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Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library Newsletter

Lettuce Unite!

August 2022 | Issue #27

Upcoming Events

Water Update: August

If you have an automated irrigation system, it's important to adjust the times on a monthly basis. For Richmond, July is the maximum watering amount for the year. This is determined by solar radiation, and not by air temperature. For August reduce the time to 92% of July's amount. For example, if your time was for 27 minutes 27 x .92 ≈ 24.84 minutes or 25 minutes.

Limit outdoor watering to three times per week, before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m., with no runoff. Do not irrigate within 48 hours of rainfall. 10% mandatory reduction.

For resources on how to be a water smart gardener, visit EBMUD. To see drought updates, visit US Drought Monitor.

Above: Monthly irrigation schedule created by Contra Costa Master Gardener Lori Palmquist.

To learn more about irrigating your garden in a time of drought, watch the UC Master Gardeners' Water in Your Garden - Taking Control webinar.

Want to dive deep into irrigation?

Her site also offers a number of free resources too.

Seed of the Month: Super Collard

This variety was found locally in an alley in Berkeley and the seeds were saved and shared by Rivka, garden educator at Malcolm X Elementary.

It has been allowed to promiscuously pollinate with the Purple Tree Collard x Dino Kale.

Plant 18-24 inches apart. Delicious. Nutritious. Massively productive! Available at all seed library locations.

Low Tech Irrigation: Ollas

Ollas use unglazed clay pots to slowly release water over time. There are lots of different designs such as gluing 2 pots together or using a single pot. There are also different materials you can use to plug up the bottom hole. Some people use the saucers on top to cover the opening. Other people put two unglazed pots together and keep the exposed hole open to put a hose in.

The ollas in the picture on the right are unglazed pots with a piece of tile glued in the bottom to prevent water leaking out. Plates purchased at a second hand store are covering the opening. Check ollas every week or 2 and add more water as needed. Here is one video showing a method of making ollas.

What to Plant Now & What to Plant for Seed Saving

If you are interested in saving seeds, the green boxes below represent when you can plant for seed saving. If you have squash and want to maintain the variety, watch this excellent video on hand-pollinating squash from Seed Savers Exchange. Here is a link to Seed Saving in a Time of Crisis video. It covers seed saving techniques on how to maintain a variety as well as how to expand genetic diversity to create more resilient seeds for a changing climate.

Seed Library Locations

Richmond Public Library Main Branch

325 Civic Center Plaza

West Side Branch

135 Washington Ave.

Open during library hours

Happy Lot Farm & Garden

1st St. & Chanslor Ave.

Open 24/7

Rose Garden & JFK Park

39th St. & Cutting Blvd.

(Near the Easter Hill United Methodist Church)

Open 24/7

New to the Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library?

Check out our orientation video (Spanish).

Donate

Providing access to free seeds and gardening and seed saving information is at the core of our mission. Help keep seeds in the hands of the people by donating today. We are a 100% volunteer-run and community-supported nonprofit. Your donation goes directly to supporting seed access and education. For every dollar donated you can help provide 4-5 packets of seeds to our community.

I support local seeds!

RICHMOND GROWS SEED LENDING LIBRARY RichmondGrowsSeeds.org

Upcoming Events

Strategies for Gardening with Limited Water: Weathering the Drought in California

Growing Citrus

Water Update: August

Seed of the Month: Super Collard

Low Tech Irrigation: Ollas