Hello Everybody! We’ve had a few changes at Jovial Concepts this month with the addition of Alyssa Angel who in the past handled the VISTA Program, EOC, and most importantly building teams and collaborations. She is fresh off defending her Masters Thesis in Sustainability and is officially the Strategic Initiative Coordinator. Then there is me, Di Collingwood, I was the former Garden Manager/Volunteer Coordinator and Co-op Manager. I just moved back from my home area in Upstate New York. It is such a blessing to see sunshine everyday, live close to 2 of our 4 adult kids, and best of all gardening/working at Jovial. I have a much less physical role as Executive Assistant to Kristina and John. We are both so excited to get rolling and helping this amazing non-profit grow and flourish just like our food forests and gardens.

Weekend Heads up!
This weekend is supposed to be cool, 78, with spotty afternoon showers, possible thunderstorms, so a warning about if you hear thunder, you stop gardening and take cover in a house or vehicle, not under a tree.

Workshops
This Saturday, August 23, at 10am we will be learning about Succession Planting and Tool Care.

Tools are NOT cheap and it is so quick and easy to maintain rust free, clean tools. Would you like to eat with a germy, rusty spoon? Neither do your plants! This is also a great way to control diseases in your garden.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on your zucchini. Those guys will hide under leaves and you don’t notice them until they are big enough to make a dugout canoe. It is also the time of year powdery mildew that spreads so easily. 

It is also time to cut your mint. You can freshen your closets with leaves, make essential oil or Mojitos anyone?

Mark your Calendar
We are hosting a Salsa Competition Saturday, September 6th at 1pm. Come and take a taste and see who receives the coveted Golden Pepper Trophy. (More details coming soon!)

Friday, September 26, 7 pm Movie under the Stars, movie TBD. We had 80 people attend last month so be sure to get to the park early and bring your blanket, friends and family. More info as we get closer.

Saturday, October 11, 12 pm 4 pm Weaver Creek Park/Jovial Concepts Fall Festival. This is a great, family-friendly afternoon with Music, Beer Garden, Vendors, Pumpkin Patch, and FUN activities, like a bounce house, “snake pit” game, and more. We will need help to set up and take down activities, take tickets, cover volunteers for breaks, and other important roles. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/y4r31vveH3H3UXmm7

Succession Planting – why?
Succession planting is a process used to maximize vegetable and garden production throughout the year. It’s a strategy to routinely seed your garden to maintain a steady set of crops and avoiding leaving empty spaces.

The technique is especially important in Colorado where the spring and fall are fairly cool and can stunt tender warm season vegetables which need daytime temperatures above 60°F and prefer temperatures above 70°F.

By planting cold hardy plants in the early spring, and again now for a fall harvest, we are able to eek out a little more production and a bountiful final fall harvest from our gardens for when temperatures starts to dip.

We are in August, the prime season for vegetable production, but October and fall temperatures are right around the corner! It is the perfect time to plant cold hardy vegetables that mature quickly for a fall harvest.

Additional Information from trusted education based resources.

• https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/vegetables/1841-time-seed-fall-vegetables/
   
• https://dug.org/gardening-resources/succession-planting/
   
• https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/gardening/garden-management/succession-planting