From the Registrar: June 26, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Planting for fall crops: If you’d like to start another round of planting for fall crops, this is a good time to start thinking about it. Many things, like greens, beets, radishes, and more, can be planted a second time in July or August. Johnny’s Selected Seeds has a useful chart available here with planting dates. Scroll down and see: “Fall Harvest Planting Calculator”: https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/online-tools-calculators.html?glmmftrdlst The average date of first frost that’s already in the sheet (10/1) will work for Madison.

Hoses in path: Please do not leave hoses in the path. The garden workers need be able to get through to mow and stopping to disconnect and move hoses at Eagle Heights and return them to the reels/stands at University Houses takes a lot of extra time. Hoses can also be difficult to see in the grass and might be cut by the mower.

Communal tools: Please remember to return all communal tools to the sheds when you are done using them for the day.

Workday opportunities: There will be two workday opportunities this weekend:

• On Saturday 6/29 there will be a workday at University Houses from 9am-12pm.
• On Saturday 6/29 there will be a workday at Eagle Heights from 12-3pm.

Both workdays will be for weed whacking, weeding, and mulching. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. The groups will meet at the garden sheds at each site. Email me if you’re interested, and I will assign spots in the order of replies.

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/

From the Registrar: June 18, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Lakeshore Nature Preserve rules: Both Eagle Heights and University Houses Gardens are a part of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve and the rules and regulations of the Preserve also apply to the Gardens:

• We observe the Preserve’s hours, which are 4 AM to 10 pm every day.
• Bikes are permitted on the garden paths, but not on the Nature Preserve paths.
• Dogs must always be on a leash everywhere in the Gardens and Preserve.
• Amplified music is not permitted in the Preserve. Headphones must be used to listen to music.
• Nothing can be disposed of in the Preserve (like weeds), and nothing can be taken from the Preserve (like sticks).

For additional information about Preserve rules please see their website: https://lakeshorepreserve.wisc.edu/visitor-etiquette/

Please note that events that are held at the Gardens must be approved by both the Garden Committee and the Preserve.

Standing water reminder: Please do not allow standing water to remain in your plot. This provides a place for mosquitoes to lay eggs, and we do not need any more mosquitoes in the gardens.

Colorado potato beetles: The potato beetles have started to come out for the season. Many plants are hosting eggs right now on the undersides of the leaves. This is a good time to check your plants and destroy the eggs before they hatch. Once the eggs hatch, plants can be quickly defoliated if there are many larvae. The best method for controlling the eggs, larvae, and adult beetles in your plot is to pick them off and dump them in soapy water. Dealing with them now will help reduce the number in the gardens overall.

Potato beetles will eat anything in the Solanaceae family, including tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos, but most of the damage we see is on potato plants.

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 workday at University Houses Garden this Saturday 6/22, from 9am-12pm. The workday will be weed whacking, weeding, and mulching. Five volunteers are needed. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 9 am. Email me if you’re interested, and I will assign spots in the order of replies.

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/

From the Registrar: June 12, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Plots available: Due to some late cancellations, we have some open plots in the gardens. If you know of anyone that is interested in having a plot this season, please let them know. They can contact me with any questions, and the applications are available here: https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardeners/plot-applications/

Maintenance reporting form reminder: Please use this form for reporting maintenance issues. The form automatically sends an email to me and the four garden workers who work hard to keep the gardens in good shape. If you email me directly with a maintenance issue, it will take more time to get to the people that can address the problem:

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

Use this maintenance reporting form for things like:

• All water issues: Leaks, dripping faucets, non-functioning water, etc.
• Reporting trees that need removal
• Trees fallen on plots
• Maintenance needs in common areas of the gardens

Do not use this maintenance reporting form for:

• Plot specific questions, like borders (contact me via the registrar’s email: ehgardens@rso.wisc.edu)
• Gardening questions (contact me)
• Reporting weeds in another plot (contact me)
• University Apartments maintenance requests (Here is their form: https://www.housing.wisc.edu/apartments/maintenance/)

Artemisia Annua: One of the major weeds that invades the Gardens is Artemisia Annua (also known as Sweet Wormwood or Sweet Annie). It has a strong aromatic smell and spreads easily. If you have this in your garden, please pull it out before it produces seeds. There are a lot of images here to help with identification: https://identify.plantnet.org/k-world-flora/species/Artemisia%20annua%20L./data

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at Eagle Heights Garden this Saturday 6/15, from 9am-12pm. The workday will be brush clearing in the buffer zone North of the 500s row. Six volunteers are needed. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. 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.

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/

From the Registrar: June 3, 2024

Hello Gardeners,

Plot borders/paths: Every plot must maintain a six-inch weeded border on all sides next to neighboring plots. If everyone does this and makes sure that any fences are placed at least six-inches in from the borders, there is a one-foot path between plots. These paths are necessary for many people to get to the water, and they also prevent gardens from encroaching on each other. The areas between plots can be some of the worst areas for tall weeds that go to seed in the gardens. Please keep the sides and back of your plot weeded. The wood chips that are available at both sites are a great mulch for paths and can help to keep the weeds from coming back as quickly.

Workday opportunities: There are three upcoming workday opportunities. Please reply if you’re interested and I’ll assign spots in the order I receive replies:

• On Thursday 6/6 there will be a workday at University Houses from 4-7 pm. Four volunteers are needed.
• On Friday 6/7 there will be a workday at University Houses from 12-3 pm. Four volunteers are needed.
• On Sunday 6/9 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, weeding, and mulching. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. The groups will meet at the sheds at each site.

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/