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May 13, 2009
By Cheryl McCord
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It will be a busy day at the Market this Saturday. Help us build a garden box and
learn how easy it is to grow vegetables in Kuna. Meet the candidates for the school
board election, learn about the proposed supplemental levy, and paint your own birdhouse
with the help of Confetti’s staff.
I have two frustrations as a gardener in Kuna. One is the heavy clay soil on our
farm; the second is the relentless Bindweed. Bill and I have tilled in trailer loads
of soil amendments to our garden spots--compost, mulch, volcanic cinder, humic acid,
the works. It has been a lot of work. The amendments did improve the soil somewhat,
but the sticky clay persists. And the Bindweed grows better than ever. The roots
aggressively spread throughout the garden, and the vines strangle any plant you
love.
Our solution—build a garden box. To prevent Bindweed, set it on a square of heavy
duty plastic that the dairies use to cover silage. Lighter plastic or weed barrier
fabrics are not sturdy enough to fend off the Bindweed shoots. Fill the box with
potting soil and clay is no longer a concern.
Bill and I will build a garden box at the Market on Saturday to demonstrate our
solution based on the principles of the book, “All-New Square-Foot Gardening” by
Mel Bartholomew.
Once it is set up, the only tools needed are a watering can, scissors for harvesting,
and gloves for occasional weeding.
Dwight Buck of Buck’s Barnyard designed and sells the Stand-Up Garden box. An additional
advantage to Dwight’s box is the garden is raised to table-top level. He will demonstrate
the features of his box that is made of recycled materials.
Quency Murphey of Rustic Gardens will also provide information on basic layout and
vertical gardening.
The Market will have an assortment of bedding plants to fill any garden box or space.
Trustee candidates for the Kuna School Board will attend to discuss their positions
for the upcoming election on May 19. Superintendent Jay Hummel will also be available
to discuss the Supplemental Levy.
The hands-on craft activity and the Confetti’s booth will be painting a small birdhouse.
The birdhouse and supplies will be provided for $3.
For more information or if you have ideas for next year, please contact Cheryl McCord
at 922-5113 or visit the website at
www.KunaFarmersMarket.com.
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