300 pounds and counting!
This week the garden donated 111 pounds of produce to the campus food pantry. The garden has now produced 303 pounds of food, around 15% of our 2,000-pound goal. The season's first tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, and peas were huge hits.
Thanks so much to all volunteers who came to help this week! We got the perennial bed planted and more of the hoop house assembled.
Fresh Food Thursday
This week the garden donated 111 pounds of produce to the campus food pantry. The garden has now produced 303 pounds of food, around 15% of our 2,000-pound goal. The season's first tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, and peas were huge hits.
Pie, root beer, and volunteer day
The Secular Student Alliance hosted its first annual "Pie, root beer, and volunteer day" in the garden. This alternative to traditional pioneer day celebrations brought 12 students who helped place the hoops on the hoop house, planted the perennial bed, and finished the day with a delicious piece of pie.
Insects in the garden
Like many Utah gardens this year, squash bugs have been attacking our cucurbits. These pests have infested our scallop squashes and zucchinis, spreading disease and causing many fruits to be unfit for eating. We have been treating these insects by scouting for the eggs and treating them with neem oil. You can learn more about squash bugs, the damage they cause, and how to prevent them on this extension page.
While the squash bugs have been wreaking havoc on the cucurbits, we still have many insects that we love in the garden. This week we have seen several praying mantises. Although praying mantises may look like aliens, they benefit the garden because of all the insects they eat. A fun fact about praying mantises is that they grow larger the older they get, and you can estimate their age based on their size. You can read more about Mantids and beneficial insects in this guide from USU.
The garden has been visited by several different bee species, including honey bees, mason bees, and other solitary bees. Interestingly, we have seen many fights between different bee species! We are happy to provide food and a safe place for many pollinators.
