From the Gardens Registrar: September Gardening Tips; Garden Thefts; YOUR SUGGESTIONS; Seed Saving; Workdays

Hello Gardeners,

SEPTEMBER TIPS – If you’re cutting down your beans, leave the roots in the soil – they’ll add nitrogen. Also, if your tomatoes are still blooming, remove the blossoms – they won’t have time to grow into ripe tomatoes; it’s better to encourage your plants to put their energy into ripening the tomatoes that are already nearing maturity. It’s getting late to plant anything, but lettuce and radishes may still have time to produce for you. If you have annual flowers in your garden, such as begonias, impatiens, and geraniums, this is a good time to take cuttings so you can grow them in your house over the winter. Here are more suggestions: https://www.wisconline.com/almanac/gardening/

THEFTS – Gardeners have been contacting me about thefts all season, and the emails are very depressing. We work so hard, only to have thieves take our best produce. There’s not much we can do about this, but it’s helpful to know your neighbors, so you have an idea who does or does not belong in your garden neighborhood. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to confront someone they think might be a thief – that could be dangerous. But please be watchful. Also, if you have pumpkins and winter squash ripening, you might want to cover the fruits with straw or weeds to hide them. (You shouldn’t have to do this, but it might help). These fruits will continue to ripen a little after they’re picked, so you might want to pick some a little early, to make sure you get them.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE GARDENS – We are still very interested in hearing from our fellow gardeners who have suggestions to consider as the Garden Committee begins discussing long-range planning. Remember, this is your garden – what would you like to see at Eagle Heights or University Houses next year, or five years from now, or ten years from now? We want to hear your ideas. Please email me and/or come to the Garden Committee meeting this evening, 7pm, Eagle Heights Community Center, Room 139.

SEED SAVING – Many of our gardeners save their own seeds. The advantages include being able to develop your own strain of a plant that will perform well in your plot, and a feeling of independence and self-sufficiency. Also, you can save money. You’ll need to know what varieties you have – seed-saving is going to be worthwhile only with open-pollinated plants, not hybrids. This website has a lot of very clear and detailed information: http://www.howtosaveseeds.com/  And by the way, if you save seeds and would like to swap with other gardeners, please let me know.

WORKDAYS – According to my calculations, almost half of the gardeners still have not attended a workday this season. We will continue to have workdays in September and October, including one on a weekday the last week of September. How late into the fall they go will depend on the weather, but last year, the final workday was the second weekend in November. A representative of each plot must either do a workday or pay the $32 no-workday fee each year. Please don’t put this off too late.

WORKDAY THIS WEEKEND - Speaking of which, our workday this weekend will be at University Houses Gardens, on Saturday, September 16, 8am – 11am. The task will be working on and improving old paths.  Here’s the link to sign up: https://beta.doodle.com/poll/37teni6w5vfkqtct

Remember, if you have trouble signing up for the workday, you are welcome to just show up. For most of the workdays, we don’t really have a limit on participation. Just be sure to put your name and plot number on the workday sheet so you get credit for participating.

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn