First off, a wholehearted thanks from the Rooftop Garden Project team for participating in the start-up kit pilot project. Here are a few things of note for the next few weeks:

• We have realized that the clear tubes that show the water level in your bin may leak. If this is the case, wrap Teflon tape around the top of the joint that connects to the tubing to make sure that the juncture is tight. Sorry about this! Let us know if you need additional assistance.

• Remember the extremely helpful maintenance and nutrient solution calendar we gave you? We are in the process of refining and translating the document and will be uploading it to the website very shortly. This is a very practical tool to help you properly maintain your growers and help your plants flourish.

• The next activity specific to the start-up kit group will be a mid-season workshop on plant emulsions and other inexpensive and/or homemade natural fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. If there is anything else that you’d like to take a look at as a group, please let us know.

You are all invited to general rooftop garden volunteer activities and should now be receiving emails from our listserv. One of the best ways to learn about your systems is to volunteer at the demonstration garden! We will be gardening on the roof by the end of May.

Please remember that in taking home a start-up kit you have agreed to fill us in on your gardening experience this summer, regardless of how successful you are. We look forward to hearing from you and are excited to see this “pilot project within a pilot project� take off!

Thanks very much, and if there’s anything else we can help you with, please let me know.

Jane