This month’s newsletter is packed with valuable tips and resources to support your gardening efforts. Whether you’re looking for advice on how to ripen those stubborn green tomatoes or want to prepare your garden for a nutrient-rich winter, we’ve got you covered! We've also included a link to a wonderful local organization that will pick up any extra fruit you harvest and donate it to different food banks. Don't forget to check out the quick five-minute survey at the end—one lucky participant will win a gift card!

Photo Credit: Ariel Wisch-Schute

"Now that the weather is colder and your tomatoes aren’t ripening, you can bring them indoors and help them along. Place them in a bowl along with a banana or two and cover with a tea towel. The ripening bananas give off a natural gas called ethane which will help to turn your tomatoes to their brilliant yellows, reds and oranges!"

Advice from NH Garden Volunteer Ariel Wisch-Schute

Advice by Debra Wu (depicted to the left)

"As winter approaches and the garden gets ready for its wet slumber, there's an easy way to return nutrients back to the soil. It's called 'chop and drop'.   You can chop up the leaves and non-woody stems of any plants (preferably nondiseased and not weeds) and drop them onto the ground. This method mimics nature as whenever any part of a plant falls to the ground in a forest, it stays there."

"The soil fungi and bacteria will then begin to feast on this organic matter and their work releases nutrients like nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus back into the soil. 

This helps to improve the structure and fertility of the soil.  If you like, you can also rake some fall leaves over your garden beds.  Just do not make the leaf piles too thick or they will get very slushy and slippery in the winter wet." 

Photo Credit: Ariel Wisch-Schute

"For those who prefer a more 'orderly' look to their garden maybe you can play with 'chop and drop' in a discrete part of your yard like in your back yard or in a corner less visited. So why not let nature do some of the composting for you and give 'chop and drop' a try?"

Advice from NH Garden volunteer Debra Wu.

Do you have a fruit tree on your property and don't know what to do with all your extra produce? Here is a resource that we recommend. The Portland Fruit Tree Project has an initiative where volunteers will pick up your surplus fruits and donate them to different food banks in the area.

The Portland Fruit Tree Project is all about making healthy food more accessible while bringing the community together. By harvesting and caring for urban fruit trees, neighbors help prevent food waste and ensure that everyone can share in the abundance of locally-grown produce.  It's a simple but impactful way to address the need for fresh food and the many benefits that trees provide, like cleaner air and shade.

For more information, click or tap on the banner to be taken to their website!

our produce will not only be used in the Free Food Market, but will also be part of our Food Box Delivery Service.

The main goal of the Scattered Garden Program is to encourage community members to donate produce from their at-home garden. Scattered Gardens come in all shapes and sizes! In fact, any set-up you have could be a scattered garden. If you have any hesitation to be a part of the program don't be afraid! Any support you can offer will help a neighbor.

Click on the Image above to see how to get started!

Tell us what you think of the Scattered Garden Newsletter. What would you like to see? We want to better curate our content to what interests you. This survey should take less than 5 minutes. We look forward to your feedback!

To sweeten the deal, one random entry will be chosen to receive a gift card from Portland Nursery.

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