Hope you are all enjoying the fruits of your garden labours. A few things of note:
Rats in the garden: Rats have been reported in the garden by two of our gardeners. The City Vector (Pest) Control has been contacted and has placed a hidden trap (with no poison) at the perimeter of the garden. The City will monitor the trap.
While the City helps us with the rat problem, we can all take steps to avoid creating an attractive environment for rats. Please be sure to:
- Pick all ripe or mature produce as soon as it’s ready.
- Clear any fallen fruit such as tomatoes and apples from the ground, including fallen apples in the garden and in the beds along Mary Hill Road and the laneway.
- If you are composting, use a secure bin and do not put any table scraps, protein or fat in your compost. (Rats need protein.)
- Clean up all pet waste and take it off site for disposal. (Rats will eat animal feces.)
- Do not leave any standing water in watering cans or containers.
- Remove all garbage daily. If you bring it in, take it out with you when you leave.
Pets and pet waste: A reminder that any pets brought into the garden must be on a leash. You must clean up after your pet, and take any pet waste offsite for disposal. Note that the City does not allow pet waste to be placed in the green waste bins.
Volunteer time: Thank you to all the gardeners who have continued to contribute their time throughout the hot weather by mowing, trimming, weeding, watering, and otherwise maintaining the community areas. The garden continues to look good in mid-August!
If you haven’t yet contributed volunteer time this season, there are a few areas that need work:
- Beds on Mary Hill Road and in the laneway: ongoing weeding; pick up fallen apples.
- Morning glory (aka bindweed) wherever spotted, e.g., along the fencing.
Please be sure to record your volunteer hours on the tracking sheet posted inside the shed door.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions. The easiest way to communicate with the committee is by email.
Happy Harvesting!
Port Coquitlam Community Garden 