Pac Choi try out

 Dear Gardeners,

 Just with the idea of trying it out we have just planted some Pac Choi, in small amounts, to learn more about it as a possible vegetable for us to grow at DIGS. The West Coast Seed Planning Guide says that Pac Choi can be started from seed and then covered over winter all through this month. I checked out a few informative videos and will see if "cut and come again" is a good method for us this winter. Here are the videos I found most helpful.

Pak choi 

Bok choi and pak choi; how to grow (video)

How to utilize "Cut and come again" to get three heads from one (video):

The first video also covers how to avoid bolting in this sensitive-to-heat plant.

Enjoy watching them grow in square bed 17a with more to come, as they are sprouting on the baby lettuce table.

Best, Jen

Garlic Braid How-To Demo

 Dear Gardeners,

Mike G. will be giving a "How to make Garlic Braids" demonstration at the DIGS garden Labour Day weekend, on Saturday Sept. 2nd at 10:30 am. It would be a quick, 15-minute demo covering cleaning the garlic bulbs for tying, and then wrapping them with twine into a fantastic hanger.  Just as last year, the magnificent braids (there are four this year) that Mike and Andria made will be raffled off so you can win one!

We will be holding two separate garlic braid draws this year, doubling your chances to win with two braids in each draw. The garlic is the Community Garden’s finest — jumbo-sized European Purple Stripe, which will last all winter when hung in your kitchen. Each braid has 16 bulbs. 

Ticket prices are the same as last year — $2 for one raffle ticket, or three tickets for $5.

Garlic Braid Raffle Tickets will be available every Saturday morning at the Community Garden (between 10 and 11:30 A.M.), at the DIGS  Fall Fair on Sept. 9 at Beacon House, or by contacting Veronica Z. or Mike G.

 Draws to be held Thanksgiving Weekend, Saturday, Oct. 7, and for Christmas, during the Art Walk at Beacon House Dec. 3. The funds raised go toward DIGS garden.