From the Gardens Registrar: Colder Weather; More Books; How to Pay for the No-Workday Option; Workday Sunday, November 11 at University Houses Gardens

Hello Gardeners,         

              

COLDER WEATHER COMING – If you haven’t planted your garlic yet, hurry up and get it in the ground. It’s best for the garlic to start to develop roots, but not to sprout, so once the ground begins to freeze up, it will be too late for this year. You still have time, but don’t put it off much longer. The current forecast is for cold weather, with nighttime temperatures way below freezing. If you have fall crops, such as greens and cabbages, it would be a good idea to start watching the temperatures carefully. We’re going to get down to temperatures about as low as they can tolerate. You may want to cover them at night, to give them a few degrees of protection. Or maybe it’s time to pick them and give up for the season.

MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR WINTER READING – Several gardeners have written in to suggest the following books: Farm City by Novella Carpenter; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver; Lab Girl by Hope Jahren; and The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson.

Another gardener recommended Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac. Leopold was a professor of game management here at the UW in the 30s and 40s, was part of the group that started the UW Arboretum, and became famous for his idea of a “Land Ethic”, a view of humans as being part of a larger community of animals, plants, and the earth itself. Here’s a more detailed explanation from the Aldo Leopold Foundation: https://www.aldoleopold.org/about/the-land-ethic/  A Sand County Almanac is a collection of his essays, put together shortly after his death.

PAYING FOR THE NO-WORKDAY? – A reminder – if you haven’t been able to do a workday, and you’re paying instead - please make your $32 check payable to Division of University Housing, and mail it to Eagle Heights Gardens c/o Community Center, 611 Eagle Heights, Madison, WI. 53705. I’ll let you know when I get your payment. Thanks.

WORKDAY THIS WEEKEND – We will have a workday Sunday afternoon,  November 11, 1pm – 4pm, at University Houses Gardens. The gardens are at the end of Haight Road, next to Bernie’s Place Childcare Center, at 39 University Houses. The task will be path restoration. Bring gloves and water, and dress warmly – it will be chilly. But hey – no mosquitoes, right? Here’s the link to sign up: https://doodle.com/poll/ns33avkdsxwkimqd

Happy Gardening,                                                  

Kathryn