Wednesday, May 29, 2024

From the Registrar: May 29, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunities: There are two upcoming workday opportunities. Please reply if you’re interested and I’ll assign spots in the order I receive replies.
  • On Friday 5/31 there will be a workday at University Houses from 12-3 pm. Four volunteers are needed.
  • On Saturday 6/1 there will be a workday at Eagle Heights from 9 am-12 pm. Six volunteers are needed.
The workdays will involve weed whacking, brush removal, and weeding. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. The groups will meet at the sheds at each site.

Thistles: Please look around your plot for Canada Thistle and pull up any plants you see. They have not started to bloom yet, but they will soon. Once they bloom, they will go to seed and spread. Canada Thistles are very invasive here, and are not only a problem for the Community Gardens, but for the neighboring Nature Preserve and Biocore Prairie. Only organic methods are permitted at Eagle Heights and in the A and B rows at University Houses. This means no chemical herbicides are allowed there for control. There are some photos of Canada Thistles here to help with identification:
 
https://blogs.cornell.edu/weedid/canada-thistle/

For the last couple of years, we have had a few people act as “thistle monitors” to keep the Canada Thistle at bay in the communal areas between weeding workdays. Let me know if you’re interested in doing this for your workday. Volunteers work independently to pull thistle from areas like the blackberry patch and borders.
 
Standing water: Please turn containers upside down in your plot so they don’t collect rain. Standing water in plots will increase the mosquito population in the gardens by providing a place for them to lay eggs. With all the recent rain, there are many containers full of water throughout the gardens.

Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily


Maintenance request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

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Wednesday, May 22, 2024

From the Registrar: May 22, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at Eagle Heights Garden this Friday 5/24, from 9am-12pm. The workday will be weeding and mulching fruit plantings. Six volunteers are needed. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves for thistles. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 9 am. Email me if you’re interested, and I will assign spots in the order of replies.

Continuing weed pile issues: Last weekend, multiple cart loads of soil were dumped at the Eagle Heights weed pile and wooden poles and sticks were added to the pile. The pile is also now extending out into the path and surrounding area. The weed pile at EH should stay behind the concrete barriers. The blue stick barrels have been moved further to the side where the sticks should go to make it clearer that they are separate.

Signs have been posted at both gardens about the weed pile rules. I included a couple of photos below this message. Please only dump weeds in the weed piles, and only dump them in the designated areas.

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! The pieces are approximately 7 ft x 20 ft and they are $5 each, cash only. Row cover is very useful for protecting seedlings.

Parking at University Houses Gardens: Apartment Facilities has let us know that they will be using the parking lot at UH during business hours for a short period while they have parking lots resurfaced. The start date was not certain, but it will only last 7-10 days.
 
Message from Kristen at Blue Moon Community Farm:
“Thanks so much from Blue Moon Community Farm for visiting our Plant Sale at the garden! We ran out of a few items more quickly than we thought, and so if you are still looking for some items, consider visiting our stand at the Westside Community Market (505 S. Rosa Rd.) Saturdays 7am-12:30! Mention that you are an Eagle Heights gardener and you will receive the special pricing that we offered at the garden. If you are looking for particular plants, feel free to send an inquiry to kristen@bluemooncommunityfarm.com”
 
Thanks, and happy gardening,
 
Lily














Soil dumped in and around the EH weed pile
 














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From the Registrar: May 17, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Warm weather plant sale this Sunday: The warm weather plant sale will be held by Blue Moon Community Farm this Sunday 5/19 from 10 am to 1 pm at Eagle Heights Gardens. The seedling list is attached, and details are the same as they were for the cool weather plant sale:

Plants are $4.00 per item (either a 3.5" pot or a 4-pack depending on what vegetable it is--see the seedling list)
Mix + Match discount: 6 for $22, or a full flat of 18 for $60
Payment options: cash, check, credit card, Venmo

Ticks: Every year ticks are reported by gardeners. Wisconsin is home to a variety of ticks and ticks can transmit a variety of diseases to humans. The primary concern here is generally with deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. Please check for ticks and be careful. Tick season began early this year. The UW Department of Entomology has extensive resources about ticks: https://wisconsin-ticks.russell.wisc.edu/

Although we associate deer ticks with deer, ticks often 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. Which brings us to our next topic:

Voles: Please read this information about voles put together by Garden Committee members:

Voles are one of the worst pests at both Eagle Heights and University Houses gardens. See this UW resource for basic information about voles:
Below are some recommended vole prevention methods, some prohibited methods, and some ineffective methods: 

Recommended methods for preventing voles:

1) Change the habitat!

  •  Remove all the places that voles can hide - including ground cover, plants (raspberries give good cover), weeds, and mulch. Voles can nest in the ground, in plant roots, and in overturned pots. They will also hide under cardboard if it is used on paths.
  • Fill in vole tunnels: tightly pack woodchips into vole paths where appropriate. Pay close attention to border fences.
  • Plant your fall crops in a place that voles cannot hide: Voles are very active in fall and will ruin storage vegetables (parsnips, rutabaga, winter squash, etc). Plan your garden so that late season vegetables stand alone, and voles don't have anything to hide in while they eat.
  • Plan for Winter: Voles don't hibernate, so hawks and weasels will hunt them in the winter, especially if they can't hide. Eliminate all the places voles can hide and underground crops like Jerusalem artichokes.

2) Exclusion!

  •  Use fencing: Fine wire mesh (1/4" hole size or less) buried deep (6" below and 12" above ground)
  • Use raised beds or tall pots: Plant crops you don't want attacked (beets, celeriac, celery, etc.) in large, raised beds or wine-barrel sized planters. Cover the bottom with wire mesh or they'll find a way in.
  • Protect fruits on plants from voles by covering them with wire mesh or plastic clamshells.

Prohibited methods for preventing voles:

1) Poisons or traps (The Gardens are in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve and no harming or disturbing animals is permitted). 
2) Sound/Ultrasonic repellers (Animals rapidly get used to this).

 Ineffective methods for preventing voles:

1) Hot pepper powder or fox-urine (washes away in rain, expensive for many applications)

Sticks: Several gardeners had questions about what is considered a “stick” when it comes to putting things in the weed pile. I asked our UW contact that has helped us clear the pile in the past. Here is my understanding of it: 
  • Anything that came from a tree is considered a stick and should not go in the weed pile.
  • Anything that was purchased as a stake (like a bamboo pole) is considered a stick and should not go in the weed pile.
  • Something like a very thick raspberry or blackberry cane could be considered a stick. Smaller canes can go in the weed pile, and large canes can go in the stick pile.
  • For the most part, things like brussels sprout stalks, even if they are large, would not be considered a stick, and can go in the weed pile.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
 
Lily
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Thursday, May 9, 2024

From the Registrar: May 9, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Refund deadline extension: The Garden Committee has extended the deadline to cancel a plot assignment and still receive a refund for the fee to the third Friday in May of each year. This means that the refund deadline for this year will now be Friday, May 17th.

Hoses and tools in paths: With mowing of the paths beginning, please remember to keep all your belongings in your plot. Hoses left in the path may be mowed. At Eagle Heights your hose needs to be in your plot and disconnected from the spigot, and at University Houses it needs to be returned to the reel. Plants that are growing outside the border of your plot could also be mowed.

Water not potable: Although the original water source for the Gardens is city water, we can’t guarantee that it will remain potable once it enters our water systems. For this reason, the water in the Gardens is safe for watering plants but is not suitable for drinking.

Garden juries: The garden juries are small groups of gardeners who walk through the gardens and report plots that appear weedy or abandoned (or especially nice). This year, there will be one garden jury for each site (Eagle Heights and University Houses). There will be four gardeners on each jury.

The juries will meet four times total: in May, June, July, and August. In past years there were multiple jury groups for Eagle Heights and the juries met in June, July and August. Because there will only be one jury for all of Eagle Heights and we will meet four times rather than three, please be aware that this may be a bigger time commitment than in the past. The reason for this change from previous years is to be more consistent in holding plots to the same standards. The weed juries will report on specific noxious weeds, like thistles and artemisia, and will remove communal tools and carts from plots. Being on a garden jury for the season counts as a workday. If you’re interested in being on the garden jury, please let me know.

Warm weather plant sale reminder: The warm weather plant sale will be held by Blue Moon Community Farm Sunday 5/19 from 10 am to 1 pm at Eagle Heights Gardens.

Communal tools: Please remember to return all communal tools to the sheds when you are done using them for the day. If they are left in a plot no one else can use them. If they are left in the mulch piles, they will end up buried, and the wooden handles will rot.

Thanks, and happy gardening,

Lily


Maintenance request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform

Previous emails: https://eagleheightsgardens.blogspot.com/

Gardening resources: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardens/organic-growing/





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Friday, May 3, 2024

From the Registrar: May 3, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Disposal questionnaire: Here is a link to a questionnaire about disposal in the gardens: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRMSSdxoh_9Jlc2WWcanV-6lnyv733G1YlG21aXDmFVWqG4g/viewform?usp=sf_link

A response from each gardener is needed to make sure that everyone understands the rules. It’s a Google form, but you can respond via email if you prefer. Please either submit the form or contact me to complete it via email by May 12th. I am happy to answer any questions or clarify the rules about disposal.

Maintenance reporting form: Use this form throughout the season to report maintenance issues. Using the form rather than emailing me about maintenance ensures that the information goes to the right people as quickly as possible. The link to the form is also on the website, and I will include it with future email updates:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyjHBH_xBH229AVwmqTE-2L3znGrLwn3TNJfw2ri9T01MMfA/viewform
  • Use this maintenance reporting form for things like: Water issues: Leaks, dripping faucets, non-functioning water, etc.
  • Reporting trees that need removal
  • Trees fallen on plots
  • Do not use this maintenance reporting form for: Plot border questions
  • Gardening questions
  • Reporting weeds, either in your own or another plot
  • University Apartments maintenance requests (Here is their form: https://www.housing.wisc.edu/apartments/maintenance/ )
ROTC event near EH Garden on Saturday: We’ve been informed that the ROTC will be doing an annual training tomorrow, Saturday, May 4, 2024, from 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Frautschi Point. They will not be carrying weapons, and they will post a sign informing visitors of what is happening.

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 good resource if you’re looking for more ideas about organic gardening: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6220

Thanks, and happy gardening,
 
Lily
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