Tending Soil

If you stopped by the garden last week, you may have noticed that the topsoil in the raised beds was looking a bit dry. After heavy Mid-April rains liquified the top layers of soil, the blazing sun came in and created a crisp white crust.

This weekend, one of our volunteer gardeners remedied the issue by breaking up the crust, turning the soil and folding in a composted mix of mushrooms, food scraps and manure. The beds were then deeply watered and covered with straw mulch. The organic matter and the mulch will assist in retaining moisture as we begin to transition to summer. This is especially important for our raised beds, which rely solely on harvested rainwater for hydration.

Pollinator Houses by Girl Scout Troop 7775

Thank you, once again, to Girl Scout Troop 7775 for building and installing pollinator houses in the Skyview Harmony Garden. Many pollinators, like Orchard Mason Bees, don't make hives and homes and so they need a protected place to seek shelter. They prefer narrow openings, such as the hollows of reeds, for hiding out. So our local troop built these beautiful structures as a way of inviting beneficial pollinators into our school garden! The troop also released a group of ladybugs into the garden to help us fend off aphids. Thanks friends! See you in the garden!