Herb Spiral Springs to Life at our Dauphine Community Garden

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers from American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts TABCOM, we now have an herb spiral in our Dauphine Community Garden.  They worked tirelessly to create this beautiful, environmentally-friendly structure from old bricks found on property.  Neighbors will now be able to harvest basil, garlic, marjoram, parsley, sage, thyme, and nasturtiums (an edible flower) in addition to the rosemary, chives, and mint already present. We are very grateful for the many hands and hearts of our generous volunteers...a gift that keeps on giving.

 

Learn more about herb spirals at http://themicrogardener.com/15-benefits-of-a-herb-spiral-in-your-garden/

 

Lower 9 Neighbors Harvest CSED Dauphine Community Garden

Lower 9th Ward Neighbors harvest watermelon, rosemary, and mint at the CSED Dauphine Community Garden at 4819 Dauphine Street. Stop by often to gather whatever is growing or contact Kathy Muse, CSED Program Coordinator, for more information at 504-939-9028. This garden is a blight beautification project of the Lower 9th Ward CSED.

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4819 Dauphine: A New Mini-Orchard for the Neighborhood?

Citrus Canker Disease

We have unfortunately lost one of our grapefruit trees in our Dauphine Street Commuity Orchard to citrus canker disease.  This has been confirmed by Dr. Raghuwinder Singh of the LSU Ag Center.  He advises that "the only way to manage citrus canker is to remove the symptomatic tree entirely. Double bag the tree in black sturdy trash bags and then dispose of it in a landfill or let the garbage hauler take it. Surface sterilize the tools that you use to cut the tree with 20% bleach solution. Also remember to wash your hands with warm water and soap. Do not touch or visit another citrus tree within 72 hours after you remove the tree." If one of your trees shows signs of citrus canker disease, please notify Dr. Singh by emailing [email protected] the location and photos of the diseased tree.  He is tracking the spread of this disease.

Our tree appeared healthy and vigorous with new growth sprouting all around but the bottom leaves had lesions with yellow halos. Citrus canker is a highly contagious disease and all varieties of citrus are susceptible. Help stop the spread of this disease by being informed and taking immediate action.

Learn more at http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/communications/leads/citrus-canker-disease-threatens-louisiana-trees.htm

href="http://southeastfarmpress.com/orchard-crops/usda-confirms-citrus-canker-now-louisiana" target="_blank">USDA confirms citrus canker now in Louisiana

Marquette Mardi Gras Volunteers Return to New Orleans

New and returning volunteers from Marquette University http://www.marquettemardigras.com/  in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, gave new life to the CSED Dauphine Street Community Garden.  They totally reworked the streetside planting bed!  These energetic students weeded, and weeded, and weeded some more, put down landscape fabric under the streetside border, mixed in compost with the existing soil, planted liriope and loropetalum, and mulched with pine straw while they gladly soaked up some glorious, New Orleans sunshine.

They tirelessly continued to work all day.  Thanks to them the rest of the garden beds were also weeded and mulched, the brick entrance walkway was raised with another layer of bricks, and recycled, concrete pavers were added at the end of the streetside bed for further protection from vehicles.

Thank YOU Marquette Mardi Gras!!!

"Heads Up" - Dauphine Daffodils

"Heads Up" Princeton New Jersey Jewish Center Volunteers, the daffodils y'all planted in our Dauphine Street Community Garden are blooming beautifully!  Your gift keeps on giving.  Thanks again!

New & Returning Volunteers from Webster, Ogden, & Greece Baptist Churches

Hailing from the great state of New York, new & returning volunteers from Webster, Ogden & Greece Baptist Churches worked tirelessly in our neighborhood this week.  I was fortunate to have the assistance and youthful energy of Brett Forstbauer, Taylor Riggins, & Michael Soluri.  They worked with our constant, quinntessential volunteer Steve Gonzales to continue our effort to clear & level the blighted backyard of the property next to our Dauphine Street community orchard.  These guys dug deep to eliminate roots, remove debris, & rake & level the ground to help us achieve easy maintenance.

Thanks to these young men, we also now have another community orchard planted on our Florida Avenue properties. They diligently dug holes, mixed soil, planted, watered, & mulched nine fruit trees...2 ruby red grapefruit, 1 sweet kumquat, 2 sweet orange, 1 Satsuma, 2 figs, & 1 apple.

Many thanks to Michael, Brett, & Taylor for helping us to Sustain the Nine!

 

Common Ground Volunteers Plant Trees on CSED Florida Avenue Lot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to James of Common Ground Reflief and to their volunteers who planted and mulched 1 pecan, 4 cypress, and 5 red maple trees on the CSED vacant lot at 5620 Florida Avenue.  These volunteers came from near and far: New York, the College of New Jersey Alternative Break Club, the Share Institute from American River College in California, and the University of Mississippi.  These hardworking young people continued their good works that day by planting trees in the Bayou Bienvenue Triangle.  We are so very grateful that volunteers keep coming to offer their many hands in service to our community. 

Colleen Butler Computerized Our Design Plan for CSED Lots at Florida & Caffin Avenues

 

We would like to give a shout out to Ecologist Colleen Butler who generously offered to volunteer her services to computerize our landscape design plan for the CSED lots at Florida and Caffin Avenues.   The Florida Avenue lot will be planted with red maple, pecan, and cypress trees. The naturalized "island" blooming with goldenrod that currently exists in the rear of this lot will be enhanced with additional plants to further attract butterflies.  A community fruit orchard will be planted on the Lamanche Street properties.  A perimeter fence of recycled 4x4 posts strung with rope has already been installed.  

As per our request, Colleen designed a temporary seating structure for the Caffin Avenue lot to stage groups of visitors who often come to learn more about the Bayou Bienvenue Triangle. She included an attached rain catchment system to provide a water source for the site. 

 

Colleen, we so appreciate your time and effort!

Tireless Jewish Center Volunteers Go Above & Beyond

Boundless energy and amazing initiative would begin to describe the students of the Jewish Center in Princeton, New Jersey, who volunteered with us in our community garden and orchard at 4817-19 Dauphine Steet. We constantly battle the overgrowth from the adjacent blighted property but these folks made short order of removing at least a foot of weeds, sand and debris from the alleyway. They cleared the fence line as requested and then took the initiative to go above and beyond and chopped down the entire "jungle" that overshadowed the orchard! But they didn't stop there...100 daffodil bulbs were planted in hopes of a magnificent Spring bloom.

Thanks so much for your heartfelt service to our community, for your great attitude, and your sunny smiles :)

 

 

How does our Dauphine garden grow? Pretty in pink muhly grass, zinnias, & purple hyacinth bean!