From the Gardens Registrar: THE END; Some General Reminders for the Future; Would You Like to Have a Formal Garden?; Storing Seeds; Thank Yous!

 Hello Gardeners,

THE END – Though chard and kale and a few other hardy vegetables are still going strong, most of our gardens are basically done. This will be my last weekly Wednesday email for this year. But I will send out a reminder on or around December 15, to let people know that our applications for 2021 will be available. In past years, we have had paper copies at the Community Center, as well as copies online. This year, most likely the Community Center will still be closed to the public. But if it’s possible for us to have applications there, I’ll let you know.

MORE REMINDERS – If you would like to renew your garden plot for 2021, please fill out an application when they become available on December 15. Everybody needs to fill out an application. You may mail it, along with your check made payable to the Division of University Housing, to the Community Center, whose address is on the application. Or you can drop it off in a green garden envelope in the drop box in the vestibule at the Center. Or you may fill out the application online and email it to me, and then mail or drop off your check separately. Please remember that your application is not complete until I receive your payment. We can not accept cash for garden fees – your payment must be a check or money order. The deadline to renew your plot will be February 15.

 If you want to return as a gardener next year, but you want a different plot, please get your application to me by the deadline, and indicate your preferred plot number or the area in the garden you would prefer.

If you know you will not be returning next year, please let me know now, if you haven’t already done so.

Because of the virus, we are combining 2020 and 2021 as far as workdays are concerned. If you paid the no-workday fee for 2020 or did a workday this year, you will not have to do that in 2021. If you did not do either of those this year, you will have until the end of 2021 to do so.

Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this. I won’t be working much in the next few weeks, but I will still be checking emails regularly.

FORMAL GARDEN AVAILABLE – You may have noticed Plot 1004 in the last few years – the gardener worked very hard to create a beautiful, serene, formal garden, quite unusual at Eagle Heights. Unfortunately, the gardener has moved on, and has given up the plot. My preference in reassigning it would be to find a gardener who would like to keep it basically the way the last gardener set it up. Would anyone be interested in switching to this garden, either now, or starting next spring? Please let me know.

SEED STORAGE – If you got seeds in the spring and didn’t use them all, you might be able to plant them next year, depending on how old they are, and how you’ve stored them. Basically, your seeds should be in a place that’s cool, dark, and dry. Some people put them in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, or even in the freezer, but a drawer is just fine. Be sure that every packet is labeled with the variety and the year. Except for onion seeds, most common vegetable and flower seeds should still be viable at least one year after the packet date. Generally, small seeds will last longer than large ones. Here’s a viability chart I’ve used: https://www.highmowingseeds.com/blog/seed-viability-chart#  I know gardeners are always telling stories about growing champion tomatoes from seeds that are 20 years old, but generally, fresher seeds are better.

THANK YOUS!!! – This year has been quite a challenge for us at Eagle Heights and everywhere else in the world. I am very grateful that we were able to keep the gardens open despite the pandemic, and that both new and continuing gardeners were able to find safe and satisfying activity for themselves and their families growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers. I would like to thank all the gardeners who took good care of their plots, social-distanced, and maintained good hand-washing hygiene when sharing tools. Thank you to everyone who managed to do a workday despite our not being able to offer group projects. Thank you to our garden workers, Megan and Andy, for outstanding work, and thank you to the many gardeners who do extra work in common areas and on special projects to keep the gardens going.

I hope that 2021 be a better year for everyone. In the meantime, have a good winter, and stay well.

 

Kathryn