From the Registrar: October 24, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

End of the season: We’ve reached the end of the season for most things in the gardens. You may still have a few cool-weather crops to harvest, but most plants have stopped producing now. If you haven’t put your garden to bed yet, now is the time. Fortunately, after the rain predicted early in the week, we should still have some mild weather ahead of us to take care of last-minute things in the gardens. If you have not planted garlic yet but would like to, there is still time for that.

We still have some horse manure available at Eagle Heights gardens. It should not sit there over the winter to wait for the spring thaw, so if you have not yet gotten any to age in your plot, or if you would like more, please take some now.

Closing day: Closing day at the gardens will be Sunday November 6th. Most of the tools and carts will be put away for the season at this time, but we will leave a few things out for gardeners that want to continue working in their plots. Please make sure that you do not have any community tools in your plot.

Reminder about applying for 2023: If you want to renew your plot for 2023, please turn in an application on or after December 15th. All gardeners must fill out an application every year. The deadline to renew for returning gardeners is February 15th. I will send a reminder email when the applications are available and again before the renewal deadline. If you already know that you don’t plan to garden again next year, please let me know.

Workdays for 2022 and 2023: Normally, one workday would be required per plot each season. Due to a workday shortage, the requirements for 2022 and 2023 have been combined, so if you have not completed or paid for a workday in 2022, you can take care of it in 2023. I will send an email to all gardeners that do not have a completed workday in the records. Receiving this email does not mean there is a problem with your status as a gardener. It’s only for your information. If you do not receive an email about your workday, it means I already have a record of you doing one in 2022.

I will not send regular gardening updates over the winter, but I will send deadline reminders and respond to emails. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks for a great gardening season!

Lily

From the Registrar: October 14th, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Garlic planting: Mid to late October is the best time to plant garlic in Wisconsin. It's possible to plant it in the spring, but it won’t do 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. Garlic should be planted late enough in the fall that it won’t grow shoots. You can get garlic cloves for planting at a garden store or a Farmers' 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 is some helpful information on planting garlic in the garden manual on our website:

http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/garden_manual_v_1.12.pdf (page 80)

Portable Toilets: The portable toilets will be picked up from the gardens soon and they will be brought back in March next year.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: October 7, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

There is a freeze warning for tonight. If you still have plants that are sensitive to cold in your plot, you can try covering them overnight. It's getting late for tomatoes, peppers and squash though. At this point, you may choose to harvest everything and bring it indoors.

Green tomatoes can continue to ripen off the vine with mixed results, or they can also be cooked as they are. Squash will not store as well if they've been subjected to freezing temperatures.

Best,
Lily

From the Registrar: October 4, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Gardening in 2023: Every year, all gardeners must reapply for their garden plots. If you’re interested in gardening again in 2023, 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 when applications come out, and again before the February 15th deadline. If you know now that you do not plan to renew your plot, please let me know.

Water: As a reminder, the water at Eagle Heights (except for the 100 and 500 rows) will be turned off this evening for a repair to the recurring leak by the mulch pile. Hopefully, the UW plumbers will be able to complete it quickly, and the water can be turned back on for a short time before the end of the season. As for when the water will be turned off for good at both gardens, it is usually around Oct 20th. However, we do not get to pick the exact day. An earlier freeze could necessitate it sooner as well.

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Sunday, Oct 9th from 1 pm to 4 pm to weed the retaining wall along the western side of the 700s row. Large weeds are threatening the alignment of the wall, and a work crew is very much needed to remove them and prevent any further damage. Please consider helping with this project! We would like 10 volunteers. Email me if you’re interested, and I will assign spots in the order of replies.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: September 29, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Fall get-together: Please come to the Gardens Saturday, October 8th between 11 AM and 2 pm for an informal fall get-together. Meet garden neighbors, share gardening ideas, and talk about your harvest!

Signs in Lakeshore Nature Preserve areas: A sign promoting a business was posted within Eagle Heights Gardens recently. The Gardens are inside the Nature Preserve, where signs and advertisements aren’t permitted. Please let me know if you see anything like this in the future.

Winter squash: Winter squash is ready when it turns the right color for the variety, the vines die back, and the stem is hard. Some gardeners harvest earlier to prevent pests from eating the squash, or theft, which can both be problems in our gardens. If you can wait a bit longer it will help the squash store well. Here is some information on 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

Workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Garden on Sunday 10/2 from 10 AM-1 pm. We will need five volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: Sept 25, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Horse manure: We are expecting a delivery of horse manure to Eagle Heights Gardens soon. The manure will be left between the leaf mulch and wood chips. This is an excellent fertilizer for your plot. Please be aware that this will not be composted manure, so you should not put it directly on any plants. It will need to be aged, so if you would like some, you can put it in a pile or a large bag in your plot to leave until spring. Unfortunately, we can’t have any dumped at University Houses.

Workday update reminder: The workday requirements for 2022 and 2023 have been combined. Each plot will be responsible for one workday for both seasons. The change also applies if you pay the no-workday fee. So, if you paid the fee for 2022, you will not have to pay or do a workday in 2023. If you are still interested in doing an independent workday this season, please let me know.

Putting your garden to bed: It’s time to begin putting the gardens to bed for the season. You can start by pulling out plants and weeds and taking them to the weed pile. Spreading mulch over your plot will help protect it from erosion and add organic matter to the soil. Try to avoid stepping on the beds when you remove plants, to prevent compacting of the soil. Remove as much dirt as possible from the roots of plants before taking them to the weed pile. If you plan to plant garlic later this fall, you can prepare the beds now. It’s quite cold in mid to late October at garlic planting time, so getting the garden ready now will make it easier when the time comes.

We could begin to see some light frost this week. If you have plants that are susceptible to frost, you may want to consider covering them overnight if the predicted temperatures are low enough.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: September 14, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Workday requirement update: Unfortunately, we have not been able to schedule as many workdays as we would like this season. Because we don't believe we can provide enough opportunities for everyone that wants to do a workday, we have decided that the workday requirements for this year and next year must be combined. This means that each plot will be responsible for one workday for both 2022 and 2023. So, if you have already done a workday this season, you will not be required to do one next year. If you don't do one this year, you will need to do one next year.

However, we do still have some opportunities to do workdays this year! If you choose to do one of them, your requirement for 2023 will be out of the way.

Independent workdays: If you are interested in an independent workday or organizing a small group to clean an abandoned plot, please contact me for opportunities. There are a lot of tall weeds going to seed in the gardens.

Arbor Garden workday update: The Arbor Garden workday has been rescheduled for Saturday 9/24 from 10 AM to 1 pm. There are now two openings for this workday. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Group workday this weekend: There will be a workday at Eagle Heights garden on Sunday 9/18 from 10 AM-1 pm. The workday will be for weeding, and volunteers should bring gloves. We will need ten volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Please use leaf mulch! We have been asked to use up our leaf mulch piles as quickly as possible. We must limit the length of time they are there due to DNR regulations. We are due to receive new leaves this fall as well. So please, use leaf mulch on your plots. It will be great for your soil too!

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: September 1, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Preserving food: Garden harvests can be a little overwhelming at this time in the season. If you’re looking for ways to preserve your extra produce, there are many great options. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has guides for canning, freezing, drying, fermenting, and more: https://nchfp.uga.edu/#gsc.tab=0

Or you can always put your extra produce on the share shelf for other gardeners!

Workday opportunities: There will be two group workdays this weekend:

• There will be a workday at University Houses on Saturday 9/3 from 10 AM-1 pm
• There will be a workday at Eagle Heights on Sunday 9/4 from 10 AM-1 pm

Both workdays will be for weeding, and volunteers should bring gloves. We will need five volunteers for each workday. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar August 10, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Eagle Heights tree island: A volunteer crew cleaned up the Tree Island at the end of the 600s row. If you’re not familiar with it, this is a spot that we share with other garden groups and there are some nice benches in the shade. If you’re looking for a place to rest or have lunch, this space is now very welcoming thanks to the group that did a workday there! Please note that the other tree island, labeled “North Tree Island” on the map, and at the end of the 700s, belongs to the Preserve, and is not open to gardeners: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/EHG-UHG-Plots-2021.pdf

No food waste in FHKing compost or weed piles: I have been asked to inform all gardeners that no food waste can be accepted in the gardens. The FHKing gardens by Eagle Heights are run by a group of UW students, and they maintain their compost pile according to strict guidelines. The weed piles at both Eagle Heights and University Houses are only intended for weeds and other garden waste.

Workshop ideas: If you have a skill or interest that you think would make a good garden workshop, please let me know. The committee will review all suggestions, and we hope to have some interesting classes and opportunities for gardeners to share their knowledge and ideas.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: Aug 2, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Parasitized bean beetle larvae: Rather than the live, yellow larvae of the Mexican bean beetles, the larvae parasitized by the wasps are brown. Please don’t crush the parasitized larvae! These are exactly what we want to see, and more wasps will hatch from them.

Theft: I’m sorry to have to include this in the update again, but there continue to be reports of theft in the gardens. Please remember not to take plants, tools, fences, or anything else from another plot. More often though, it is not fellow gardeners taking these things, but people passing through. Our gardens are a popular walking place, and this does leave them more open to theft. It’s helpful to get to know your neighbors.

Too many beans? Bean plants can be very prolific, and you may find yourself with more green beans than you can eat. However, green beans can be frozen and used later. While it’s possible to freeze them raw, the result when you cook with them later may not be very good. It’s better to blanch them first to retain quality and flavor. This is a useful guide to freezing vegetables from PennState Extension: https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-vegetables

Weed your fences: Please remember to keep fences weeded. There are a lot of trees growing along fences and becoming quite large. Trees are easy to remove when they’re small, but quite difficult once they become established.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: July 14, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Reminder: Reporting maintenance issues: Please use this new form to report all maintenance and repair requests (It is ONLY for maintenance requests): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

It can also be accessed from the website, on the sidebar and under the “Gardeners” tab: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/

Mexican bean beetles: There have been some sightings of bean beetles at Eagle Heights Gardens. 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: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/bean/mexican_bean_beetle.htm

As we have in previous years, we have ordered parasitic wasps (Pediobius faveolatus) to try to keep them under control. Please look at your beans and let me know if you have bean beetles in your plot. We’re looking for volunteers with bean beetles willing to have the wasps put in their plots. These wasps are very small and don’t sting people.

Independent workday opportunities: Please contact me if you’re interested in doing an independent workday weeding and/or mulching. The workday is the same three-hour time commitment, but it can be done on your own schedule if completed within the allotted time.

Sunday workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Gardens this Sunday 7/17 from 1:30-4:30 pm. The work crew will be cleaning up a common area with a garden worker. We will need six volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Water outages at EH: We have not had any updates yet from the UW plumbers about when they will be making the needed repairs. I have emailed them to request that they prioritize it as we are expecting hot weather. I will let everyone know as soon as we are given more information.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: June 29, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

IMPORTANT! Reporting maintenance issues: Please use this new form to report all maintenance and repair requests: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

It will also always be available via the website, both on the sidebar and under the Gardeners tab: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/

Responses to this form will go directly to me and to the garden workers at the same time. Please ONLY use it for repair-related requests. All other questions should continue to go to the registrar’s email. Using this form for issues like water line problems will ensure that everyone gets the information as soon as possible.

Dogs in the gardens must be leashed: We continue to have problems with unleashed dogs in the gardens and we’ve had some recent complaints. Dogs can disrupt wildlife and cause damage to the Nature Preserve, in addition to damaging garden plots. Dogs must stay on a leash the whole time they are in the gardens, and violations can be subject to a fine.

Workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Gardens this Sunday 7/3 from 1:30-4:30 pm. The work crew will be weeding fruit plantings with a garden worker. We will need five volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: June 22, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

More about ticks: After my email about ticks last week, a gardener reminded me that although we often associate deer ticks with deer, more often they make their way to humans via smaller animals, like mice and voles. This is a great reason to limit rodent habitats in your garden. They like lots of cover to hide from predators, so tall weeds and brush will attract them. Not only can they bring ticks into your plot, but they will also quickly eat your crops. So, there is more than one good reason to discourage rodents from entering your garden!

Turn off the water all the way: Please remember to turn the water off all the way when you’re done, so it doesn’t drip continuously. It wastes water and makes the paths muddy.

Workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Gardens this Sunday 6/26 from 1:30-4:30 pm. The work crew will be pulling thistles from the tree border with a garden worker. We will need 20 volunteers. Gloves will be necessary! Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: June 16, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Garlic scapes: If you’re growing garlic, this is a good time to check your plants for scapes. Scapes grow as a stalk from the center of hardneck varieties of garlic and will produce a flower. Scapes can be chopped up and used in cooking. The flower should be removed before cooking.

Harvesting scapes while they’re still young can be helpful for a couple of reasons. If they’re left on the plant too long, they will take energy away from the bulb. More mature scapes can also be tough and stringy.

To harvest scapes, remove them from the plant without damaging the leaves. Scapes should be cut when they start curling. Scapes that have curled too much can start to get tough. Not all hardneck garlic varieties produce scapes at the same time, so you may find that some are ready sooner than others.

If you decide to leave the scape on the plant, the flower will produce small bulbs (bulbils) that can be planted. Here is some interesting information on growing garlic from bulbils: http://greyduckgarlic.com/how-to-grow-garlic-from-bulbils.html

Ticks: As the weather warms up ticks become more prevalent outdoors, and we do get reports every year of ticks found by gardeners. Wisconsin is home to a variety of ticks. Ticks can transmit a variety of diseases to humans also, but the primary concern is generally with deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. Please check for ticks and be careful. The UW Department of Entomology has extensive resources about ticks:

https://wisconsin-ticks.russell.wisc.edu/

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: June 8, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Colorado potato beetles: The potato beetles are now more abundant and beginning to cause some damage to plants. You may have seen some adults on your potato plants, but many plants are just hosting eggs right now. This is a great time to check your plants and destroy the eggs before they hatch. Due to the colder weather, they are not hatching very quickly, so this is a good opportunity. Once the eggs hatch, plants can be quickly defoliated if there are many larvae.

Potato beetles will eat anything in the Solanaceae family, including tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. They especially like tomatillos, as I just learned. So, if you are growing tomatillos you may want to check those for beetles and eggs also.

The link below from the University of Minnesota Extension has some good pictures of the beetles at each stage of life. Please remember that only organic control methods are allowed in Eagle Heights and the A and B rows of University Houses. The gardens sometimes spray Spinosad to control them, but it is too early to consider that.

https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/colorado-potato-beetles

Workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Gardens this Sunday 6/12 from 1:30-4:30 pm. The work crew will be weeding the blackberry and raspberry patches with a garden worker. We will need 15 volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply. There is a chance of rain on Sunday, so if the garden worker has to cancel the workday we will reschedule.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar June 1, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Theft: It’s very disappointing, but every year we have problems with theft in our gardens. Please never take any tools, equipment, or plants out of another gardener's plot. Even if you think it’s not being used, leave it in the plot. We’ve already had reports of theft of hoses, plants and tomato cages this year and it’s only the beginning of June.

Mulch: Now that the ground has warmed up and the weeds are beginning to take off, it’s a great time to start mulching if you haven’t already. The leaf mulch available at both gardens is a great resource. Mulch helps the soil retain moisture and regulate temperature. This is especially important if we don’t have rain. Mulch also suppresses weed growth. It helps prevent erosion and improves soil health over time as it degrades and adds organic matter to the soil. If those weren’t enough reasons to love mulch, it can also deter some insects to a degree. Cucumber beetles for example, lay their eggs at the base of plants and mulch can discourage them and slow them down.

Insect pests: We have many insect pests in the gardens. The best way to manage them organically is to be vigilant. Some gardeners have reported that their transplants were killed by cutworms. They are very destructive because they eat through the stem at the surface of the soil and the plant can’t survive. If you have a lot of problems with cutworms, putting a collar around transplants can protect them. There have also already been sightings of Colorado potato beetles in the gardens. Soon, we will begin to see Mexican bean beetles, Japanese beetles, and more. I will try to keep everyone posted about pest sightings and control methods. The best option is almost always to hand-pick the insects off and dump them in soapy water. All of Eagle Heights and the A & B rows of University Houses are required to be gardened organically, so chemical pesticides are not allowed for insect pests in these areas.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: May 25, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

How the gardens are run: The gardens are run by the gardeners. We have a Garden Committee that meets the second Wednesday of every month via Zoom to discuss policies and plans. All gardeners that are interested are welcome to participate! The Gardens are on UW property, so we do have some policies dictated by the University, but most things related to the Gardens come from the Committee.

The Gardens have a few part-time employees: A registrar and some garden workers. The registrar does administrative work: assigning plots, answering questions, and explaining the rules. The garden workers take care of the Gardens: doing maintenance and leading workdays. Which brings us to the next subject:

The Gardens are looking for another garden worker! Here is a message from co-chairs Jessica and Ninja about the position:

Hi all,
The gardens are looking to hire an additional garden worker. This is a part-time position and responsibilities include organizing and leading workdays, general maintenance within the gardens including working on water lines, mowing, plot border maintenance, and attending monthly garden committee meetings (second Wednesday of the month 7-8p). Pay is $17/h.
If you're interested please reach out to Jessica Pritchard (jessica.pritchard@gmail.com) and Ninja Geiger (ninja.geiger@gmail.com) with your resume and why you'd like to work in the gardens.
Thank you!

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: May 18, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Contact information: Please make sure that all the gardeners of your plot are getting news and updates from the gardens. It’s just fine to have other people help with your plot, but I’d like to make sure that all information reaches everyone that regularly gardens. If you’d like to add anyone to the email list, please let me know. If you are the principal gardener but someone else often gardens, please consider adding them as a secondary gardener.

Warm weather plant sale reminder: Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be holding his warm weather plant sale at Eagle Heights Gardens this Sunday May 22nd from 10 AM-1 pm. He will set up near the shed. Scott accepts CASH, CHECK, or VENMO (checks payable to “Garden to Be”, and Venmo handle @Scott-Williams-531).

He'll have: tomatoes, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, basil, winter squash, pumpkins, melons, peppers, eggplants, head lettuce, salad mix packs, cilantro, thyme, sage, and more. Prices will be the same as his past sale: Single pots $2.50 each and 4 packs $2.50 each.

Garden juries: Garden juries will begin in June. Juries consist of small groups of gardeners who are assigned to walk through areas of the gardens and report to the registrar about plots that appear weedy or abandoned (or especially nice). There will be five juries at Eagle Heights and one at University Houses, with three gardeners on each jury.

If you’re interested in being on a garden jury, please let me know. Spots will be assigned in the order that people reply. Each jury will meet three times total: in June, July, and August. Juries will work together to coordinate a meeting each month and turn in their reports. To be consistent with contacting gardeners after the results are in, I’m asking that all juries turn in their reports by the 20th of each month. Being on a garden jury for the season counts as a workday.

This year we’re adding the responsibility of a “tool jury” to the garden jury duties. At the time that they walk through the gardens, juries will retrieve communal tools that have been left in plots and make notes about tools and carts by the sheds that need attention.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: May 10, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Heat wave: The early heat wave might stress some cool-weather crops. Row covers can protect them from the sun, but they can also trap heat inside. Some gardeners put up row cover over only the top, as a shade, so the heat can still escape. This method won’t protect the plants from pests, however.

Despite the heat, it still may be a little early to plant things like tomatoes and peppers. The recommended time to plant tomatoes here is after May 20th. Beans can be planted a little sooner.

Some reminders about garden etiquette:

• Please put tools away when you’re done. If tools are left in a plot, they aren’t available for other gardeners to use. If they’re left in the mulch piles they can be buried when more mulch is delivered, and the wooden handles will rot.
• Never put weeds in the garbage. Also, only plant matter can go in the weed piles. Things like old landscaping cloth should go in the dumpster.
• Please never go in another plot or let kids play in another plot unless you have permission from the gardener. Also, last week, we had a dog loose in EH gardens and it was running through plots. Dogs must be on a leash anywhere in the Preserve and Gardens. Dogs don’t know where the paths are, and they can trample plants.
• Please don’t take things out of plots that aren’t yours.

Painted boards: Be cautious of using painted boards in your garden. Often, older boards are painted with lead paint. Lead is toxic, and the paint can chip off and contaminate the soil. It’s better to use unpainted wood unless you are certain the paint doesn't contain lead.

Row cover still available: If you missed the row cover sales but you would still like to buy some, please let me know. We have plenty of row cover.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: April 27, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Water: We have requested that the University turn on the water at both Eagle Heights and University Houses now that the threat of very cold weather is (hopefully) over. We can’t choose what day they do the work, but hopefully the water will be on by this weekend. The hoses will be put out at University Houses on Saturday.

Parking: Parking is available at both gardens. If you garden at Eagle Heights, you can use the 4-hour parking along Eagle Heights drive. If you garden at University Houses you can use the 4-hour parking in the small lot to the East of the garden. Please don’t use the garden parking when you’re not gardening.

Organic gardening: If you garden anywhere at Eagle Heights, or anywhere in the A and B rows at University Houses, your garden must be managed organically (University Houses C, D, E, & F plots are not required to be organic). Organic gardening means that no chemical insecticides, fertilizers, herbicides, or fungicides can be used. Any products used must be approved for organic use. Here is some information on organic gardening products you can use in your plot:

http://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/OrganicProducts.pdf

There are many ways to manage an organic garden beyond buying organically certified products. Mulching to suppress weeds and improve soil health, companion planting, and crop rotation are just a few possibilities. This article from the University of Missouri extension is a great resource if you’re looking for more ideas about organic gardening: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6220

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: April 20, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Cool weather plant sale reminder: Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be holding a cool weather plant sale at Eagle Heights Gardens this Sunday April 24th from 10 AM-1 pm. He will set up near the shed. The sale will be CASH OR CHECK ONLY (checks payable to “Garden to Be”). Scott offers us a great deal on his plants. Here are the plants that will be available:

• Single potted plants ($2.50 per pot): Cilantro, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Salad Mix
• 4 pack plants ($2.50 per pack): Curly Parsley, Italian Flat parsley, Mixed greens (kale and collards), Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Green Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Rainbow-stem Swiss chard
• Head lettuce 4-packs ($2 per pack): Several varieties

Row cover sale: We will be selling row cover at Eagle Heights on Sunday also, from 10-11:30. The pieces are approximately 7 ft x 24 ft and they are $5 each, CASH ONLY. Please bring exact change if possible.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar, April 15, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Planting: We’re having a late Spring this year, and the weather is still quite cold. Usually, April 15th is the day that marks when you can begin planting many things outdoors here. Most seeds that you would plant at this time can go in the ground now, and transplants might benefit from some row cover. There are a number of plants that are frost-tolerant, but they might not survive prolonged freezing temperatures and we are still anticipating some nights in the 20s this weekend.

A frost is possible with a temperature under 36° F. A freeze can happen under 32° F, and a hard frost under 28° F. The lows forecast for tonight and tomorrow night are 25° degrees F.

If you’re unsure about planting something yet, it might be a good idea to wait until next week.

Lakeshore Nature Preserve: Both Eagle Heights and University Houses Gardens are a part of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. The Gardens consist of the garden plots, common areas, tool areas, weed piles, and mulch piles (and the paths between). Any area outside of that is a protected area. Please never dump weeds in the protected Preserve areas or take anything out of them. The branches and sticks in the Preserve are not available to use in plots. All weeds should go in the weed piles, and only sticks in the blue stick barrels are available for use in gardens.

We observe the Preserve’s hours, which are 4 AM to 10 pm every day. Bikes are permitted in the gardens, but not on the Nature Preserve paths.

Cancellation date reminder: The deadline to get a refund for a cancellation is May 1st.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: April 4, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Seed Fair reminder: The Seed Fair will be held outside, in front of the Eagle Heights Community Center this Saturday April 9th from 9:30AM-11:30AM. The line will start in front of the Center and go down the sidewalk to the left of the Center, towards the lake. So far, the weather looks ok for Saturday, but it will still be cold. We will be handing out packets of seeds because of the seed donation shortage. Every plot will get one basic packet of eight seed varieties and a second packet of two seed varieties (either for indoor or outdoor starting).

Cancellations and refunds: If you find that you won’t be able to garden this season, or you no longer want to, you have until May 1st to cancel your plot assignment and still get a refund.

Orientations: For those of you that are new gardeners and didn’t make it to an orientation, we may have some more. If you would like help finding your plot boundaries or have any questions, please let me know.

Dumpsters: Please remember to take all weeds and plants you don’t want in your plot to the weed pile. No plant matter can go in the dumpsters.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

 

Second email of day:

Hello Gardeners,

This is a reminder that we’ll also be selling row cover at the Seed Fair this Saturday. The pieces are approximately 7 ft x 24 ft and they are $5 each, CASH ONLY. If you have exact change, that’s helpful. We will have copies of this handout on row cover with instructions at the Fair: http://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/row_cover_handout.pdf

Best,
Lily

From the Registrar: March 23, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Opening day reminder: Opening day at the gardens will be this Saturday, March 26th. Orientations will be held this weekend as well.

Plot markers and corner posts: Please don’t move your numbered plot marker or the corner posts of your plot. If you need stakes to hold up a fence or a plant, please don’t use the markers or posts. The markers are not just important for the gardeners of the plots. They also help new gardeners find their way around the gardens, and they help the garden juries correctly identify plots. The corner posts also help you and your neighbors find the borders of the plots.

Reminder about plot borders: We notified gardeners last Fall that this season any plants, fences, or structures that go past the front borders of the plots into the paths will need to be moved. The front borders of your plot are marked by two corner posts. If your plot is located along a retaining wall, the border is inside the wall, so no fences or plants can go on top of or past the wall.

Plants and fences can extend to the border only in the front of the plot. On all other sides there must be six inches of space left as a path (so there are 12 inches between all plots).

Birdhouses: Due to problems with invasive House Sparrows, only wren houses are allowed in the gardens. If you’d like to have a birdhouse, there will be copper plates the correct size for wren house entrances available at the Seed Fair.

Plant sales: Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be holding plant sales again at Eagle Heights this year. There will be a cool weather plant sale on Sunday April 24th from 10 AM-1 pm and a warm weather plant sale on Sunday May 22nd from 10 AM-1 pm.

Scott will be bringing some people along to help with the sale, but he would also like two volunteers for each day. For the April sale, the volunteers need to arrive a little before 10 AM. For the May sale the volunteers will need to be there at 9 AM. Please let me know if you’d like to help with either plant sale. It will count as a workday, and I will give the spots out to gardeners in the order I receive replies. I’ll send a reminder before each sale, along with any details I get about prices and what plants will be available.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar: Seed Fair

Hello Gardeners,

This year we will be holding the Seed Fair a little differently than in the past. Gardening has become much more popular recently, and unfortunately, we didn’t receive as many donated seeds as we hoped. Much of what we did receive was not usable. We did still receive some very nice seeds, but we will be able to offer fewer seeds per plot, and the selection is more limited.

The Seed Fair will be held outside, in front of the Eagle Heights Community Center on Saturday April 9th from 9:30AM-11:30AM. When you arrive, please get in line and you will be given a paper to write your name and plot number on. The line will start in front of the Center and go down the sidewalk to the left of the Center, towards the lake. If you arrive by car, the parking lot will be available, but please drive slowly since there will be a lot of people around.

In order to make sure that the distribution is fair, and everyone gets a nice selection of seeds, we have made up packets to hand out. Each plot will be able to get one “basic” packet of seeds. Once you have the basic packet, you will get a ticket, and you can choose one packet from a couple options of smaller “specialty” packets. The number of seeds in the packets isn’t certain yet, but they will be equal. There will be two tables for specialty packets: one for starting seeds indoors, and one for seeds that can be started outdoors. The packets are not all identical, but they have been randomized. If you don’t like something in your packet you can trade with friends or other gardeners once you’ve left the line. Seeds for flowers and gourds will not be included and you can stop by to take what you want from that table before you leave.

If the times above don’t work for you, but you’d still like your packets of seeds, please let me know.

We hope the weather will be nice on the 9th, but if it rains, the Seed Fair will be held the following Saturday April 16th instead.

Because onions need to be started early indoors, I will be putting onion seeds on the share shelves at both Eagle Heights and University Houses Gardens tomorrow morning. If you’d like to start onion plants inside, please feel free to take a packet of onion seeds.

We will be selling row cover at the Seed Fair. The pieces are approximately 7 ft x 24 ft and they are $5 each. We will have copies of this handout on row cover at the Fair, but if you'd like to read about it now you can see it here: http://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/row_cover_handout.pdf

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily

From the Registrar, March 10, 2022

Hello Gardeners,

Opening day: Opening Day at the gardens will be Saturday, March 26th. There are currently a small number of carts and tools out at both Eagle Heights and University Houses gardens, but the remainder will be put out on the 26th. The portable toilets will be delivered to both gardens before opening day. The parking signs on Eagle Heights drive will be changed to allow 4-hour parking for the gardens on the south side of the street.

Orientations: There will be orientations at both Eagle Heights and University Houses gardens the weekend of opening day. It is highly recommended that new gardeners attend an orientation if they’re able. If you can’t attend, but would like to arrange something else, please let me know. Groups will meet by the sheds at both gardens. Here are the dates and times:

Eagle Heights orientations:

• Saturday March 26, 11 am
• Sunday March 27, 3 pm

University Houses orientations:

• Saturday, March 26, 11 am
• Sunday, March 27, 4 pm

Planting Season: Even by opening day it will still be too early to plant outdoors. The ground is still frozen right now, and it may snow again before Spring. There will also still be a danger of frost into May that will kill many plants. If you are new to gardening, or if you want a reminder about different planting dates, this is a great resource:

http://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/vegetable_planting_guide.pdf

You can find many other useful documents on this page also if you’re interested:

http://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing/

If you do decide to start cleaning up and preparing your garden before the planting season begins, try not to walk on or disturb the soil too much while it’s still very wet from the snow thawing. This will cause the soil to be compacted and that’s not good for your plants. Marking your paths early in the season to avoid walking in the planting areas can help keep your soil healthy. It’s also a good idea to wait to cover your garden beds with mulch until the soil has had enough time to warm up.

Water: The water at both gardens will be turned on in late April or early May, when we can be certain there’s no chance of the pipes freezing. If you need water for early planting, you can bring jugs of water to your plot.

Please let me know if you have any questions. You will hear from me again soon about free seeds.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily