Sunshine Community Gardens

30 December, 2021

www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org

Gardener's Picture page

---

If you are signed up to receive the Weekly Weeder and have not been receiving it, here is a troubleshooting page to help. If this doesn't help, please let Sharon at scgardenweb@gmail.com know. Thanks.

---

In this Issue:

• Eating the Rainbow (Background)
• Fire Ant Drench Relocated
• Tomatoes Galore!
• Water Shutoff Likely this Weekend
• Verify Your Service Hours in Green Binder

---

Fire Ant Drench Relocates

Now outside under the tool cleaning table

Article by Gail Reese

The fire ant drench has a new home. Most of you are used to seeing the mix of orange oil and molasses that we use as ant drench for fire ant control in the tool trailer on the table by the door. It is now located on a new shelf recently added to the outdoor tool cleaning table, just outside of the tool trailer. This move was made due to the sticky mess that unfortunately was frequently left on the table in the tool trailer following drench use.

Pres. Jim and VP Steve have headed up an effort to move the drench to the tool cleaning table, and have built a shelf below the table and added screening so the bottles do not blow away.

Additionally, a wire containment cage has been set up by the tool cleaning table to put the empty ant drench bottles into, if you empty a bottle. At least 4 empty bottles are needed at any given time to mix up more of the drench, so please, if you take it upon yourself to recycle the empty bottles, always leave 4 empties for a new batch to be mixed in. If you see more than four empties in the cage, feel free to recycle all but four at your home recycling pickup, as Sunshine does not get recycling pick up.

Also, the measuring cup to use with the drench has been chained to the outside table, so it does not wander off, as it has been prone to do. Please rinse this cup after you use it to avoid flies, bees, and general mess.

Please use the drench judiciously. One cup of ant drench (shake the bottle well before pouring as the orange oil and molasses separate so shaking is essential) mixed with 5 gallons of water will treat about 4 ant hills. Do not pour the drench directly on your plants as it will kill or stunt them. Remember, the garden provides the ant drench for your use as part of your dues, but each cup costs us $2.00 so please measure carefully and do not use more than the recommended amount. Your cooperation is appreciated. Below are the printed instructions for using the ant drench, which are also posted in the window beside the tool cleaning table, for your convenience. Thanks, Gail Reese

If you don't put the lid on the bottle tight, the next person could pour it all over themselves, as i did,,,, please act responsibly and tighten the lid!

Please do not use supplies from the locked trailer.

FYI - one cup of the mix costs the garden $2.00. This is free to you. please use it judiciously. Using more than the recommended ratio will not kill the fire ants any faster!

If there is no premix on the shelf under the tool cleaning table, please text me at 512-762-2073 and i will take care of it as soon as possible. Sometimes our supplier is out of goods.

Thanks, Gail Reese

---

Tomatoes Galore!

Photos and Article by Bob Easter

Bob writes: "I have harvested the last batch of an amazing volunteer tomato plant. While these photos show a lot of red tomatoes, this is the 3rd such large harvest from this plant."

---

"We will be donating this batch for the food pantry. They are perfect salad tomatoes."

"The green tomatoes will make delicious green tomato relish."

Look for a more complete story on this incredible volunteer tomato plant from Bob Easter's garden in a future issue of the Weeder

---

Water Turnoff Very Likely Saturday and Sunday

Article by Jim Willmann

The National Weather Service is predicting a possible hard freeze both Saturday and Sunday night. Unless the prediction changes, the water to the entire garden will be turned off sometime Saturday afternoon and remain off until Monday. The water to trailer will also be turned off so the restroom will be closed. We will try to let gardeners know via email if there are any changes.

---

Verify Service Hours in Green Binder

Article by Jim Willmann

Service hours for the 2021 Spring and Fall seasons have been combined and unworked hours will be billed in mid-January. It is helpful to the treasurer in preparing bills if gardeners would check the Green Binder (Sunshine Community Gardens) to verify their spring and fall hours have been correctly recorded and report any errors to the Sunshine secretary (kerry@sunshinecommunitygardens.org). If you have unworked hours and believe you qualify for a waiver, contact your zone coordinator to discuss.

---

Weeder Content

Please submit weekly weeder articles, photos, and recipes by Wednesday to both Co-Editors:
Holly Gilman at hollyjgilman@gmail.com and
Maria Beach at dr.maria.beach@gmail.com

---