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