Dear Gardeners,
The Monarch butterflies and hummingbirds are getting scarce as they leave for warmer weather and the leaves on the trees are turning wonderful colors. It is cool and a great time to be out cleaning up the gardens and tending the late crops. We have been very lucky with this weather so I hope you have time to get out and enjoy it.
Saturday, Oct. 10, there will be a workday at Eagle Heights to work on the common area from 8 am to 11 am. If you would like to work this opportunity, please reply and I'll get you more information.
The workday obligation needs to be met by Dec. 1 . If you haven't done a workday and can't do a workday soon, you can fulfill the obligation by paying the "no workday option" fee ($32 for a large plot; $16 for a small plot). Make the check out to Division of University Housing and mail or drop off at the Eagle Heights Community Center, ATTN: Gardens, 611 Eagle Heights, Madison, WI, 53705.
We've been lucky with rains this fall and the water will be shut off sometime in mid-October so that we don't have problems with freezing in the pipes. With cooler temperatures and fewer crops, we still can expect to harvest some items up to a hard freeze but we can't chance the irrigation system. Some greens are even better after a light frost so don't pull things out too soon. We are hoping to get in leaves for mulch as they start to fall (both garden sites) so there should be plenty of mulch that will help with soil preparation in the spring and insulation for garlic that is planted this fall. Some years with mild winters, spinach and chard planted now will overwinter to provide fresh greens in early spring. You might want to put in just a little to see if you can get it to survive with a bit of leaf mulch. Those first spring crops are mighty tasty and El Nino means we don't have a good idea of how cold this winter will be.
Hope to see you in the gardens on these glorious fall days!
Gretel, Garden Registrar