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