hint) with more and more folks deciding that this is their gardening year. Questions and more questions, all about different sides on the same seed: what to plant that won't need much water. We've made a lot of friends and interested others into trying new plants and vegetables. In times like this drought, we are a most popular fount of information!
Talking with attendees at our ongoing series “Gardening 101” has been most informative. Topics on tools, plant selection, when to plant which vegetables, etc., has really opened up a new dialogue with growing wanna bees and experienced folks which leads into discussions about healthy eating, community gardens plots for those with no space for a garden, and just where these community gardens are.
Community gardens are a great place to meet like-minded folks as well as a way to segue into vegetable gardening on a small scale. There are gardens in Fairfield, and a few in Vallejo; thanks to Councilman Dave Hudson of Suisun, I now am aware of the Suisun Community Garden on Lotz Way near beautiful downtown Suisun! I understand that the only fee is for water, but I need to check that garden for myself.
That conversation with Dave started me thinking about why. Suisun has no Farmers' Market and whys and why nots. Hmmm, another way to get myself into something – people who know me well understand that I do ask questions about things and usually continue until I receive sensible answers not just “well, that's the way it is” or “it's always been like this”. Nope, not good enough for me most of the time. So I'm putting out feelers as to can the City of Suisun City have a Farmers' Market too. I'll let you know how it goes, but I know getting my answers will be interesting!
A big PS: Reading my issue of Country Gardens, a magazine put out by Better Homes and Gardens Publishing Company, there in an article was a mention to contact a local Cooperative Extension Service for questions and problem solving.