From the Garden Registrar: More thefts, jumping worms and Mexican bean beetles, weed pile etiquette, and what to plant in July

Hello Gardeners,

THEFTS – Sorry to say, there have been more reports, both from Eagle Heights and from University Houses, of thefts of hoses and vegetables, mainly peas. There isn’t much we can do about this – thefts are mainly from outsiders, not from fellow-gardeners. But please keep an eye out for suspicious behavior, such as people you don’t know taking tools or harvesting produce from neighboring plots.

CONFIRMED JUMPING WORM SIGHTING – A gardener at University Houses sent a picture of a worm she found in her plot to the DNR, which confirmed it was a jumping worm. The DNR is testing options for future control, but for now, removing them is the best option for slowing their spread. The best way to do this is to put them in a plastic bag, in the sun, and then throw the bag in the dumpster.

ANNOYING INSECT OF THE WEEK -  There are now Mexican bean beetles on the loose in the gardens – particularly the fat, yellow larvae, which are very destructive to bean leaves. As with the potato beetles, the best way to eradicate them is picking them off by hand. Here’s some information about them: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/pest-control/mexican-bean-beetle-organic-control-zw0z1304zkin.aspx

WEED PILE ETIQUETTE - Last Saturday, the work crew did a lot of work around the weed pile, clearing the grates and pulling weeds from the rock wall. People worked hard, and it looked great. Now, already, weeds are spilling over the grates.  Please -  Only dump weeds from the road side of the pile, not the grated side. Also, do not put sticks in the weed pile – there are barrels to put sticks in, and people who are building structures in their plots want them.

WHAT TO PLANT NOW – So your lettuce is bitter and your spinach has bolted? It’s time to pull them out, but what to replace them with? There are lots of possibilities: you could plant seeds for bush beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, summer squash, cilantro, dill, and turnips, among others. You can also get plants for cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Remember that the days are gradually getting shorter now, so plants grow more slowly than they do in spring. Since these plants mostly prefer cooler temperatures, it’s important to give them the best start you can in the heat. It can be helpful to shade and moisten the soil before you plant. 

WORKDAYS – This week's workday will be Saturday, July 9, 8am - 11am, in the Eagle Heights Garden. The task will be cleaning the paths. Again, please bring gloves. Here's the link to sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/p6v8mkcxt2i4mi7w   Do not respond to this if you are not volunteering. 

Happy gardening, everyone,

Kathryn