Hello Gardeners,
PLOT ASSIGNMENTS –
The plot assignments have finally been posted on our website. I apologize for
the delay. Here’s the link: http://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardeners/2019-plot-assignments/ If you’re a new gardener, please check the
assignment listing, and make very sure you are gardening in the correct plot.
So far, there have been at least two gardeners who have started working in the
wrong plots. We may have given out a few wrong plot numbers at the Seed Fair – if
we did, it’s our fault, and not yours. But please check, and email me if you
have any questions. Also, if you took tomato cages from Plot 208, please return
them immediately – these were not abandoned.
WHEN WILL THE WATER BE ON? – I don’t know. Next question? On Monday, the
temperature was in the 70s. Today, it is snowing. In other words, it is April
in Wisconsin. We will not turn the water on until it is warm enough that we can
be sure the pipes will not freeze and burst. This is completely weather
dependent. It will be at least another two weeks – maybe longer. I’ll let you
know as soon as I find out.
WORKDAY AT UNIVERSITY HOUSES GARDENS –
We will have our first workday of the season this Saturday, April 13, from 9am
to Noon, at University Houses Gardens. The tasks will be installing the hose
reels for the water system, and also working on a retaining wall for the end of
the B row. If you have a plot at the end of the B row, you may have noticed
piles of cinderblocks on your plot. We plan to use these blocks to improve the
path. The sooner we get a good number of workday volunteers to work on this
project, the sooner we can get these blocks installed and out of gardeners’
way. I especially urge UH gardeners to
volunteer for this project, because you’ll be able to see the results every
time you’re in the garden. Dress warm, bring gloves, and don’t forget to
put your name and plot number on the sign-in sheet. Here’s the
link to sign up: https://doodle.com/poll/4b3qahz2tqwyzfv3
(University Houses Gardens is at the
end of Haight Road – if you can find Bernie’s Place Childcare Center, at 39
University Houses, the gardens are next to that.)
SEEDS VS PLANTS – If you’re a new gardener, you may
be wondering which vegetables to start from seed, and which to buy plants for.
Basically, if you’ve got more time than money, seeds are always much cheaper
than plants. (If you don’t have either time or money, join the crowd.) But if
you plant seeds, it will take some time for them to grow, and things can easily
go wrong. If you plant plants, you’ll spend much more money, but you’ll get
faster and probably more reliable results.
Some vegetables (and fruits) are always started from plants.
Strawberry seeds exist (we don’t have any), but they’re hard to find. Most
people start with strawberry plants, which you can get at garden stores.
Potatoes are always planted from pieces of potatoes – not from seeds. Rhubarb
and berries are always started from plants. Asparagus and rosemary are more
often grown from plants than from seed. Onions can be started from seed, if you
start them inside in February – otherwise you can buy plants or “sets”, which
are tiny onions that will grow quickly into green onions or bulb onions.
By the way, if you’re not finding seeds for all of the vegetables
you want to plant, there are many reputable seed companies you can order from
on-line, including the companies that donate seeds to us: Renee’s Garden, Seed
Savers, Seedway, Berlin, E & R, and Baker Creek. Garden stores and some
hardware stores have seeds, too. For Asian vegetables, some of the Asian
groceries on Park Street sell seeds for those, and you can also try Kitizawa, a
California company that specializes in Asian vegetables. https://www.kitazawaseed.com/
Happy Gardening (or Snowman-Making),
Kathryn
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