Friday, October 18, 2024

From the Registrar: October 18, 2024

Hello Gardeners, 

Ending the season: As the gardening season comes to a close, I’d like to share a few reminders: 
  • If you are planning to return to the gardens next season, the renewal deadline will be Feb 15th, 2025. Applications will be available beginning Dec 15th, 2024, and I will send more reminders. 
  • The only people eligible to renew a garden plot for 2025 are the ones that are currently assigned to the plot for 2024. If you are not sure of who is listed on your plot, please contact me. If you would like a currently unlisted person to have the plot, you must add them to the records now.  
  • To be eligible for renewal one gardener from each plot must either do a workday or pay the no-workday fee for 2024. I will be sending out a reminder email to all gardeners that have not done this yet. If you have not done a workday and would like to, we may be able to find an opportunity still this season. If you are paying the fee, you will have until Dec 1st, 2024. Please contact me with any questions. 
Walnuts in the weed pile: It was reported this morning that someone dumped a large pile of whole walnuts in the EH weed pile. Please note that no waste from outside the gardens can be brought to the weed piles. We particularly do not want walnuts there, since the pile is often transferred to the Student Farm, and they do not want walnut trees coming up in their gardens. 
Portable Toilets: The portable toilets will be picked up from both gardens next week and they will be brought back in March of next year.    
Parking: The plan is to have parking remain open on Eagle Heights Drive until November 15th. If it snows before that and UW Apartments Grounds has to plow, we may lose the parking signs earlier. Parking at University Houses Gardens will also remain available.  
Happy gardening, 
Lily   
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Wednesday, October 16, 2024

From the Registrar: October 15, 2024

Hello Gardeners, 

Freeze warning: There is a freeze warning for tonight. If you still have plants that are sensitive to cold, today is the day to harvest everything and bring it indoors. Winter squash should be harvested today at the latest. Frost can cause the squash to not store well. In contrast, the flavor of Brussels sprouts will be sweeter if exposed to a frost before harvesting.  
These are not complete lists of which plants can or cannot survive a frost, but they are some of the more commonly grown crops in the gardens: 
  • Plants that can’t survive a frost include: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash (winter or summer), beans, and cucumbers. 
  • Plants that can survive a frost include: Cabbage, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, peas, lettuce, beets, carrots, chard, onions, spinach, and radishes. 
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:  
Leaf mulch: For those of you that are wondering about deliveries of leaf mulch this fall; we can probably expect them in November. Our leaves are delivered by the Village of Shorewood Hills. Once the leaves have fallen, they will first fill their own mulch piles and then deliver to us. We will be keeping tools and carts available in the gardens so everyone that wants to mulch their plots for the winter has access.  
  
Thanks, and happy gardening,   
Lily  
  
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From the Registrar: October, 8 2024

Hello Gardeners,  

We have placed a work order with the UW plumbers to shut down the Garden water systems by Monday 10/14. The extended forecast is showing a possible low of 30 degrees that night, and we have to shut the water off if there is a chance of a freeze to protect the system. The order was placed today because we need to give the plumbers enough advance warning of the request. Once a work order is placed, we do not have a choice about when it will be done. The Gardens are a lower priority than other plumbing on campus, so our requests are completed within a window when they are available to help. This means that the water could be off as soon as tomorrow. If you are still watering any crops you may want to carry water in.  
Happy gardening, 
Lily   
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From the Registrar: October 1, 2024

Hello Gardeners,  

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: 
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 that have finished producing and weeds and taking them to the weed pile. Remove as much dirt as possible from the roots of plants before taking them to the weed pile. Later, once we receive new leaves for the fall, 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.  It is still a bit early to plant garlic. 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.  
Independent workdays: If you still need to fulfill your workday requirement and you are interested in an independent workday please contact me. Also, if you are not sure if you have done a workday yet or not this season please ask, and I will look it up for you. 
Happy gardening, 
Lily   
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From the Registrar: September 18, 2024

Hello Gardeners,  

Workday opportunity: There will be a plot clearing workday on Saturday 9/21 from 8:30-11:30 am at Eagle Heights Garden. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 8:30 am. Email me if you’re interested. 
One gardener from every plot must do one workday each season to remain in good standing and be eligible for renewal the following year. If a workday is not done the $45 no-workday fee must be paid. If you have not had a chance to do a workday yet it is not too late. We expect to continue running them into October.  
If the group times do not work for you but you’d like to do a workday, please contact me about scheduling an independent workday.  
Happy gardening, 
Lily   
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From the Registrar: September 9, 2024

Hello Gardeners,  

Weeds: It can be hard to keep up with the garden as the season winds down. Please look at your plot and remove invasive weeds. We are seeing a lot of mature weeds in the gardens, with many more seedlings coming up. If they are allowed to go to seed this fall it will mean more weeds next spring. See the links here for photos of common weeds for identification: 
Workday opportunity: There will be a weeding workday on Thursday 9/12 from 8-11 am at University Houses Garden. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 8 am. Email me if you’re interested. 
Happy gardening, 
Lily   
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