Barbara Low

Wednesday, July 26^th

• From 9-10 a.m. at the SOREC Extension Office, 569 Hanley Rd., we will be accepting donated produce for Access. See details on JCMGA website https://jacksoncountymga.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Plant-a-Row-Update.pdf
• We will be collecting produce every Wednesday from that point.

Saturday, August 19^th

• JCMGA Membership Annual Picnic at OSU Extension, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point.  It will be from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Beginning this month, you can donate any extra produce you grow, and Access Community Action Agency of Jackson County will distribute it to help feed others.  Plant a Row provides a great opportunity for us to help others who need a little extra help to feed their families.

How can you donate produce to people in need?

1. Grow food! Whether you have a community garden plot, or just a few tomato plants, every pound helps.
2. Produce can be dropped off at the SOREC Extension by the Free Table on Wednesday mornings from 9-10 a.m. This will start July 26^th.
3. Once you’ve dropped off your donation, we will have a record sheet which you may use to record how much produce (by weight) and what kind of vegetable/fruit you have donated so we can keep track! (The form is on the next page if you want to fill it out in advance.)
4. We have a beautiful Plant a Row Food Donated Thermometer to record how much food we are able to donate to Access (by pounds). Thank you Janine Slavatti for creating the thermometer!!
5. Encourage friends to participate even if they are not Master Gardeners.

If you have questions, please

contact Barbara Low at barbaralow@msn.com.

Plant A Row Project

Name _____________________________________    Date ________________

Please drop off donations at the SOREC Extension

569 Hanley Rd, Central Point, OR 97502

By the Free Table on Wednesday mornings from 9-10 a.m.

beginning on July 26^th.

I am continuing this series of articles and hope that you find them helpful and inspiring. In July, there is quite a bit to do in the garden depending on what you want to grow.  Our gardens still need to be cared for so that they will do well, and we will have a plentiful harvest. By caring for our gardens, we are also caring for ourselves – physically, mentally, and emotionally.   

The Jackson County Master Gardener Association has a great resource for gardeners to use. It is the Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley – Year-Round & Month by Month.  This great reference book for gardeners is mainly about growing vegetables, berries, and melons.

July is the time to:

• Blackberries need at least 1” of water per week while growing and fruiting. Providing heavy mulch will reduce the frequency of watering.
• Blueberries also require a constant supply of moisture while fruiting.
• Potatoes should have their water supply decreased when you see their tops dying back.
• When peppers start to blossom, spray them with a solution of Epsom salt (4 tablespoons per gallon of water). This will help to make them crisper and sweeter.

• Plants which you can plant as seed outside (make sure to check the soil temperature)

• Plants to transplant this month (make sure to check the soil temperature)

• 
• Fertilize and Prune
  • Asparagus
  • Trailing cane berries finish producing fruit- prune those vines which produced fruit. Prune to the ground
  • Fertilize fall-bearing raspberries when they start to bloom.
  • June-bearing strawberries should be fertilized once a year after harvest.
• Control Pests and Diseases
  • Powdery mildew on grapes
  • Corn earworm

Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley – Year-Round & Month by Month. This book contains a wealth of gardening information. You can purchase it at our local Grange Co-op or at the OSU Extension office for $21.00. It can also be purchased on-line at https://jacksoncountymga.org/shop/.  Note that a shipping fee will be applied.

Happy Gardening and Stay Cool

Garden For Life

Community Outreach Working Group

• Work is continuing to be done to update the Speakers Bureau and help support new potential speakers.
• We are looking at the possibility of providing those gardeners who are blind with a digital version of the Garden Guides.
• We have started discussing how we might provide support to our community of Spanish speakers.
• Discussing how we can help get the word out about the wonderful resource we have in the Plant Clinic.
• Mary Foster has resigned as chair of the Community Gardens. We are talking about how we want to proceed.
• John Kobal reported that he is devising a plan to assimilate new student volunteers into the School Grants Committee.

FUNDRAISING WORKING GROUP

chair is Sandy Hammond

The Fundraising Working Group meets on the 3rd Friday of each month at 1:00 in the conference room. We sure do welcome newcomers to attend with brainstorming ideas. Our next event will be on Oct.14th at the extension. We are planning a native plant sale, Christmas items including wreaths and other decorations. We will also be selling beautiful garden art made by the Fundraising folks. We hope to have food and other plant vendors join us. We love new ideas and fun participation.

Marketing and Technology Working Group

chair is Marcia Harris

We have been busy looking at the technology which JCMGA has and asking if it meets our current and future needs.

Member Services Working Group

chair is Barbara Low

We are busy planning the Membership Picnic, which will be Saturday, August 19^th.

We have also started planning the Class of 2023 Graduation, which will be Saturday, November 4^th.

We had a Joint Meeting with the Community Outreach Working Group to discuss the concept of “Friends of JCMGA”.  It was decided that we form a Friends of JCMGA Committee to work out details for a possible proposal.

Program Support Working Group

Chair: Grace Florjancic

We are adding an online zoom option to our evening community education classes! This makes it easier for those working farther away from the extension office to still be able to attend evening classes. Hope to see you there (or from far away)!

Winter Dreams Summer Gardens Working Group

chairs are Colet Allen, Susan Koenig, and Barbara Low

We have been busy organizing the Winter Dreams Summer Gardens 2023 Symposium.  This virtual event will be October 27, 28, November 3, and 4.

We have secured our 14 speakers on a wide variety of topics.

There are details posted on the JCMGA website.