From the Gardens Registrar:  How to Throw Things Out; Workday This Saturday; Cool Weather Plant Sale; Fences

Hello Gardeners,

HOW TO THROW THINGS OUT – If you’re throwing something out at our gardens, you have to think about what it is you’re getting rid of, because it doesn’t all go in the same place.

If you’re throwing out vegetation, such as weeds, old plant material, and old vegetables – that all needs to go into the weed pile, as far in the middle as you can pitch it. But if you’re throwing out old row cover, broken tomato cages, plant containers, broken hoses, etc. – that stuff all goes into the dumpster. This is really important – if there’s vegetation in the dumpster, the people who pick up our trash can refuse to take it. If there’s trash in the weed pile, the people who pick up that material and compost it may also refuse to take it. Either way, we have to pay somebody to haul it away. So please think before you throw, and get it right.

If you are digging up old plants with big roots, you can actually leave the roots in the soil, where they will rot and feed your new plants. This is less work for you, and will make for less dirt in the weed piles, which is also important. Lastly, if you’re throwing out plant containers that are in good shape, leave them on or near the share shelves – someone else will be happy to reuse them.

WORKDAY – Last weekend’s workday was a rousing failure. Not a single person signed up. The current forecast for this Saturday is sunny and warm. This work needs to be done, so please sign up and get your workday obligation done for the season (before it’s 95 degrees in the shade, and wall-to-wall mosquitoes.) The location again will be University Houses Gardens, at the end of Haight Road, past Bernie’s Place Childcare Center. Again, the main task will be setting up the hoses and hose reels. There will also be some work to get junk out of the weed pile. If the soil is dry enough, there will also be work on the retaining wall for the end of the B path.  SATURDAY, APR. 20TH, 9 AM — NOON. MEET AT THE UNIVERSITY HOUSES GARDEN SHED. Here’s the link to sign up: HTTPS://DOODLE.COM/POLL/2Q9Y6Y79YNV9SG7P

COOL WEATHER PLANT SALE – Our cool weather plant sale will be held on Sunday, April 28, from 11am – 1pm, near the Eagle Heights shed. Plants will be sold by Scott Williams, who owns a business called “Garden to Be”, and has sold garden plants to Eagle Heights for many years. These are the plants he has growing in his greenhouses for us: broccoli, red and green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, napa cabbage, lettuce, sage, marjoram, kale (several varieties), collards, parsley – both curly and flat leaf, and bok choi. He hopes to also be able to bring plants from his fields, including rhubarb, chives, thyme, alpine strawberries, violas, and pansies. Scott always has good quality plants, he gives us special prices, and he’s very knowledgeable about what he sells. So give him your business if you’re looking to buy plants.

GOOD FENCES DO NOT ALWAYS MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS - At our last Garden Committee meeting, we discussed the fact that there are more fences in our gardens than ever before. We also talked about how many voles and rabbits we had last year – more than any long-term gardeners had ever seen in our gardens. Obviously, there is a connection here.

Unfortunately, long-term gardeners also agreed that fences don’t work. Animals can climb, jump, and dig, and most fences don’t really keep them out. We understand peoples’ desperation. But there are three reasons we don’t really like fences – one is that they are too often put up in the wrong places. Be very sure if you put up a fence that it is not right on your border with any of your neighbors. It must be at least six inches inside your plot – and a full one foot would be even better. Secondly, fences are often allowed to fall apart and to lean into neighboring plots. Lastly, fences often collect weeds. So be sure, if you do put up a fence, to set it up in the right place, keep it in good shape and weed it often.

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn