From the Registrar: September 16, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 
Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at EH next Monday, September 21st from 10 am -2 pm. Six to eight volunteers are needed. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 10 am. The workday will be for digging a trench for a new water line in the 900s/1000s row. Volunteers should bring gloves. Please email me if you'd like to sign up for this workday.

Gardening in 2027: Every year, all gardeners must reapply for their garden plots to return the following season. 

• 2027 applications will open on December 15th 2026. Returning and new gardeners may turn in applications beginning that day. For new gardeners, applications are processed in the order received.

• For 2026 gardeners, the deadline to apply for renewal will be February 15th 2027. Returning gardeners in good standing have priority to return to the same plot or request to move plots.

• Renewal applications received on or after 2/16 are not guaranteed. I will try to help if I can, but after Feb 15th any plots that have not been renewed may be reassigned to new gardeners.

• If you already know that you do not plan to renew your plot, please let me know.

Only assigned gardeners from 2026 are eligible to renew a plot for 2027. If there is someone gardening in your plot with you this year and they’d like to keep the plot next year, you must make sure they are listed as the secondary gardener BEFORE December 15th 2026. Renewal applications in the name of someone not previously listed must be processed as new applications.

 
Please let me know if you have any questions about applying for next season.

Winter squash: Winter squash is ready when it turns the right color for the variety, the vines die back, and the stem is hard. Some gardeners harvest earlier to prevent pests from eating the squash, or theft, which can both be problems in our gardens. If you can wait a bit longer it will help the squash store well. Here is some information on harvesting and storing winter squash:
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/winter-squash/winter-squash-eating-guide.html

Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily


Maintenance request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform
Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/
Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing/

From the Registrar: September 9, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 
July Garden Committee meeting: This month’s committee meeting will be today, Wednesday, September 9th at 7 pm. The Gardens are run by a volunteer committee, and all gardeners are welcome to participate. The committee meets via Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm. Join via this link: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/92582024098?pwd=Uy9iQXZMK1dzNmZJRFY2c09xakdTdz09

Garden jury: There will be a garden jury at each garden this Saturday, 9/12 at 8 am. There will be two groups at EH and one at UH. Each group should have four volunteers. The groups will meet at the sheds. There will be two more weekend juries this season, including this Saturday. Please consider volunteering! Reply to this email if you would like to sign up for a garden jury.

The garden jury is a jury of peers that assesses plot conditions. Gardeners can sign up for three jury sessions or combine jury time with alternative independent workday time for their three-hour workday requirement.

Workday opportunities: There are two workday opportunities on Saturday. Both workdays will be for weeding and mulching. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves:

• There will be a workday at Eagle Heights Gardens (EH) this Saturday, September 12th from 8 to 11 am. The group will meet at the shed at 8 am.

• There will be a workday at Eagle Heights Gardens (EH) this Saturday, September 12th from 9 am to 12 pm. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 9 am.

Please reply to this email to sign up for either of these workdays.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

Maintenance request form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/

Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing

From the Registrar: August 25, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 
Workday status: I will be sending out two group emails: One to the primary gardeners of plots that have already fulfilled the requirement, and another to those that have not yet fulfilled the requirement. This is just so that everyone is aware of their current status for the season. There is still time left to do workdays. More group workdays will be scheduled, and independent workdays are always an option. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.

Garden jury: There will be a garden jury at each garden this Saturday, 8/29 at 8 am. There will be two groups at EH and one at UH. Each group should have four volunteers. The groups will meet at the sheds. There will be three more weekend juries this season, including this Saturday. Please consider volunteering! Reply to this email to sign up for a garden jury.

 
The garden jury is a jury of peers that assesses plot conditions. Gardeners can sign up for three jury sessions or combine jury time with alternative independent workday time for their three-hour workday requirement.

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at University Houses Gardens (UH) this Saturday, August 29th from 8-11 am for clearing and mulching vacant plots. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 8 am. Please respond to this email if you’re interested in this workday, and spots will be assigned in the order of replies. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

Maintenance request form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/

Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing

From the Registrar: August 14, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

Garden jury: We will move the garden juries to Sunday again this week due to the forecast for rain on Saturday. There will be a garden jury at each garden this Sunday, 8/16 at 8 am. There will be two groups at EH and one at UH, each with four volunteers. The groups will meet at the sheds. Please consider volunteering for a jury and reply to this email if you would like to sign up.

• The garden jury is a jury of peers that assesses plot conditions. The juries report plots that appear excessively weedy or abandoned. There are four gardeners on each jury. The weed juries also remove communal tools and carts left behind plots.

• Juries are scheduled every other weekend. Garden jury is counted as workday time. Gardeners can sign up for three jury sessions or combine jury time with alternative independent workday time for their three-hour workday requirement.

Spots open for Sunday workday at UH: Volunteers are still needed for the workday to clear vacant plots at UH this Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm for clearing vacant plots. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 10 am. Please reply to this email if you're interested in this workday.


Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

Maintenance request form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/

Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing

From the Registrar: August 12, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 
Every plot is responsible for one workday each year. A workday is a three-hour contribution to the garden community made by working in common areas or vacant plots. The requirement can also be fulfilled by paying a $45 no-workday fee in lieu of doing a workday. Gardeners at Eagle Heights and University Houses can do their workday at either site for credit.

Group workdays are scheduled throughout the season. Gardeners can sign up for any of these by replying to the email announcement to reserve a spot. For gardeners that aren't able to make any of the scheduled times, we can arrange for an independent workday.

 
All gardeners that apply to renew their plots for the following year must be in good standing, which includes fulfilling the workday requirement for the previous season. Please tell me if you have any questions.

 
Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

Maintenance request form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/

Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing

From the Registrar: August 12, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 
July Garden Committee meeting: This month’s committee meeting will be today, Wednesday, August 12th at 7 pm. The Gardens are run by a volunteer committee, and all gardeners are welcome to participate. The committee meets via Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm. Join via this link: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/92582024098?pwd=Uy9iQXZMK1dzNmZJRFY2c09xakdTdz09


Workday opportunities: There are some upcoming workday opportunities. 

• There will be a workday at Eagle Heights Gardens (EH) this Friday, August 14th from 8 to 11 am to continue work on the leaf pile. The group will meet at the leaf pile at 8 am.

• There will be a workday at University Houses Gardens (UH) this Sunday, August 16th from 10 am to 1 pm for clearing vacant plots. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 10 am.

Plot markers and corner posts: Please don’t move your numbered plot marker or the yellow corner posts of your plot. Confirm that all four metal corner posts are in place around your plot, and the numbered post is in the front and let me know if they can't be found. Sometimes these posts go missing or are moved and used as plant supports. It is harder for the jury to identify plots and to confirm borders when they are out of place.


Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

Maintenance request form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/

Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing

From the Registrar: August 5, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

This is a reminder to clear weeds and plants from borders and fences. The border areas are often overlooked, or borders are unclear, and gardeners may not know what areas they are meant to care for. Recent garden juries requested that a notice be sent out about this again due to many overgrown and weedy borders and fences.

In many cases, the issue noted was bindweed growing on fences, which grows very quickly and can be hard to control. Sometimes other plants like squash are growing over fences.

Please let me know if you would like clarification of your plot borders or if you have any other questions or concerns. We realize that in some cases gardeners are dealing with weeds encroaching from neighboring plots, and this can be a difficult situation.

Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily