From the Gardens Registrar: Mowing and Water Problems; Weed Pile at U Houses Gardens; Weed Juries; Wild Parsnip; Work Day Unlikely

Hello Gardeners,

MOWING – Our garden workers are still struggling to complete the first cycle of mowing. The mower that tangled with the hose is recovering slowly, but equipment problems and rainy weather, combined with the usual fast grass growth in late spring and early summer, have made for constant delays. It’s almost done, folks. And then it will be time to start it all over again.

WATER PROBLEMS – Our garden workers are also struggling to fix leaks, seeps, and other plumbing disasters in our eccentric irrigation system. The line in the 1300s has been off for most of the season. Every time it’s turned back on, some other problem comes up with it. At this point, frankly, I’ve lost track of which water lines are on and which are off. I can only say two things – one, it keeps raining anyway, and two, we’re working on it – we really are working on it. Parts of the system are old, and the harsh winter may have caused additional problems.

WEED PILE AT UNIVERSITY HOUSES – UHers, please be careful to dump your weeds inside the weed area, not nearby. The pile is getting out of hand, which will make it harder to clear out.

WEED JURIES – The weed juries have begun their dreaded work at both gardens, and even as I write this, there are grim-faced gardeners walking around the garden paths with clipboards. Many gardens look wonderful, but some do not seem to have been started yet, and others look like the gardeners started and lost interest. This is why we have weed juries – to identify plots that may have been abandoned, or those whose weed problems may be more serious than the gardeners realize.

The juries email me their findings, and then I take a look at the plots they’ve mentioned. If I agree with their evaluation, I send an email to the gardener. If you get an email from me about the condition of your plot, please respond right away. If your plot is identified as weedy, and you want to keep it, you have two weeks to improve it. Or maybe you’ll decide to give it up. But either way, please deal with it.

I know many gardeners are busy. But we are a Community Garden. If you have a very weedy plot, your neighbors have to look at it every day. What’s worse is that weeds from your garden will move across the plot line into your neighbors’ gardens. (Weeds are not great respectors of plot lines.) And that is why it’s the responsibility of the garden as a whole, through the weed juries and the registrar, to do what we can to limit the number of abandoned and poorly maintained plots.

WILD PARSNIP – This is a dangerous plant that covers many of the roadsides outside of Madison. Last year, several plants were found (and removed) at the Eagle Heights Garden. The plant burns human skin, so it’s important to not touch it with your hands or any uncovered part of your body. We hope there isn’t any this year, but if you see it in the garden, please let me know, and we’ll remove it. Here’s a website with information and some decent pictures: https://ipcm.wisc.edu/blog/2016/07/wild-parsnip-an-expanding-problem-along-roadsides-in-wisconsin/  There are several native plants, such as Golden Alexander, that look similar, and some gardeners do grow domesticated parsnip as a vegetable. But wild parsnip is a very large plant with thick stems. Keep an eye out for it.

STICKY INSECT TRAPS – Sticky traps are an organic way to control insect pests. Unfortunately, they can also kill beneficial insects, such as bees and other pollinators. Also, several insect traps have attracted birds in our gardens. We have decided to not allow their use. Also, the traps set up by the Department of Agriculture in our gardens now have hardware cloth added to them, to keep birds out of them.

WORKDAY – If we decide to schedule a workday this weekend, I’ll send out a separate message, but the current weather forecast is for thunderstorms both Saturday and Sunday.

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn