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