From the Gardens Registrar: Jumping Worms; Spotted Wing Drosophila; Cowbirds; Sweet Potato Greens; Don’t Take Sticks From the Preserve; No Workday This Weekend

Hello Gardeners,

JUMPING WORMS – All of the earthworms in North America are European imports, so, in a way, all our earthworms are invasive exotics. However, most earthworms are beneficial to soil, plus they’re an important food source for other animals. But the latest invasive earthworm, the Jumping Worm, is terribly destructive to soil. Jumping Worms spread and reproduce very easily, and, since they consume more nutrients than other worms, they actually change soil structure, and make it harder for plants to grow in it. Also, they taste terrible (or so I’ve heard.)

Jumping Worms have been found in the Lakeshore Preserve, and in areas in our gardens. There is currently no method to control them. But you can keep from spreading them by being careful when moving plants, say, between your home and your garden. Here’s a link to a very good article from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with pictures, descriptions, and suggestions: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/fact/jumpingworm/index.html By the way, we believe that our leaf piles get hot enough that Jumping Worms can’t breed in them.

SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA – This is a fruit fly which has become quite a pest for raspberries. It originated in Asia, came to California in 2008, and reached Wisconsin in 2010. Other fruit flies lay their eggs in over-ripe fruit, but this one attacks fruit before it’s even ripe. For commercial fruit growers, this insect can be disastrous. For us, as organic gardeners with small plantings, we don’t have to worry about spraying insecticides to destroy them. They can easily be controlled in our gardens with one simple method – pick your berries as soon as they’re ripe. Don’t let fallen berries rot in your plots. And after you pick, keep your berries refrigerated, so in case there are eggs in them, they won’t hatch. I promise you – the eggs are tiny and you won’t notice you’re eating them. I know, yuck. This is a link to an article from Michigan State University: https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/uploads/files/SWD/E-3140.pdf

COWBIRDS – If you’ve ever been working in your garden, and found a small brown bird hopping around practically under your feet, you’ve met one of our cowbirds. They aren’t shy, and they’ve figured out that gardeners are likely to stir up insects and seeds that they eat. In their original habitat, they used to live on the Great Plains and follow bison to pick up the food they stirred up in the soil. Later, they took to following cows the same way. Hence their name. The cowbird song has a very distinctive liquid sound. Unfortunately, these native birds are parasites – they lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. Some host birds are smart enough to push the cowbird eggs out of their nests, but most of them feed and raise the cowbird chicks, while their own chicks often get pushed out of the nest.

SWEET POTATO GREENS – One of the University Houses gardeners has pointed out that sweet potato greens are edible. In fact, I’ve learned, many gardeners in Africa and Asia grow these vegetables as much for the greens as for the roots. Around our gardens, many people are trying growing sweet potatoes in buckets, which should protect the roots from voles, so you’ll actually be able to harvest potatoes in the fall. But in the meantime, if your vines get luxurious and you’re impatient for a crop, here is a website with information about how to prepare the greens: https://nesfp.org/world-peas-food-hub/world-peas-csa/produce-recipes/sweet-potato-greens

DON’T TAKE STICKS FROM THE LAKESHORE PRESERVE – Just a reminder that everything in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, which borders both our gardens, is protected, including all plants and wood.  Please do not take sticks from the Preserve for garden fences or plant supports. We have barrels for sticks at both gardens – please let me know if we’re running short.

NO WORKDAY THIS WEEKEND.

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn