2026 July Newsletter
Let the harvest begin!
The summer heat is upon us and the garden is in full bloom. Try to water early in the morning and if you water later in the day, make sure to water low so as not to wet the leaves of your plants. As always, if you have any questions about the garden, reach out.
ACTION ITEMS
Community TimePlease keep in mind the three important reminders above as well as the following: Sign up for your two mandatory Community Time sessions via the SignUp Genius, remember to take your weeds with you as they cannot go into the compost bins and weed around your garden bed. Download the SignUp Genius app to your phone to make signups and updates easy!
Contact Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Flynn with any questions.
The Cucumber Beetle Hero
Spotted Cucumber Beetle
The Board of Directors sends a huge shout-out to our new member, Magda Tornick, who has made it her personal mission to rid our garden of cucumber beetles.
Magda can be found in the early mornings using a small blowtorch to stun the beetles before dropping them into soapy water. She is checking all the beds for these pests and we owe her a massive thank you for her incredible dedication. With her efforts, we may successfully grow cucumbers this year!
As a reminder, check the underside of your cucumber, zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant leaves for eggs and remove them as soon as you see them.
We love our members and appreciate everything you do to keep the garden thriving.
Community Beds for All Members
Raspberries
The garden bed to the left as you enter the gate, as well as the two strawberry beds, is for all garden members to enjoy. The strawberries were delicious this year and we expect even more fruit next year as the plants mature. Next up … raspberries and blueberries! As always, take a cup or two and be sure to leave some for other members.
Beds for Spuds
Check out the two potato towers to the right of the shed. If these work out well, we’ll set up more next season. Watch for notes on the whiteboard for harvesting times. Please do not put compost or weeds in the potato towers.
Gather Cooler
Gather Update
To date, the Portsmouth Community Garden donated 2,000+ pounds of surplus harvest to Gather to help fight food insecurity in our community. Deliveries for this voluntary program start the week of July 13. Volunteers will deliver on Monday afternoons and Thursdays between 12-1 p.m. As with last season, feel free to put your surplus harvest in the cooler any day of the week.
Some garden members choose to deliver surplus harvest directly to Gather. If you do that, please mention the Portsmouth Community Garden and send a text with the weight to Board Member Jenn Cotrupi at 603.234.8368.
Happy Hour!
About 15 garden members gathered to raise a glass, trade success stories and challenges, check out each other’s garden beds, and share some snacks at the first Happy Hour of the season. Plan to join the next one on Sunday, August 16 at 4:30 p.m.
New Lock
You Asked, We Answered! Thank you to Kelly Wright for creating the new, simpler locking system for gate. The combination for the new lock did not change. As noted above, please make sure to shut the gate when you are in the garden and to lock it when you leave!
Update – No Greenhouse
After thoughtful consideration, the Board of Directors decided not to install a greenhouse for now. During the Spring when we are starting our seedlings, we would need someone to go to the garden every morning and evening to open/close the windows. There is also the chance that we would need a heater for nights where the temperature dips. Since we do not have electricity at the garden, this also posed a problem. We are still working on solutions to these problems but will not add a greenhouse to the garden this year.
Reminder – Please Don’t Plant These
Given our sunny location, sunflowers grow so tall that they can shade other garden beds, so please do not plant them. Other plants of an invasive nature to avoid are mint, morning glories, and California poppies. When in doubt, reach out.
New Raised Bed
Community Outreach Update
Margaret Witham, Board Member and Community Outreach Coordinator, returned to Peer Connections at 554 Islington Street to build another raised bed. They have been eating lettuce, parsley, and sugar snap peas from the first one and planted basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and squash in the second.
Board Member Donata Random spent a wonderful afternoon at Little Harbour Elementary School to help second graders plant sweet potatoes.
Needed Gather and Pollinator Bed Waterers
We’re working on a technical solution for next year, but this year we still need garden members to sign up for a weekly watering commitment for the Gather and Pollinator beds. If you can assist, please sign up via the SignUp Genius.
Check out the Portsmouth Community Garden on Instagram or Facebook
New to the garden? Find us on Instagram and Facebook – search “portsmouthcommunitygarden.” Be sure to check out the fun posts on social media, led by Ari Ragonese. If you see them at Bed 4D, say hello to her, her husband Daniel and her gorgeous children, Auggie and Gemma. If you take a great picture, send it to Beth Hartnett.
CATEGORIES
