June @ The Hemlock Garden!

Hello Gardeners,

​It has been a Spring of cooler weather so far, but hopefully June will bring some more sunlight into our thriving gardens.

Here are a few updates:

UNUSED BEDS

We are ​about to pass the deadline for planting / making use of your garden beds​ - June 3rd.

​In May we made note of all ​seemingly empty and unused beds and be​g​an the process of​ alerting those gardners. We give two weeks notice to plant, or at least let us know of the intention to plant asap. 

​Emails were sent out on May 20th with a list of beds that were not being used - make sure to check if you were included in those emails. 

After June 3rd, we will begin to offer out any beds that have been ignored or given up to the next people in line because the demand for growing space is so high right now, and we want to put each and every bed to use. 

GET WATERING

Temperatures will slowly be climbing, and as we get deeper into summer, watering becomes a bigger priority. Regular, thorough watering is your best defense against upcoming heat. 

If you can’t make it to the garden every 2-3 days, consider asking a neighbour to help out​ or to create a 'WATER ME' sign and leave it on your bed. 

Please note: Not everyone in the garden is completely able bodied or super strong​. ​Please remember to put the hoses away neatly, so people do not have to pull the hose nozzles out of a mess​.

VEGGIE THEFT

Plant theft is something that happens every season throughout all community gardens across the city. This is an unfortunate thing about community gardens and it tends to happen more so at the time of year when plants are beginning to mature and become ready for harvest.  

A few tips and advice for reducing theft:

1. Plant less desirable "shiny" crops:  e.g. Leafy greens and root vegetables are the most recommended for a strong harvest. Things like strawberries, tomatoes, peppers or fruiting veggies tend to be first targets.

2. Harvest fast: Once your veggies are ready to be eaten, pick them! The longer you wait the more likely someone ​c​ould ​r​aid your yield​.

3. Grow more than you need: Consider growing more than you'll expect to eat, so if/when a thief swoops in you will still have a harvest​.

4. Talk with other gardeners: Get to know your neighbors. If we all keep an eye on each other's beds and know who's meant to be gardening where, the more likely we'll be able to call out a thief in the act or at least give them the eyes of disapproval.

Enjoy your ​upcoming harvests!

May @ The Hemlock Garden!

Hello Hemlock ​Gardeners,

​With a mix of sun and rain - May is a great month to get most seeds and ​plant starts in the ground​.

Here are a few ​n​otes:

WATERING SYSTEM

The watering system will get increasing use as things heat up. Please help us keep the system intact by handling the hoses with care and turning the water OFF before you leave the garden.​Let us know by email or phone call if there are any issues.

GREEN WASTE

​M​any folks ​h​ave started pulling up last year​s growth​ - ​while getting rid of any plant matter - please help us out by doing a thorough job​ of shaking dirt off ​of the roots before transferring​ anything to the Green Waste ​bins. Soil in the green waste bins​ becomes a huge headache for us​. We really appreciate your help with this.

​Enjoy everything that May has in store for our garden,

Happy sunshine!

April @ The Hemlock Garden!

Hello Hemlock Gardeners,

Gardening season has officially arrived at the community garden!

With plum + cherry blossoms opening up across the city - we couldn't be more excited to get this growing season started. 

Here are a few garden updates:

WATERING SYSTEM

Please remember to turn the water OFF before you leave the garden. This helps with the longevity of the equipment.

Also, keep your eyes open for any leaks or if the nozzle is broken, and let us know ASAP in an email or text.

WEST COAST GROW GUIDE

Check out this regional grow guide for South Coastal BC for info on when to seed what veggie crop. 

Happy growing!

February @ The Hemlock Garden!

Hello Hemlock Gardeners,

It may not feel like it, but Spring will be here sooner than later. This means it is time to put on our gardening caps and turn our thoughts to the upcoming growing season!

SPRING REGISTRATION

This garden is coming into its first Spring season, and if you are receiving this email - you are all set and registered until we approach next year - Spring 2026.

GET GROWING

It may be above zero most days, but we’re still a few months away from putting seeds in the ground. In the meantime, you can start thinking about what you’d like to plant once the weather warms a bit and refer to this handy planting guide.

WATER

A reminder that the water and hoses are turned off for the winter. We will be activating the watering system again once we’re past the last frost date, which is typically in early April. 

CHANGED YOUR MIND?

If you are no longer interested in being part of the garden, please send us an email ASAP so that we can allocate your bed to someone else on our waitlist.

Enjoy the rest of Winter!

December @ The Hemlock Garden!

Hello Hemlock Gardeners,

We at Vancouver Community Garden Builders wanted to take this opportunity - to thank you all for becoming a part of th​i​s new garden during 2024.

With your devotion and enthusiasm, we will be able to turn an otherwise vacant lot into a beautiful urban food forest!

Here are a few updates:

NEXT YEAR - 2025

As everyone knows, this community garden is a temporary one. We will let you know with as much notice as possible, if the property is ready to be developed.

At our established gardens, we normally do registration and payments in Feb/March for the upcoming Spring. Since this garden is new and registration has just finished, we will not be doing another round of registration until the months leading to Spring 2026.

GARDEN HOURS

Despite the days being short and the weather being cold and wet, the garden will remain open all through the winter. Feel free to frequent the space any time you like.

HELP US GROW

Help us grow and create new garden spaces by reviewing us online! A quick Google rating will let us know how we're doing and will increase our online presence.

Happy Holidays!

November @ The Hemlock Garden!

Hello Hemlock Gardeners,

We are officially approaching colder weather, so if you had an opportunity to plant already, please make sure to take the time to get your garden bed ready for winter.

Here are a few quick updates:

AREA IN BACK
There is a small 'pit' of clay dirt towards the back of the garden that has drainage issues. This means the area pools with water when it rains. We will be filling the area with woodchip in the coming weeks. We are working on solutions for the future. We thank you for your patience.

WATER OFF
The water will be shut off and the hoses pulled up for winter, within the next couple of weeks. We will get everything set up again in early Spring - once we’re passed the final frost date.

BEDS TO REST
November 15 is the deadline that we would ideally have you put your beds to rest for the winter by. If you had a chance to plant already, then this involves visiting the garden to pull up any dead plant matter and in general tidying up your bed(s) for the dormant months ahead.

Beyond general aesthetics, tidying your beds helps reduce the amount of rotting biomass in the garden, which helps mitigate any future rodent issues.

Note: You are welcome to plant winter crops and continue visiting the garden, but remember the water will be shut off soon.

That’s all for now. Stay warm and stay dry out there!