From the Garden Registrar: Gardening in September; A Reminder About the Dumpster; More Small Plots Available; Rhubarb Jam

Hello Gardeners,

GARDENING IN SEPTEMBER – If your summer crops have given out, it’s still not too late to replace them with the last of the fall crops. You can still plant seeds for leaf lettuce, chard, spinach, radishes, mustard, and turnips. They will grow more slowly than they did in spring, but at least they won’t be quick to bolt (go to seed.) We will likely have about one more month before we have to start worrying about frost. That doesn’t give the plants much time, but if you prepare, in the next few weeks, to protect them from the cold by pulling mulch up around them, or covering them, you may be able to extend the growing season.

If your beans and peas are dead, don’t pull them out of the ground. Cut them off at the base of the plants, leaving the roots in the soil. The roots will continue to add nitrogen and increase the fertility of your soil. 

Some people plant garlic in September, but one of our long-time gardeners thinks it’s better to wait until October. He’ll hold a class on garlic planting on Saturday, September 24, by the EH shed – stay tuned for more information.

THE DUMPSTER – A reminder – the dumpster is for unrecyclable trash. PLEASE do not put weeds or old vegetable plants in the dumpster. Weeds and old vegetable material should be placed in the weed pile. The dumpster is for trash only.

THE DUMPSTER – The dumpster is for trash only. Have I mentioned that?

MORE SMALL PLOTS AVAILABLE – We have had more gardeners giving up small plots recently, and need to find gardeners to clear and tend them. If you have a half-plot now, and would like to acquire another one, please let me know. Or if you have a friend who would like to garden in Eagle Heights next year, please let them know they can contact me to get a plot now and start preparing it for spring. 

RHUBARB JAM – I made some jam like this recently, and it’s very good. I used four rhubarb stalks (about a pound) and ended up with about one pint (two cups). If you don’t want to process it or freeze it, you can just put it in a clean jar and keep it the refrigerator:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/86346/rhubarb-jam/

WORKDAY – Our next workday is scheduled for Saturday, September 3, at UNIVERSITY HOUSES GARDENS, from 8am – 11am. The project will be working on the berm area next to the weedpile, to prepare it for irrigation and cover planting. Here’s the link to sign up: >http://doodle.com/poll/xyfax5mtp7sp7rwi

Happy gardening, everyone.

Kathryn