From the Registrar, October 20, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Garlic: Mid to late October is a good time to plant garlic here. You can also plant it in the Spring, but it won’t do quite as well. If you plant it in the Fall, it can begin to grow right away in the Spring and take advantage of a longer growing season. You can get garlic cloves for planting at a garden store or a Farmer’s Market. It’s better not to plant garlic from the grocery store unless you can be certain it hasn’t been treated in any way. There are some good details on planting garlic in the garden manual on our website: http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/garden_manual_v_1.12.pdf (page 80)

Workday opportunity at University Houses: We will be having a workday at University Houses to weed fruit plantings this Sunday 10/24 from 10-1. We need 8 volunteers. Please let me know if you’re interested and I will sign people up in the order they reply.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar October 13, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Water: The water is still off at Eagle Heights but hopefully will be turned back on soon. We’re waiting for an update from the plumbers.

Workday opportunity at Eagle Heights: We have three spots still available for a workday tomorrow, Thu 10/14 from 4-7 pm. The work will be wall-building and wood chip hauling. Please let me know if you’re interested and I will sign people up in the order they reply.

Applications in other languages: We currently have our garden application available in English and Mandarin, and plan to have it in Spanish next year also. If you think it would be useful to gardeners to have the application available in another language, and/or are interested in helping to translate please let me know.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar October 6, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Water: We had planned to turn the water off for the season at both gardens in the next couple of weeks. However, it seems like the University might have done this early. A number of Eagle Heights gardeners have reported that the water is off there. I will keep everyone updated when I learn more.

Workday opportunity at Eagle Heights: We have two spots available for a workday tomorrow, Thu 10/7 from 4-7 pm. The work will be wall-building and wood chip hauling. Please let me know if you’re interested and I will sign people up in the order they reply.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar September 29, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Gardening in 2022: All gardeners must reapply each year for their garden plots. If you’re interested in gardening the same plot in 2022, please make a note that the deadline to apply for renewal is February 15th. Applications will be available beginning December 15th. I will send out a reminder email before the February 15th deadline.

Winter squash: Winter squash is ready to harvest when it has turned a darker color, the vine has died back, and the stem is hard. Some gardeners choose to harvest earlier to prevent pests from eating the squash, which can be a problem in our gardens, but if you wait a bit longer it will store better. Winter squash should be harvested before the first frost. Here are some helpful tips about harvesting and storing winter squash:

https://savvygardening.com/harvesting-winter-squash/

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/winter-squash/winter-squash-eating-guide.html

Another workday reminder: We are getting near the end of the season, so please check in with me if you’re not sure you’ve done a workday. For gardeners applying to renew plots in 2022, a workday for this year must either be done or the no-workday fee paid in order to be in good standing for renewal.

Leaf mulch update: We were able to get some help from UW Grounds to move some of the leaf mulch from Eagle Heights to University Houses this week. Hopefully this will be a better distribution of resources so Eagle Heights can use up what they have, and University Houses will have enough. We are not supposed to have the mulch sit for more than nine months at a time, so please use as much as you can on your plots before more is delivered to both gardens this Fall.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar September 22, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: We need 6 volunteers for another wall-building workday at Eagle Heights this Saturday 9/25 from 9AM-Noon. Please let me know if you're interested. I will sign people up in the order they reply.

Have you done a workday? Some gardeners aren’t sure if they’ve done a workday yet. If you aren’t sure, please send me an email and I’ll look it up for you. Each plot has one workday requirement. The requirements for 2020 and 2021 were combined, so if you did a workday last year you won’t need to do another. If you haven’t done one either year, you’ll need to complete one or pay the no-workday fee. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar September 15, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: We need 8 volunteers for a wall-building workday at Eagle Heights this Saturday 9/18 from 9AM-Noon. Please let me know if you're interested. I will sign people up in the order they reply.

Putting your garden to bed: If you are done harvesting, this is a good time to put your garden to bed for the season. Pull out your plants and weeds and take them to the weed pile. Then spread a layer of leaf mulch over your plot. Even if you plan to grow a few fall greens or plant garlic, this is a good time to clean up the areas of your garden you’re done using for the season.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar September 8, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Horse manure: We just received a delivery of horse manure at Eagle Heights today. The manure is by the leaf mulch and wood chips. This is an excellent fertilizer for your plot. Please be aware that it’s not composted manure, so you should not put it directly on any plants. If you would like some for your plot, you can put some in a pile or a large bag in your plot to wait for Spring.

Reminder about plot borders on paths: If you have any perennial plants that are located outside your plot borders on the path you will need to move them. Next Spring, we will be mowing any plants in the path and removing anything that extends beyond the metal posts marking the fronts of plots. Please move anything you want to keep now, and don’t plan to plant anything there next season.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar September 1, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunities: We have a few workday opportunities available:

• Sunday Sep 5th, 8-11AM: 10 volunteers needed (Weed pulling at Eagle Heights)
• Wednesday Sep 8th, 4:30-6:30 pm: 2 volunteers needed (weed whacking- half credit for workday, at Eagle Heights)
• Thursday Sep 9th, 4:30-6:30 pm: 2 volunteers needed (weed whacking- half credit for workday, at Eagle Heights)
• Saturday Sep 11th, 9AM-Noon: 8 volunteers needed (Weed pulling at Eagle Heights)
• Sunday Sep 12th, 9AM-Noon: 8 volunteers needed (Weed pulling at Eagle Heights)

If you’re interested in doing any of these group workdays, please let me know. I will fill spots up in the order that I receive replies.

Abandoned plots: Sometimes gardeners have to move in the middle of the season, or something comes up and they can no longer take care of their plots. If you find yourself in this situation, please let me know. If you decide to give up your plot, volunteers can clean it up and spread leaf mulch on it.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar August 26, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

If you have more produce than you know what to do with you might be thinking about preserving it for later.

Canning: The USDA's guide to home canning is available here:

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html

Freezing: If you don’t want to can, or don’t have the time, freezing is another great way to preserve food. There are some helpful guidelines here:

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/uga_freeze_veg.pdf

Food pantries: If you’d like to donate your extra produce, here is the local food pantry information again:

• Second Harvest Food Bank is accepting donations of food, Mon-Fri 8am-4pm. Their address is 2802 Dairy Dr. Madison, WI 53718
• The River Food Pantry River will accept donations of fresh produce Mon 7am-3pm and Tue-Fri 7am-10am. They’d appreciate a call or email in advance if possible. Phone #: (608)-442-8815) email: info@riverfoodpantry.org
• St Vincent de Paul food pantry is not currently accepting food donations

Share shelf: Or you can always put your extra produce on the share shelf for other gardeners.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar August 18, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

I hope everyone is enjoying the harvests from their gardens!

Please never dig outside your plot borders: Every plot has a post in each corner to mark the borders. Please do not dig or plant beyond the posts and outside the borders of your plot in the paths. Our water lines are fragile and close to the surface. Digging in the paths risks damaging or cutting the water lines, which unfortunately happened recently. Any time this happens, the water must be turned off for large sections of the garden, potentially for a number of days, and gardeners can’t water their plants. It also takes time and energy for the garden workers to make the repairs. Digging and planting in the paths also makes it harder for everyone to get through to their plots. Lastly, your plants are at risk of being mowed if they are outside your borders.

Revisal to birdhouse request: A gardener has mentioned that no occupied birdhouses should be taken down. The Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve would like to see no birdhouses in the gardens in the future, but if you have a birdhouse that’s occupied, leave it up for the rest of the season and you can take it down in the Fall.

Are animals eating your tomatoes? You can protect the fruit on your plants by putting plastic clamshells on them while they ripen. The clamshells that berries come in can be clamped over the tomatoes while they’re still attached to the stem, and nothing can eat them.

Bean beetle update: We’re getting reports of many parasitized bean beetle larvae, which is great news. This means that the parasitic wasps are doing well and keeping the bean beetle population down.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar August 4, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Lake weeds: If you didn’t get any lake weeds for your garden yet and you would like some, there are still some between the leaf mulch and wood chips at Eagle Heights. Please remember to be careful where you spread them and to wash your hands.

Independent workday opportunities at Eagle Heights: We have a couple of plots that need to be cleared of weeds at Eagle Heights. Please let me know if you’d be interested, and available to do this soon.

Birdhouses: Unfortunately, birdhouses attract house sparrows. House sparrows chase out native birds like bluebirds and purple martins and will destroy eggs and kill baby birds. If you have a birdhouse in your plot, please take it down.

Water at Eagle Heights: The water leaks at Eagle Heights will be worked on tomorrow morning. I will let everyone know when there are updates.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar July 28, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Bittersweet nightshade: Bittersweet nightshade (Solanum Dulcamara) is a plant from the same family as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. It is toxic and can be dangerous for children, especially since it has small red berries. If you see this plant in your plot you should remove it. Here are some photos to help with identification: https://kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/bittersweet-nightshade.aspx

Weed pile vs dumpster: This is just a reminder that the dumpster is only for trash, and the weed pile is only for weeds.

Weedy fences: Fences can be helpful for keeping pests out, but weeds and grass tend to get tangled up in them. Please remember to keep your fences clear of weeds.

Thistle monitors: We're looking for some volunteers to take on a longer-term job that would count for workday credit. We have some areas with a lot of thistles at both gardens that need to be watched between workdays. The thistle monitors would need to check their areas twice a week and pull out any thistles that come up. The areas wouldn’t be too large, and you could do the thistle pulling on your own schedule. A gardener did this in an area of Eagle Heights last year, and after nine visits the thistles were gone. The weeding should take less time with each visit. Please let me know if you would be interested!

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar July 21, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Some identification photos: Last week I forgot to send identification photos with my note about squash bugs and Japanese beetles. Here are some links to help identify them if you have them in your plot. There are also some good tips here about how to manage them. Please remember that if you garden anywhere in Eagle Heights and in the organic section of University Houses you must use only organic gardening methods to deal with pests.

Squash bug: https://extension.umn.edu/fruit-and-vegetable-insects/squash-bugs
Japanese beetle: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/japanese-beetles

Fence etiquette: If you have climbing plants, please make sure they stay in your plot and don’t climb over your neighbor's fence or into their plot.

Parasitic wasps: We released the parasitic wasps to combat the bean beetles last week. There haven't been signs of them flying around yet, but hopefully we will see them soon.

Tools: Please don’t take tools from another gardener’s plot to use in your garden. If you garden at Eagle Heights, you need to have your own hose to water your garden. The hoses at University Houses are shared, and both gardens have a large selection of tools for everyone to use.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar July 14, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Pollinators: The gardens are a great place to support pollinators, which are declining around the world.

Here is an interesting site about pollinators: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinators.

This is a great resource from the University about supporting pollinators in your garden: https://pollinators.wisc.edu/

And now for some less beneficial insects. If you weren’t already tired of dealing with potato beetles and bean beetles, unfortunately we’ve had some reports of more insect pests.

Squash bugs: Adult squash bugs look quite a bit like stink bugs but are narrower. The nymphs are gray with black legs. You might find them gathering together on the undersides of squash plant leaves. They especially like squash (winter and summer), but will eat anything in the cucurbit family, so they might attack cucumbers and melons as well. It’s a good idea to start trying to get rid of them as soon as you see signs. Picking off the bugs and eggs and dumping them in soapy water is the best method. Some people have success with neem oil.

Japanese beetles: Japanese beetles are actually quite pretty. They’re an iridescent green and copper color. They will eat quite a few things but love to eat beans and raspberries. The same soapy water method is best for them too.

Independent workday opportunity at Eagle Heights: We’re looking for a volunteer to clear the weeds from a half plot at Eagle Heights. Please let me know if you’re interested and can do the workday soon.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar July 7, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Parasitic wasps: The parasitic wasps have been ordered to combat the Mexican bean beetles and should arrive next week. We have some plots to put them in at Eagle Heights, but we still need a place at University Houses if bean beetles have been found there. If you garden at University Houses and have beans, please check for beetles and let me know if you’d be willing to host some wasps.

What can you plant now? A few gardeners have been wondering if it’s too late to plant. It’s not! There are still things that will do well and produce a crop if planted later in summer. There are some planting guides on our website that are a good reference if you’re interested.

Under “How to”: http://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing/

Spots still open for UH workday: We still have a couple of spots open for the University Houses workday this Sunday from 9-12. Please let me know if you’re interested.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar June 30, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Mexican bean beetles: There have been some sightings of bean beetles at Eagle Heights. The Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis) is in the same family as ladybugs, and the adults resemble an orange ladybug. The larvae are yellow and spiny. This page has some photos and useful information:

https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/bean/mexican_bean_beetle.htm

We’ll be ordering parasitic wasps (Pediobius faveolatus) to try to keep them under control as soon as we have enough larvae. Please look at your beans and let me know if you have the beetles in your plot. We’re looking for volunteers with a healthy population of bean beetles in their plots to host the wasps. These wasps are very small and won’t sting people. We will need two plots at Eagle Heights and one at University Houses. Please let me know if you have the beetles in your plot and if you’d be willing to have the wasps put near them.

Workdays: Some gardeners are wondering how workdays work. Every plot is responsible for one three-hour workday for a gardening season unless the no-workday fee is paid. This year we’re combining requirements with last year, so if you completed a workday in 2020 you will not be required to do one in 2021. If you haven’t been able to do one yet, don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of opportunities.

• We'll be having a weeding workday at Eagle Heights in the fruit planting areas this Sunday. It will be from 11:30am-2:30pm. Volunteers should bring gloves and long sleeves for thistles and nettles. We will need 8 people. Please email me if you're interested and I will sign up the first 8 volunteers that I hear from.
• We’ll be having a workday at University Houses on July 11th from 9am-12pm. There will be a variety of tasks to do, from weed whacking to hand weeding. Volunteers should bring gloves and long sleeves for thistles and nettles. We will need 8 people. Please email me if you're interested and I will sign up the first 8 volunteers that I hear from.
• We need one volunteer to help with weeding the area by the Eagle Heights share shelf, dumpster, and bike rack with the gardener who looks after these areas. A weekday morning around 8 would be preferable.
• If you’d rather do an independent workday, we can find something for you too.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar June 23, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Thistles: The Canada Thistles are beginning to bloom and when they go to seed, they spread easily around the gardens and into the Preserve areas. Please look around your plot and remove any thistles you come across to try to help prevent their spread. Even just cutting off the flower heads before they can produce seed is a help if you’re not able to dig them all out right away. They’re a very invasive weed and unfortunately we have a lot in the gardens right now that we need to deal with. They’re also not nice to have in your garden, and painful to step on.

Ticks: I’ve already heard from one gardener that found a tick on themselves after being at the gardens. Dear ticks can spread Lyme disease, and there are other tick-borne illnesses as well, so please check for ticks and be careful. Here is the DNR website with more information:

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tick/bite-prevention.htm

Food pantries: If you have more produce from your garden than you expected or know what to do with, you can always donate it to a food pantry. Here is some information about local food pantries. (There are other pantries in the area also):

• Second Harvest Food Bank is accepting donations of food, Mon-Fri 8am-4pm. Their address is 2802 Dairy Dr. Madison, WI 53718
• The River Food Pantry River will accept donations of fresh produce Mon 7am-3pm and Tue-Fri 7am-10am. They’d appreciate a call or email in advance if possible. Phone #: (608)-442-8815) email: info@riverfoodpantry.org
• St Vincent de Paul food pantry is not currently accepting food donations

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar June 16, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Garlic: Some early varieties of garlic are ready to harvest. It’s a little earlier than usual this year due to the weather. So, if you haven’t already, check your garlic!

Watering: I know it’s been terribly dry, but please remember that you must be present while watering your garden. This means no sprinklers left running while you’re away. Not only is it nice for your neighbors to have the spigot accessible, it’s also a more efficient to water in person. Much of the water that comes out of a sprinkler evaporates, especially if it’s running during the hot part of the day. This ends up being a waste of water and time. The most effective way to water your garden is to soak it close to the ground.

Potato beetles (again): It’s important to keep the potato beetles in your plot under control, not just for the sake of your plants but for the sake of your neighbors’ plants too. Potatoes often volunteer as a result of potatoes left in the ground at harvest the previous year. If you have volunteer potatoes but you don’t want them, please remove the plants from your plot because they make an excellent host for potato beetles. If enough people are interested, we could consider spraying individual plots with Spinosad.

Painted wood: It’s a good idea to avoid painted wood for garden use. Old lumber gets repurposed in the gardens often, which is great if it’s unpainted. If it’s painted there’s a good chance it could have lead paint on it which will flake off into your garden and get in the soil.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar June 9, 2021

Hello Gardeners,

Organic Gardening: All of the plots at Eagle Heights and the A and B rows at Uhouses are organic. (If you garden in the C, D, E, or F rows at Uhouses you can ignore this). No chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers can be used in the organic gardening areas. Any products that you do purchase to put in your garden must be labeled as organic. There are ways to deal with pests and weeds in an organic garden. Insect pests like potato beetles can be hand-picked and dumped in soapy water. Some years we spray Spinosad (an organic insecticide) for potato beetles as well. This is something we might consider this year if there are enough issues. Hand pulling weeds and mulching to prevent their return is one of the best methods for weed control. Which brings us to:

Mulch: Mulching not only prevents weed growth, it adds organic matter to the soil, helps keep moisture in the soil and prevents erosion. It also helps maintain the temperature of the soil. Soil health will directly affect how well plants grow and mulching is a great way to help promote it. We have piles of leaf mulch at both gardens.

Nature Preserve: Both our gardens are a part of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve and there are protected preserve areas around the borders of both gardens. Please never dump weeds or take anything out of any areas of the Preserve. The branches and sticks in the Preserve are not available to use in plots. Please remember to stay on our side of the paths too if you’re weeding. The Preserve does their own weeding and know which plants they want there. There have been some problems with the north tree island at Eagle Heights. Dumping weeds there interferes with the efforts of volunteers to create a wildlife habitat. I know that the weed pile is a long way away for some of the Eagle Heights plots but if you’re looking for someplace to put your weeds, please try the method with the weed bag I mentioned last week instead.

Trees coming down by gravel path at Eagle Heights: Starting next Monday, June 14th the University will be having a contractor take down some trees in the area between the gravel path and Lake Mendota Drive. They will need to use the gravel path for their work and request that gardeners don’t go in the area while they are working.

Dry weather: As I’m sure you all already know; it’s been very dry. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we have a high chance of rain any time soon, so we can all probably look forward to a lot of watering.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

Hello Gardeners,

Cranes: We’re fortunate to have a family of cranes in the Eagle Heights Garden again this year. The cranes are fairly accustomed to gardeners, and it’s interesting to observe them, from a distance. They will defend themselves though, especially if they think the baby is being threatened. They are really quite large and have sharp bills so it’s best to give them some space.

Theft: I’m sorry to say that we’ve had some reports of theft in our gardens. Please never enter plots that aren’t yours, and never remove materials or produce from another plot. Knowing your neighbors can be helpful for being aware of who has cause to be in a plot. If you notice anything unusual, please do let me know.

Weeding Paths: Please remember to keep the weeds under control on the paths you share with neighbors. Which brings us to:

Weed bags: Sometimes weeding can seem especially arduous because you have the added task of carting the weeds to the weed pile when you’re done. If it’s a small number of weeds, one way to deal with them is to keep a heavy-duty black plastic bag in your plot for weeds. The weeds will break down quickly as the bag heats up in the sun, especially if you add some water. Once it’s all broken down you can simply dump the bag back into your garden beds. It can be hard sometimes to get all the dirt off the roots of weeds and this system keeps dirt in your plot (which is better for your garden).

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

 Hello Gardeners,

I've very pleased to be sending you my first email as the new Registrar. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Potato Beetles:

Unfortunately, we've already had a few sightings of adult Colorado Potato Beetles in the Gardens. The adult potato beetles are light orange with black stripes. Soon we'll start to see the orange-red larvae appear on the plants as well. Removing beetles/eggs/larvae from potato plants and dropping them in soapy water is a good way to keep them under control. If left to their own devices the adult beetles and larvae can destroy the leaves of potato plants and other plants in the same family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants).

Squash:

Late May is the time to think about planting summer and winter squash and other warm weather plants. There are some squash seeds available on the share shelves. Winter and summer squash both do well in our gardens. If you're struggling to find space but you know you want to plant winter squash, you might consider planting it alongside something that you plan to harvest earlier, like garlic. Once the garlic is harvested the squash will have a place to go. Squash can be very prolific and get unruly though, so it's good to be cautious when planting it where it might overwhelm other plants later in summer.

Paths:

Please remember to disconnect your hose and put it back in your plot after watering. This allows other gardeners to use the faucets and protects your hose from the mower when it comes through.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: Warm Weather Plant Sale on Sunday; It’s Not Time to Plant Corn; Garden Juries; Seed Information; About the Plant Give-Away Last Sunday; Goodbye

 Hello Gardeners, 

 WARM WEATHER PLANT SALE - Scott Williams of Garden To Be will be selling warm weather plants at Eagle Heights on Sunday, May 23, from 10am – 1pm. He will be bringing basil (5 varieties), cilantro, lettuce, salad mix packs, edible flowers, cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash, pumpkins, melons, winter squash, eggplants, and peppers – both sweet and hot. Tomatoes are still iffy. Please wear masks and social distance.

IT’S NOT TIME TO PLANT CORN – Why not? Because it’s never time to plant corn at Eagle Heights. We don’t prohibit it, but we don’t encourage it. The reason is that it doesn’t grow well in our gardens, and it attracts raccoons. (As if we need to attract more vegetable-eating mammals.) It tends to fall over and get in other people’s way, it takes up space, and most people I’ve talked to who’ve grown it got very little to eat out of it. I love corn on the cob too, but in our garden, it’s just a nuisance.

 GARDEN JURIES – We will be starting Garden Juries at both gardens in June. Garden juries are groups of gardeners who meet to look at garden plots together, and notify the registrar about plots they find that are very weedy or look abandoned. They can also report particularly well-maintained gardens. Each jury has three gardeners, is issued a specific group of plots to look at, and will set their own schedules for their three inspections – one each in June, July, and August. There will be five juries at Eagle Heights, and one jury will handle University Houses. The total amount of time equals about 3 hours, and jurying constitutes a workday. The reason we have these juries is that poorly-managed plots spread weeds to their neighbors. Also, if a plot turns out to have been abandoned, we want to know that as soon as possible, so it can be assigned to a new gardener. And it isn’t always bad for the gardener to be reported on – sometimes, it turns out the gardener needs help, and we can provide that. Gardeners who served on a jury last year can not apply this time, since they do not need to do a workday this year. Also, we want to extend the opportunity to new people. We will need 18 volunteers altogether. Because this is such a popular way to do a workday, we will take names for the next two weeks, until June 1. At that point, if we have more volunteers than we can use, we’ll draw names out of a hat!

 SEED STUFF – The bean seeds are all gone, and so are most of the flower seeds. We have lots of seeds for summer and winter squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons. We’ll keep bringing seeds out to the share shelves at both gardens for the next few weeks. Gourds, anyone? We’ve got lots and lots of seeds for gourds. Sure, they’re useless and take up a lot of space, but you can store your radishes in them.

 PLANT GIVE-AWAY LAST SUNDAY – The people delivering the free plants last Sunday had more than 1000 plants to distribute at a number of locations, and were not able to get to Eagle Heights until 11am. I had been told the plants would arrive between 9:00 and 10:00, and I know that gardeners started lining up at 9:00, and many waited more than an hour before giving up. It was chilly besides. I’m so sorry that the delivery was delayed, and people who had waited so long weren’t able to get plants. Many thanks to our Co-Chair, Ninja, for waiting with these gardeners and trying to help.

 GOODBYE – Goodbye, gardeners. Be happy and well. Be excellent to each other. And don’t put your &^%$@! fences up on your (^#@! plot borders!

 

Happy Gardening, 

Kathryn             

 

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: Warm Weather Plant Sale; Jumping Worms II; Workdays; Rhubarb

 Hello Gardeners, 

WARM WEATHER PLANT SALE – Scott Williams of Garden To Be will be selling warm weather plants at Eagle Heights on Sunday, May 23, from 10am – 1pm. He will be bringing basil (5 varieties), cilantro, lettuce, salad mix packs, edible flowers, cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash, pumpkins, melons, winter squash, eggplants, and peppers – both sweet and hot. He will (hopefully) also bring tomatoes, but his tomatoes got their tips frosted, and he’ll have to wait to see how they’re doing before he is sure he’ll be bringing them. Please wear masks and social distance. I already have volunteers to help.

JUMPING WORMS II – REVENGE OF THE JUMPING WORMS – Several gardeners wrote me after my last message to explain that mustard water does not kill jumping worms. What actually happens is that they don’t like the mustard, and they come up to the surface of the soil to avoid it. At that point, you can pick them up and kill them by putting them in a plastic bag and leaving it in the sun until they turn to mush. I know, yick. If you do that, please throw that bag in the dumpster – do not try to compost it.

WORKDAYS – In a normal year, a gardener from every plot must either contribute three hours of work to the garden community, or else pay a “no workday fee.” Last year was not a normal year. Due to Covid, it did not seem safe for us to organize our usual group workdays. A few gardeners managed to do projects on their own, and we did have some weed-whacking sessions with small numbers of volunteers. Because it was so difficult for most people to do a workday, (but we still wanted to give credit to those who did, or who paid the fee), we decided to lump together 2020 and 2021 as far as workdays were concerned. So, if you were a gardener last year, and either did a workday or paid the fee, you do not have to do a workday this year. In fact, please don’t – we want as many opportunities available to new gardeners as possible.

This year, I think, by the summer, we will be able to organize workdays in a somewhat more normal way. Typical workdays involve projects such as weeding and wood chipping paths, weeding common areas, weeding and mulching abandoned plots, and so on. We’ve been using Doodle for the scheduling, and publishing the Doodle links in this message when a workday is scheduled. Workdays mostly take place on weekends, but we try to have a few on weekday evenings too, and to have projects at both gardens.

Another workday opportunity will be garden jurying, but I’ll explain that in my next message.

If you want to do a workday, but you would prefer to work alone, or don’t feel comfortable in a group, please contact me, and we’ll see if we can find a good project for you.

Otherwise, if you really don’t want to do a workday, or you aren’t able to sign up for one, you can pay the $32 fee – that is not due until December 1, and there’s no need to do it any earlier.

RHUBARB – Generally, the first crop that can be harvested in our gardens is rhubarb, a perennial vegetable that’s treated like a fruit. The roots have been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years and it’s been grown in Europe and North America since the 17^th Century as medicine and later, as a vegetable. As a vegetable, only the stalks are eaten – the leaves contain a lot of oxalic acid, and are poisonous (though you’d have to eat an awful lot before they would hurt you.). The stalks are very tart, and are usually eaten with a great deal of sugar. It’s not particularly nutritious, but it’s tasty by itself, or with other fruits. If you’re looking for rhubarb recipes and general information, this is the place: Rhubarb Website /Blog - Recipes, Growing, Nutrition and More (rhubarb-central.com)

Happy Gardening, 

Kathryn             

 

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: A Message from the New Gardens Registrar!; Protect Your Tomatoes and Peppers; Hose Etiquette; Jumping Worms; Old Campaign Signs; A Few Painting Volunteers

 Hello Gardeners, 

 NEW GARDENS REGISTRAR – I am delighted to announce that a new registrar has been chosen, and will start on May 14. (However, you’ll still have to put up with me until the end of the month.) Her name is Lily, and she sends this message: 

 Hello all gardeners at Eagle Heights and University Houses, 

I have been gardening at Eagle Heights for a number of years and have had my current plot for about five years. I'm looking forward to learning more and taking on a larger role in our gardens as the new registrar. I feel fortunate to be taking over for Kathryn, who has been an excellent registrar, and Gretel before her. I look forward to seeing everyone at both Gardens! 

  Happy gardening, 

Lily 

TOMATOES AND PEPPERS  – I’m seeing gardeners bringing in tomato and pepper seedlings, and it’s really too early to plant them. We are expecting cold nights this weekend - if you’ve planted them, keep an eye on the weather forecasts, and be prepared to cover your plants if frost seems possible. By next week, the danger will probably be over. But as for eggplants, they really like warm temperatures, so don’t hurry to plant them. 

HOSE ETIQUETTE – Please keep your hose in your garden plot when you are not using it. Also, do not leave it lying across the path, or leave it attached to the spigot except when you are watering. It is inconsiderate of your garden neighbors. Also, terrrrrrible things happen to hoses that are left lying in the paths. They get mowed and shredded, for instance. Oh, and please don’t take your neighbor’s hose either – if you don’t have your own hose, buy one. (At University Houses, where we provide the hoses and hose reels, we’re still in the process of installing those, so don’t despair if you don’t have one set up by your plot yet. It will be there soon.) 

JUMPING WORMS – Several gardeners have spoken to me in the last few weeks about finding Jumping Worms in their garden plots. Typically, these don’t appear until June, but I think these gardeners had a good idea of what they were seeing. What are Jumping Worms? They’re an invasive earthworm that multiplies rapidly and destroys soil, making it harder for plants to grow in it. Here’s a basic description, along with gruesome pictures: Jumping Worms – Wisconsin Horticulture  We have had these worms in both gardens for a number of years, and they seem to be here to stay, for now. We felt confident that they couldn’t live in the Eagle Heights leaf pile, because it gets very hot inside. But we found that worms, including possible jumping worms, could live on the edges of the pile. The University Houses leaf pile is not as big, and doesn’t get as hot, so it may also harbor them. To be safer, when you get leaves from the pile, try for the newer leaves, more at the top of the pile. If you do get jumping worms in your plot, supposedly you can kill them by mixing 1/3 cup of dry mustard with a gallon of water, and soaking the area. It won’t harm your plants.  

OLD CAMPAIGN SIGNS – This summer, one of our gardeners is going to set up a Storybook Walk at Eagle Heights, and will have book pages displayed along some paths. We’re thinking that the wires from old campaign signs would be good to mount these pages on. If you’ve got old campaign signs sitting in your garage or basement (or dining room), please let me know, and then bring them to the gardens and leave them next to either garden shed. Thank you. 

PAINTING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Our garden worker, Megan, is organizing tool-painting parties for next week. She needs two volunteers from University Houses Gardens to help paint with her on Tuesday, May 11, at 6pm, and three volunteers from Eagle Heights on Thursday, May 13, again at 6pm. Please let me know if you’re interested. 

 Happy Gardening, 

Kathryn             

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: Cool Weather Plant Sale This Sunday, April 25; Two Volunteers Needed; Row Cover Will Return; No Word Yet on Water; A Few Rule Reminders; About Organic Growing

Hello Gardeners,

 UPCOMING PLANT SALE – On Sunday, April 25, Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be selling cool-weather plants at Eagle Heights, from 10am – 1pm. These are the plants he will be selling:

Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Lettuces (mixed and individual packs as well as salad mix packs), Napa Cabbage, Green and Red Cabbages, Cauliflower, Kales & Collards, Swiss Chard, Parsley (Italian flat & curly varieties), Thyme, and Sage.  Everything will be $2.50.  (That's the price whether it is a single plant pot (tomatoes, peppers, herbs, flowers, anything in a single pot) or a multipack like 4 or 6 plants per pack.) Please wear a mask and prepare to social distance. Scott will be back towards the end of May with tomato plants and other warm weather plants.

TWO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Scott will be bringing a crew to help him unload his truck and sell his plants. But we will need to provide two volunteers to help people social-distance. Volunteers should arrive at 9:45 a.m. to check in with Scott, and will probably be able to leave by 12:45. (I’m assuming he’ll sell out, and the sale will end before 1:00.) This is a work day – please let me know if you’re interested.

ROW COVER – We ran out of row cover at our sale last weekend, but we have more, and will have another sale soon. I’ll announce the date when we have it.

WATER – No word yet from the UW Plumbers about turning on our water, but we’re having cold nights again (and it’s snowing as I write this), so I’m guessing it won’t be until next week.

A FEW RULE REMINDERS – It’s early in the season, but I’m already receiving complaints from gardeners. One gardener complained that they keep finding things rearranged in their plot, plus toys have been left in their garden. Another gardener complained that tomato cages and other equipment left from last year’s gardener, which they were planning to use, has suddenly gone missing. Folks, I shouldn’t have to repeat this, but the rules state clearly – do not go into anybody else’s plot without being invited, and don’t let anybody who helps you with your plot (or who plays with trucks while you garden), go into other people’s plots. And while you’re not going into other people’s plots, be sure to not take anything while you’re (not) there – such as equipment, or plants, or vegetables. A community garden is not just a collection of individual plots – it is a community, and we are all in this together.

WHAT’S THIS ORGANIC THING? – (Gardeners in rows C-F at University Houses may ignore this and go do something useful instead.) New gardeners often ask if everything they plant in our gardens has to be organic. Seeds? Plants? No, it’s okay to use commercial seeds and plants in our plots, although organic seeds and plants become easier and easier to find. But any soil amenities you bring in, such as compost and store-bought mulch, must be organic. Likewise, anything you use in your plot in the way of fertilizer or insect-repelling substances must be organic. The practice of organic gardening is based on the belief that food raised without synthetic chemicals tastes better and is healthier, both for the person eating it, and for the planet in general. Organic gardening is based on a different relationship between the gardener and the garden – less adversarial, more cooperative. An organic gardener tries to build up the health of their soil in order to grow healthier, happier plants, in order to have healthier, happier food to eat.

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn           

 

From the Gardens Registrar: Upcoming Plant Sales at EH; What Not to Plant; More Seeds; Water

 Hello Gardeners,

 UPCOMING PLANT SALES – On Sunday, April 25, Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be selling cool-weather plants at Eagle Heights. We haven’t set a time yet, but it will probably be from 10am – 1pm. Scott has sold plants to us for many years – he likes us because we give him a lot of business. We like him because he sells plants we want to buy, his quality is excellent, and he gives us good prices. Last year, due to the pandemic, we had a special arrangement, where gardeners had to order directly from him in advance. But this year, we think the sale can take place in a fairly normal way – with social distancing. For the cool weather sale, Scott will bring plants like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, kale, bok choi, and herbs. I will have more details in my next message. And Scott will be back on Sunday, May 23, to sell warm weather plants, such as tomato, pepper, and eggplant.

 WHAT NOT TO PLANT IN OUR GARDENS – New gardeners often ask about what plants are not allowed. We do not allow gardeners to plant trees in their plots. Other than that, the big three plants we do not want planted are mint, comfrey, and annual artemisia. The reason is that all of these plants are very aggressive, spread quickly, and are very hard to get rid of.

As for mint, there’s no need for any of us to plant it – the gardens are full of it. And it’s very tasty mint, too. But if you have it in your plot, and like having it, you’ll still want to pull a lot of it out, to keep it from spreading to your neighbors and taking over your entire plot. Mint is part of a large family of plants, which includes basil, lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and many others. (Wouldn’t it be wonderful if basil grew as easily as mint?) There are also lots of varieties of mint. If you want to have other kinds of mint than what grows wild in our gardens, plant them in pots in your garden. That way, they won’t escape and make trouble.

Comfrey is a beautiful plant with furry leaves and pretty blue flowers. It also grows wild in the gardens, and is very difficult to get rid of, because it has long tap roots. But there is at least one advantage to having so much of it around - the leaves are excellent fertilizer.  You can put them under your vegetable plants, where they will decompose very quickly and add nitrogen and other nutrients to your soil.

 Annual artemisia is often grown as an ornamental  for its foliage – there are lots of varieties. But there is one kind that is really out of control in our gardens – it has a number of names including Sweet Annie and Qing-hao. It’s a native of China, but has naturalized in this country. It spreads like crazy, the roots are hard to get out, and though it smells nice at first, the odor quickly becomes cloying. Though it has medicinal uses and can also be used to make wreaths and flower arrangements, those gardeners who get stuck with it hate it, and battle it constantly.

MORE SEEDS – We’re continuing to put out seeds on the share shelves several times a week. I’m putting the rest of the tomato and pepper seeds back in storage for next year, unless anybody lets me know they want them. Peas and turnips have joined the lettuce, carrots, radishes, kale, beets, and spinach.

WATER – Last year, the water was turned on for the season around April 20, which was a little earlier than usual. We don’t have a date for this year yet. It’s all weather-dependent. It’s very warm (and dry) right now, but we will still have cold nights in the next few weeks that could freeze the pipes. I will let everybody know when a date is set.

 Happy Gardening,

Kathryn

 

From the Gardens Registrar: The Gardens Are Full; Eagle Heights Garden Arbor; Shade at University Houses?; Junk Left in Your Plot; The Fence Story; What to Plant Now; The Gardens Registrar Position is Live

Hello Gardeners,

THE GARDENS ARE FULL – Normally, we continue to have garden plots available well into May, but this year, due (I assume) to the pandemic, more gardeners than usual renewed their plots from last year, and also we have had more applications than usual. Both gardens are now full, and there is already a considerable waiting list. As always, if you find your plans have changed and you won’t be able to garden this year, please let me know. I can get you a refund and reassign your plot.

EAGLE HEIGHTS GARDENS ARBOR – Say goodbye to our Arbor, which has adorned our garden and provided shade for 15 years. It is being taken down this week. It’s held up pretty well over the years, but the wooden posts began to rot a few years ago, and it’s too far gone to repair. We do plan to build another one, but that probably won’t happen this year. In the meantime, we know that gardeners appreciate a shady spot to relax after hours of gardening, and we will be putting up some kind of shade sail temporarily, once we get to the summer.

SHADE AT UNIVERSITY HOUSES? – And while we’re at it, would UH gardeners also like to have a shade sail for the summer? If so, any ideas about the best place to put it?

JUNK LEFT IN YOUR PLOT – Several gardeners have contacted me to ask what to do with junk left by previous gardeners – old furniture, rusty barbed wire, broken pots, etc. I’m sorry that not all new gardeners are able to start off with a cleared plot. But these worthless items are now yours. If there’s anything useful to you, such as hoses or decent fencing, you’re welcome to keep them. If the items left are totally junk, please haul them to the dumpster. Otherwise, if you don’t want them but you think someone else might, please put them on or near the share shelves, near the entrance to the garden. They might just get adopted. Or adapted. It’s amazing sometimes what people will take, and make good use of.

THE FENCE STORY – Officially, we prefer that gardeners not put up fences around their plots. This is because they’re so often put up badly, in the wrong places, and not well maintained. Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have seen tremendous growth in our turkey population, and we have deer, increasingly, as well. Gardeners who want to protect their crops often feel they have no choice. So if you’re opting for a fence, here’s how to do it. Most importantly, put it in the right place. Fences can not be put up right on the plot border, because then your neighbor would not have good access to their plot or to water. A fence must be at least six inches inside your four plot borders. (At the front of your plot, a fence could interfere with mowing and also come dangerously close to a water line.) Next, your fence must not be so tall that it shades your neighbors’ plots. Your fence must be well-constructed and maintained. Lastly, you must weed your fence regularly. If you can do all that, you may put up a fence. If not, I will hear from your neighbors, and, in turn, you will hear from me.

WHAT TO PLANT NOW – It’s still very early to plant, but the ground is thawed, and should be gradually warming up. If your plot is not muddy, you can get started planting early spring crops, such as radishes, carrots, beets, and greens, such as chard, kale, spinach, and cabbage. These vegetables like cool weather, and can stand some frost. And yes, we’ll keep bringing seeds out for the gardeners, several times a week. We have lots of spinach seeds this year!

THE GARDEN REGISTRAR POSITION IS LIVE – If you are interested in applying for the position as Eagle Heights Registrar, you may now do so. The deadline for applications is 11:55 pm on Wednesday, April 7. Here are two links you can use to apply (either one will work):

https://jobs.hr.wisc.edu/en-us/job/508733/garden-registrar  or

https://www.housing.wisc.edu/jobs/career/  Please do not ask me any questions about the application process – I don’t have anything to do with it. But if you apply, good luck.

 

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn

 

From the Gardens Registrar: How This Place Works; Volunteer Opportunity; Don’t Take the  Bricks; Birdhouses; Reminder About Opening Day March 20

Hello Gardeners,

 HOW THIS PLACE WORKS – Who runs these gardens, anyway? (No, not the Registrar – I just assign plots, answer questions from gardeners, and make feeble attempts to enforce the rules.) Surprise – you do! These gardens are actually run by the gardeners. Since our gardens are on University property, the UW does have some say in what we do and how we do it, but primarily our policies and projects are created by the gardeners. We have a Garden Committee that meets the second Wednesday of every month (currently via Zoom), and we have an email discussion list – every gardener is allowed and encouraged to participate in both of these things. The Garden Committee is led by two Co-Chairs, who run meetings and lead the group in planning and decision-making. Which leads me to:

 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY – We currently need a Co-Chair for the Garden Committee. This involves very little work other than attending the monthly one-hour meeting and putting together an agenda every month. (There are occasional crisis situations that may involve more, but that’s unusual.) New gardeners, as well as long-term gardeners, are welcome to apply. We would especially appreciate having a Co-Chair to represent University Houses Gardens. To apply, please send me an email, explaining why you would like the position, and telling us a little about your background. If you have any experience herding cats, that would be helpful. We will accept these emails for two weeks, and then invite candidates to our next meeting, April 14, to meet the committee.

 THOSE BRICKS AND BLOCKS BY THE WEED PILE AT EH– Please do not take these bricks and blocks to your plots for your own personal building projects. We will be using these to shore up the 900 row as soon as the current pandemic allows us to have workdays. We also do not encourage people to put bricks and blocks in their plots, because they don’t stay on the surface – they sink, and make problems for future gardeners. (There are bricks buried in my plot, for instance, which are a nuisance.)

 BIRDHOUSES – We have received a request from the volunteers who monitor the bluebird boxes that are part of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. The Biocore Bluebird Trail consists of eight Bluebird boxes located along the edges of the Biocore prairie, which is above the Eagle Heights Gardens. They also take care of the Purple Martin House at the northeast corner of the gardens. Their mission is to provide, preserve and protect habitat and nesting sites for song and migratory birds. (A number of our gardeners are part of this group, and thank you.)

There are about 25 birdhouses in the Eagle Heights Gardens, mostly very old and in bad shape. They have asked that our gardeners take them down. Although it’s nice to think of attracting birds to our gardens, the only birds that use these houses are English sparrows, starlings, and other invasives which compete with bluebirds and other native species. The native birds we enjoy in our gardens, such as robins, finches, warblers, cardinals, blackbirds, and native sparrows, do not use these birdhouses. If you have a birdhouse at Eagle Heights, please take it down. If you have questions or need help removing the house, please let me know. The English sparrows don’t need any help from us, but the bluebirds do.

OPENING DAY MARCH 20 – A reminder that our Opening Day will be Saturday, March 20. On that day, the tools and carts that have been stored in the garden sheds for the winter will be brought out. We will also have some free plant pots and trays available at both gardens. More of these will come out in the next few weeks, so you don’t have to be there on Saturday to get some. As I mentioned last week, we have lots of free seeds to distribute, and those will start appearing on the share shelves at both gardens beginning next week, depending on the weather. Just keep an eye out.

 Happy Gardening,

Kathryn

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: It’s Starting Soon! Information on Upcoming Non-Events at Eagle Heights

 

Hello Gardeners,

 OPENING DAY – Opening Day for our gardens this year will be Saturday, March 20. On that day, we will bring out the tools and garden carts that have been in storage for the winter at both gardens. Although we’re not officially open until this day, we do keep some tools and carts outside all winter, so that gardeners can work in the off-season.

 Portable toilets will be set up at both gardens starting on Thursday, March 18. By March 20, the parking signs on Eagle Heights Drive will be changed from the winter version which does not allow garden parking except on weekends, to the garden season version, which designates the spots along the south side of the street specifically as garden parking.

Please note that the water in the gardens will not be turned on until there is no danger of heavy frost that would damage the pipes. Don’t expect the water to be on until late April, or even early May.

 FREE SEEDS – Normally (that is, when the Earth is not experiencing a global pandemic), we hold a Seed Fair every year, at the end of March. Current gardeners come to the Community Center that morning, check in, and receive tickets which they can exchange for seeds for vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Last year, the Coronavirus settled in while we were planning the Fair, and it had to be cancelled. This year, the health situation is better, but we will still not be able to hold our usual event.

 However, we do have lots of seeds to share with gardeners. After our Opening Day, I will begin bringing seeds to both gardens, and leaving them on the share shelves. I will bring some out several times a week, depending on the weather. We will have seeds for the vegetables that need to be started early in the season, in the house, such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. We will also have seeds for early crops, such as lettuce, carrots, radishes, greens, beets, and peas. Seeds for beans, cucumbers, squash, melons, herbs, flowers, etc., will be brought out later when the weather warms up.

 Last year, our gardeners did a fantastic job of social distancing. It will be important again this year, particularly when people are clustering around seed packets. Please wear a mask and give other people space when you are in common areas of the gardens and other people are around.

 FREE POTS – We also have a large collection of plastic plant pots, including trays and pots for starting seeds. These will also be brought out to both gardens and left on the share shelves. Help yourself. (They take up a lot of space in my office, and I hope to never see them again.) If you have extras of these at home, as most gardeners do, please bring some to the gardens to share.

 ROW COVER – Many of our gardeners use this garden fabric to give their seedlings protection from insects, wind, and cold. We buy big rolls of it, cut them into smaller pieces, and sell them, at cost, to gardeners. Again, because of the pandemic, we weren’t able to sell any last year, but this year, we will sell some, for $5 per piece, in the next few weeks. We haven’t set dates for this yet, but when we do, I will include the information in one of my next weekly messages.

 QUESTION; So, does this mean we can start gardening now?

 ANSWER: NO, my dears, it’s still March! It’s way too early to plant anything outside. We’re having nice warm weather this week, but it won’t last. We will have more cold and snow before Spring really takes hold. The gardens are still covered with snow, and once that melts, the ground will still be frozen. Once it thaws, it will turn into mud. And it is very bad for your soil to dig and work it when it’s wet and muddy, especially for us with our heavy clay soil. (It’s also bad for whoever washes your clothes.)

 Early April is generally the earliest anyone can actually start planting anything here, and mid to late April is still plenty early.  Planting too early can be counter-productive - seeds won’t necessarily sprout and plants will grow very slowly if the soil is too cold. However, you can certainly do some cleaning and clearing in your plots now, if you’re desperate to be outside.

Happy Gardening (pretty soon),

Kathryn