Hi All,
Volunteers met May 11 at 9 a.m. which was a beautiful morning to be together. Our 9 a.m. temperature was 52 degrees and the 11 a.m. temp was expected to be 60 degrees. The rain total for 2026 Iowa City on May 11 was 10.56 to 11.46 inches. This would mean Iowa City received 0.15 inches or 0.69 inches of rain since we last met. Wish I knew where the PGG fell on this map. We can only hope it was the 0.69 inch location. Our air quality was 23, which was described as fair.
Our team of volunteers were (including extra time for Week 2): Diane Allen (2 1/2 Hours), Linda Bergquist, Chris Ostrander, Jim Peters (6 1/2 Hours), Kara Frankman (MG Hours), Rina Sjolund, Erin Buscher, Nick Goergen (2 1/2 hours), Lisa Haverkamp (MG Hours), Cindy Parsons (2 1/2 hours), Susan Ahrens, Evelyn Frey, Ed + Susan A (extra time 7 hours), Sue Mullins (1 hour), Diane Allen + Cindy Parsons (1 extra hour each presenting Project GREEN through the Years to the Parks and Rec Commission), Diane Allen (3 hours writing Week 2’s summary). Remember if a time is not included with a volunteer name their week 2 time was 2 hours. If any of this is not correct or up-to-date, PLEASE let me know. I aim to be accurate, now where’s my calculator…
Our Week 2 goals were:
1. Planting canna lilies and elephant ears throughout the PGG. We used flags to mark locations and when the plants emerge, we’ll remove the flags.
2. Jim Peters gave an explanation of our new water system and reminders of our old system. Thanks to our REAP Grant and Iowa City Parks and Rec for our new system.
3. We have new tools to use in the garage. We now have a PGG root slayer available for use. Another has been ordered via Amazon and hopefully will arrive soon. Anyone with a good idea for other tools to purchase, making our work easier, please let Cindy or me know.
4. We began planting the 66 milk jug plants. Please label!
5. Volunteers were encouraged to check out blooming peonies that had been transplanted last October.
6. There were LOTS of canna lilies remaining after our Monday morning session. Volunteers are permitted to take as many can be used in their personal home Gardens. Whatever is left after Week 3, we will offer (for free) to neighbors and those who drop by the PGG.
It is wonderful to have Nick Goergen back with us. Nick plans to continue volunteering at the PGG until leaving Iowa City sometime in July or August. Nick will be creating & installing a “moon gate” at the PGG this summer. Expect more information about Project GREEN’s first work of art to be displayed soon.
Fingers crossed our flowers and shrubs will be delivered this Sunday. The weather report is not very hopeful, so we’ll need to keep an eye-to-the-sky as time gets closer to our next Week 3, Monday May 18. If we have inclement weather on Monday, I’ll email each of you by 7 a.m. and include a rain date possibility.
Here are the numbers after two weeks volunteering at the Project GREEN Gardens. Week 1 + Week 2 = 144 hours + 39 hours
= 183 hours for 2026 Project GREEN Volunteers
Congratulations to each of you and MANY thanks! When Cindy and I presented information about the PGG to the Parks and Rec Commission this past Wednesday, they were ALL very appreciative of the work being done by volunteers! We had enough Project GREEN t-shirts to give each commissioner as well as members of the community in attendance. Keep an eye out for passers-by wearing their new shirt!
Here are a few beautiful pictures from the Gardens taken during Week 2: Anyone who wants to share your PGG pictures, please do!
We need lots of volunteers to get flowerbeds planted on Monday, May 18. Let’s plan to work from 9 a.m. to noon. The flowerbeds Triangle, Quilt, and Circle have been cleared of weeds and cultivated to perfection by Ed Rinderspacher. We will start planting these beds first then move on to others. We will use Fern to move plants and get Auggie ready for hole digging. Cindy and I will use garden paint to separate plants and label sections with plant names and colors. Looking forward to Week 3! Until then, happy gardening. Diane