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Robbins Farm Garden

A Cooperative Learning Project

  • About the Garden
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  • 2022 Crops List
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Welcome

April 5, 2020 by Nathan

Robbins Farm Garden is a cooperative community garden project at Robbins Farm Park in Arlington, MA. Since 2010, we’ve grown vegetables organically as a group, created an educational resource in the community and continued the agricultural tradition of the farm at the park. We garden Saturday mornings April – November and Tuesday evenings June – September. The project is run through Arlington’s Recreation Department.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

2022 Garden Pests

July 9, 2022 by Shakti

MonthsFirst SightingInsectCropTreatment
May5/14Leaf minorSpinach & beetsrow cover with blue sticky trap
May-June5/28Cabbage wormsCabbageHand removal (multiple passes each week)
June-6/4- fava
7/2- brussels & nasturtium
AphidsBrussels, fava, nasturtiumsInsecticidal soap
7/9?Squash vine borerSummer squash, pumpkinsYellow sticky traps and SVB lure (3)
Cucumber beetleSlicing cucumbersHand removal & yellow sticky traps
Potato beetlePotatoesHand removal & yellow sticky traps

[May] Leaf minor

We proactively covered the spinach and beets with agrofabric immediately after transplanting them in the garden. Additionally, we placed a blue sticky trap under the cover to catch any flies that might be in the soil or caught inside the trap. This worked very well — dozens of flies were caught by the sticky trap in the first couple of weeks and the spinach crop was beautiful with no notable leaf minor damage. Definitely recommend repeating this combination going forward (cover the crops at the time of transplant and keep a sticky trap inside).

Leaf minor flies caught in spinach bed with agrofabric cover (5/21)

[June] Cabbage worms

We first noticed the cabbage worms in the brassica bed on 5/28. Over the month of June, we found them in most of the green cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. Some days, we found up to three worms on a single plant. Having several gardeners inspect the plants each Saturday worked out very well. We would often find several worms the first time through and then a second inspection with fresh eyes would find 2 or 3 more. By the time the cabbages headed up, we had successfully kept the worms under control and got several beautiful cabbage heads.

[June] Aphids

As usual, the aphids attacked the fava plants as they set out flowers. We sprayed them with insecticidal soap, taking care to avoid spraying the flowers. The insecticidal soap succeeded in controlling the aphids; however, it seems like the insecticidal soap may also have killed some of the flowers, reducing the potential harvest. Unfortunately the garden photos aren’t detailed enough to support this theory, so we may want to try to document more carefully next year. Also, Elisabeth had recently watched an episode of Gardener’s World (BBC) where Monty Don said that the aphids don’t harm the productivity of the fava beans, so we may want to try leaving the fava untreated next year.

5/18: pre-treatment
6/4: initial sighting & treatment
6/11: post-treatment
6/18: post-treatment

Filed Under: 2022, Alan, Shakti Tagged With: aphids, bugs, pests, squash vine borers

Mid-Season Transition

July 2, 2022 by Elisabeth

The garden has officially begun the mid-season transition. Today we harvested the last of the spring brassicas, and replanted the bed with seedlings for our second crop of cauliflower and zucchini.

Today was also the season’s first tomato harvest, which is always a mid-season milestone. The bush beans, eggplants, peppers, and summer squashes are just coming into season as well.

And today was garlic and fava bean harvest day! We’ve also begun taking regular harvests from the kales and chard. Next week, we’ll pull the peas and replant that bed with pole beans.

Presto, change-o!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

First harvest: Garden salad

May 22, 2022 by Elisabeth

Our first substantial harvest of the season was all about salad. We harvested arugula, lettuce, radishes and spinach, along with some lovely micro-greens from thinning our beets, bok choy, mustard and Swiss chard. Yum!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Coolest overalls ever!

May 22, 2022 by Elisabeth

Thanks to Nicole for brightening the garden.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Our first warm Saturday of the season

May 14, 2022 by Elisabeth

Though it’s the middle of May, today felt like summer at the garden. We enjoyed our first harvests of arugula and radishes, which we seeded in the soil last month. Next week, we’re expecting to harvest our first lettuce and spinach, which we started indoors and transplanted as seedlings.

Our new metal pea & pole bean trellis has been fitted out with twine, and looks quite fine! There are seedlings sprouting all over the garden and our warm weather seedlings are beginning their hardening off period before being planted in the soil.

Filed Under: 2022 Journal

Opening Day Rock Stars

April 2, 2022 by Elisabeth

Opening day was brisk and breezy at the garden. Much to our surprise, we discovered that the young lettuce we left in little plastic hoop houses survived the winter. The other major discovery was a huge rock about a foot below the surface of one of the garden beds.

Mike, David and Steven exposing the edges of the rock.
Mike, David and Steven exposing the edges of the rock.

The rock was almost as large as the Philosopher’s Stone we unearthed with great labor many years ago and left in the corner of the garden until the fence was replaced. Yet once the rock stars set to work, there was no doubt that the rock would be moved. It was an exhausting process, but the team displayed remarkable skill and ingenuity. Well done!

David, Mike, Steven and Alan with their prize.
David, Mike, Steven and Alan with their prize.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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2022

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2021

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2020

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2019

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2018

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2017

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2016

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2015

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2014

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  • 2014 Garden Plan
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2013

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2012

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2011

  • 2011 Crops
  • 2011 Seeds
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  • 2011 Project Proposal
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2010

  • 2010 Crops
  • 2010 Seeds
  • 2010 Expenses
  • 2010 Supporters
  • 2010 Veggie Adoptions
  • 2010 Pilot Project Report

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