Sickles High School National Honor Society members who volunteered at VISTA Gardens September 13th

“Four awesome volunteers helped Richard and I weed and mulch the  entire Cut-flower Garden, and we added soil and amendments to the  flower beds. It looks so great, and we are ready to start planting now!”  Susan W., Cut-flower Garden Committee member.

Volunteers added soil and amendments to many raised  garden beds in which VISTA members will grow  vegetables and flowers from September into May.

They turned compost to create VISTA’s homegrown soil  amendment that enriches our gardens.

“Using pitchforks and muscle, we freed compacted soil at the  base of raised herb garden beds and the herb spiral to promote  water drainage. We weeded and mulched the entire herb  garden, moved a lavender plant, divided and potted prolific  Aloe (and shared cuttings), planted nasturtiums, and pruned  perennial herbs. It was an extraordinarily productive day!”  Marcy B., Herb Garden Chair

Volunteers shoveled, moved, and spread donated mulch  in pathways between VISTA’s raised garden beds. They weeded those pathways, too!

This team won a Saturday morning weeding  competition!

Speaking of weeds! Volunteers learned weed anatomy  from Marty, a VISTA leader who happens to be an  engineer.

“The volunteers were great!” Marty K., Infrastructure Chair

These volunteers added sand (donated by a generous  VISTA member) to mitigate water retention in low-lying pathways.

This threesome assisted Evans, Garden Chair, and  temporarily covered soil with landscape cloth to  suppress weed growth until garden beds are planted.

VISTA Gardens is grateful to Sickles High School National  Honor Society volunteers and VISTA members Evans B.,  Jennifer G., Marcy B., Marty K., Richard B., Rolfe E. and  Susan W. who worked alongside them.