From the Registrar: November 14, 2025

Hello Gardeners,


Check in about your plot status: This is a good time to check in with any questions regarding your garden plot. Garden applications for 2026 will be available beginning December 15, 2025. All returning gardeners must apply no later than February 15, 2026 to renew a plot or move to a new location. I will send another reminder email when applications open.

Before December 15th 2025, you can still add a secondary gardener to your plot so that person is eligible to renew the plot for 2026. If you’re unsure who is listed on your plot for this season, I can look this up for you.

Weed pile reminder: Please remember that no trash can be left in the weed piles. This includes any row cover and landscaping material. These must go in the dumpster.

If you have any questions about the renewal application process, please email me.

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: October 31, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

 
Leaf mulch: We have started receiving leaf mulch deliveries, and we expect quite a bit more at both gardens. This is a good time to add mulch to your plot. It’s not too late to plant garlic either. If you haven’t grown garlic before, it’s quite easy:
http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/garden_manual_v_1.12.pdf (page 80)

 
Parking: The parking will 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. Please remember that Lot Z next to Eagle Heights Drive is not available for gardeners at any time. You may get a ticket from the University if you park there.

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: October 20, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Water off for the season this Wednesday: The water systems at both gardens will be shut down this Wednesday. If you would like to fill up some containers to put in your plot for watering cool-weather crops, please do this before Wednesday morning.

Frost warning: The weather forecast is showing frost starting this week. Here is some information on the frost-tolerance of some of the more commonly grown crops in the gardens:

Plants that cannot 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. *While these are frost-tolerant, they will not survive prolonged freezing temperatures. *

A frost is possible with a temperature under 36° F. A freeze can happen under 32° F, and a hard freeze under 28° F. If you hope to prolong the growing season of any of your plants, row cover can provide some protection from colder temperatures.

Leaf mulch: The leaves are falling late this year, so we are not expecting deliveries of leaf mulch for another couple of weeks.

If you are done with your plot: If you are finished with your garden plot for the season and you don’t plan to renew, please let me know. There are a number of gardeners that are still looking for workday opportunities, and preparing vacant plots for the fall is something volunteers can work on.

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.

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: October 10, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at University Houses Gardens on Monday, October 13th from 9 am-12 pm. Two volunteers are needed. The workday will be for painting tools and plot markers. Volunteers should wear clothes that they don’t mind getting paint on. Please let me know if you’re interested in this workday. I will assign spots in the order I receive replies.

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. We hope to begin receiving loads of leaf mulch from Shorewood soon. Try to avoid stepping on the beds when you remove plants, so you do not compact the soil. Remove as much dirt as possible from the roots of plants before taking them to the weed pile.

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. 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)

No digging or planting outside of plot borders: Please remember that digging and planting is only permitted within plot borders. The water system is old and fragile, and the lines are shallow. The water lines can easily be cut by a shovel or have connections broken when the ground is disturbed. It may seem like the pipes will all go in a straight line from one spigot to the next, but they curve underground and it’s hard to predict where they will be.

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: September 23, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at Eagle Heights this Sunday, September 28th from 8-11 am. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 8 am. The workday will be for digging out and removing an old water line. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order I receive 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: September 17, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Gardening in 2026: Every year, all gardeners must reapply for their garden plots if they want to return the following season.

• 2026 applications will be available beginning December 15th 2025. Returning and new gardeners may turn in applications beginning that day. For new gardeners, applications are processed in the order received.
• For 2025 gardeners, the deadline to apply for renewal will be February 15th 2026. Returning gardeners in good standing have priority to return to the same plot (or to switch if they want).
• Renewal applications received on or after 2/16 are not guaranteed. I will try to help if I can, but gardeners have lost their plots due to late renewal applications in the past. After Feb 15th any plots that have not been renewed will be reassigned to new gardeners, and we usually have a long list of new applicants.
• If you already know that you do not plan to renew your plot, please let me know.

Only assigned gardeners from 2025 are eligible to renew a plot for 2026. If there is someone gardening in your plot with you this year and they’d like to keep the plot next year, you must make sure they are listed as the secondary gardener BEFORE December 15th 2025. Renewal applications in the name of someone not previously listed on the plot can’t be processed.

Please let me know if you have any questions about applying for next season.

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

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: September 3, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

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

Workday requirement: Every plot is responsible for one workday or one no-workday fee payment. I will be sending out two group emails to let everyone know what their status is. I will send one email to the primary gardeners of plots that have already fulfilled the requirement, and another email to those that have not yet fulfilled the requirement. More group workdays will be scheduled, and independent workdays are always an option. Often at this time of year, there are abandoned plots that need to be cleared, and that is a common independent workday. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.

Remember to harvest! It can be difficult to keep up with the garden as the season winds down, and many plots have ripe produce that is going bad. Please remember to harvest, or designate a friend to pick up the vegetables in your plot so that they don’t go to waste.

Zucchini ice cream: If you find that you have more zucchini than you know what to do with, here is a recipe for zucchini ice cream shared by a gardener: https://recipecan.com/zucchini-ice-cream-recipe/

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: August 26, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday at EH this Friday, August 29th from 9 am -12 pm. Ten volunteers are needed. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 9 am. The workday will be for weeding and weed whacking. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested in one of these workdays and I will assign spots in the order I receive replies.

Weed piles: Please only dump weeds inside the designated weed pile areas at both gardens. Recently piles of weeds have been found dumped in other areas of the gardens. This creates extra work, as these weeds have to be moved to the piles.

Saving tomato seeds: Tomato seeds from your garden can be saved for starting seedlings the following spring. If you would like to save seeds from your favorite varieties of tomatoes to plant again next year, it is a fairly simple process. A gardener shared a guide that’s easy to follow here: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-save-tomato-seeds-1403292
Additionally, this page from the UW Minnesota Extension has useful information about seed saving from a variety of crops: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/saving-vegetable-seeds

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: August 20, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

 
Workday opportunities: There are two upcoming workday opportunities at Eagle Heights Garden:

• There will be a workday at EH this Friday, August 22nd from 9 am -12 pm. Four volunteers are needed. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 9 am. The workday will be for digging a trench and weeding.
• There will be a workday at EH this Saturday, August 23rd from 8-11 am. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 8 am. The workday will be for weeding and weed whacking common areas.

Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested in one of these workdays and I will assign spots in the order I receive replies.

Bean beetles: The Mexican bean beetle eats the leaves of bean plants, and occasionally also the beans. The 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://extension.umd.edu/resource/mexican-bean-beetle-vegetables/

Due to the lateness of season, we will not be ordering parasitic wasps this year to combat the beetles. The wasps cannot survive a frost and will not overwinter. We hope to be able to order them next season. For the remainder of this season, monitor your bean plants for beetles. If you find eggs, larvae, or adult beetles, either crush them or dump them in soapy water. At the end of the season, it’s recommended to remove bean plant debris from your plot to reduce the number of beetles that overwinter in the soil.
Maintain pathways between plots: Please remember to maintain a six-inch weeded and clear path on the sides and back of your plot. Plants from inside the plot should not hang over the path. These paths are necessary for gardeners to access the water and they help prevent the edges of plots from becoming overgrown.

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: August 12, 2025

Hello Gardeners,  

Please respect other gardeners’ spaces: Do not enter other plots, remove things from other plots, or put anything in other plots. Unfortunately, we have received quite a few reports lately of gardeners having their plots entered or damaged by others. In some cases, it seems that people are borrowing hoses and tools without the permission of the gardener. In other cases, gardeners have had things thrown in their plots, damaging their plants. No one but the assigned gardener and people they have given permission to may enter, remove anything from, or put anything in a plot.  

Preserving food: If you’re looking for ways to preserve your extra produce, there are a lot of 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    

Protecting your tomatoes from pests: If you are struggling with voles taking bites out of all your ripe tomatoes, there are a couple of things you can try: One method is to harvest any tomatoes within the voles’ reach early (as soon as they begin to change color). If you take them home, they'll finish ripening on your kitchen counter. This is quite reliable and low maintenance. Another method is to save plastic fruit clamshells and clamp them around the fruit as it ripens. The tomatoes can remain on the plant, and the voles can't get to them. This works very well but can be time-consuming if you have a lot of plants. Both methods will also work for peppers. 

 

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: August 1, 2025

Hello Gardeners,  

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday next Wednesday, 8/6 at Eagle Heights Gardens from 9 am –12 pm. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 9 am. Ten volunteers are needed. The workday will be for weeding and weed whacking common areas. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign the spots in the order I receive replies.   

No unattended use of water permitted: Please remember that you must be present while watering your garden. This means no sprinklers left running if you are not at your plot. Leaving a sprinkler running prevents other gardeners in the community from using the spigot. It’s also 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. Overhead watering is also more likely to spread plant diseases. The most effective way to water your garden is to soak it close to the ground.   

Weeds: It has been difficult to keep up with the weeds this season. Please take the time now to remove taller and/or flowering weeds from your plot, including the sides and back. The paths and edges between plots have become overgrown in many places.  

There are a couple more plants to add to the list of things to look out for: 

• Pokeweed is native to the United States, but it is poisonous. The plants produce berries that will spread many more pokeweed plants throughout the garden and surrounding areas. Wearing gloves is recommended when removing plants. Berries should be bagged and thrown away, so they do not re-seed. Photos here: https://mbgna.umich.edu/post/blog/native-plant-week-american-pokeweed 

 

• Giant Foxtail is an invasive grass and there is a lot of it in the gardens, particularly between plots. Photos here: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/wisconsin-weed-identification-giant-foxtail-setaria-faberi/ 

 

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: July 30, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Sunday, 8/3 at University Houses Gardens from 8 am –11 am. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 8 am. The workday will be for weeding vacant plots. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign the spots in the order I receive replies.

Velvet leaf: Velvet leaf is an invasive weed that deprives other plants of available nutrients in the soil. It is beginning to grow tall and produce flowers at this point in the season. Seeds can remain viable in the ground for many years, and they tend to come up in soil that has recently been dug. Often gardeners mistake it for squash, beans, or sunflowers and allow it to grow in plots. Please remove any you see before it produces flowers and seeds. Pictures can be found here: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/velvetleaf-abutilon-theophrasti/

Workday reminder: Every plot is responsible for one workday or one $45 no-workday fee payment per season. If you’re not sure if you’ve done a workday yet this season, I can look it up for you. The garden workers will be scheduling more workdays, and I can also help you find an independent workday if none of the scheduled times work for you. Let me know if you have any questions about this.

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: July 23, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Sunday, 7/27 at University Houses Gardens from 8 am –11 am. The group will meet at the UH garden shed at 8 am. The workday will be for weeding vacant plots. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign the spots in the order I receive replies.

 
Keep the paths clear: Please do not leave anything lying in the communal paths. The garden workers that mow the paths have had issues lately with piles of weeds and hoses left in the paths. This creates a lot of extra work because they must stop and move things. Also, hoses left in the path are sometimes cut by the mower.

 
Tick reminder: Remember to check for ticks after you visit the gardens. Deer ticks can carry Lyme disease, and they have been found in the gardens before. For more information see the UW Department of Entomology resources on ticks: https://wisconsin-ticks.russell.wisc.edu/

Rain: This has been a rainy summer, and some plants, like tomatoes, will suffer from excess water in the ground. If you notice plants wilting and the soil is holding a lot of water, you can dig trenches in the paths between the plant rows to allow water to drain. The appearance of plants wilting from excess water can look a lot like plants wilting from the soil being too dry, so as a result plants are sometimes overwatered. If you're not sure, check to see how wet or dry the soil is a couple of inches down.
Many gardeners wonder if/when they should also water their gardens by hand. With the quantity of rain we have had this season, very little watering has been needed other than watering new transplants. About 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week is a good amount for a vegetable garden. We got one inch of rain during the storm this morning.

 
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: July 17, 2025

Hello Gardeners,

Please dump out any standing water in your plot and store containers upside down or with a lid. With all the recent rain the mosquito population will go up, and buckets, watering cans, and dishes full of water will provide more places for them to lay eggs.

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: July 16, 2025

Hello Gardeners,  

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Friday, 7/18 at Eagle Heights Gardens from 9 am –12 pm. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 9 am. Six volunteers are needed. The workday will be for weeding fruit plantings and digging out stumps. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign the spots in the order I receive replies.   

Possible drone flight Friday: The research drone flight over the Biocore Prairie has been rescheduled for this Friday if weather allows.  

Garlic harvesting: If you have not already harvested your garlic, this is a good time to do that. Most garlic varieties are ready by now. If garlic is left too long in the ground the cloves can separate from the bulbs, and they will not store well. If the ground is very wet, which it has been with all the rain, the bulbs can rot.   

Freezing beans: Green bean plants can be very productive, and you may find you’re harvesting more than you can eat. In this case, green beans can be frozen for later use. For the best result and to preserve quality and flavor, blanch them before freezing. This is a useful guide to freezing vegetables from PennState Extension: https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-vegetables    

Jumping worms: The term jumping worm refers to a number of species of earthworms in the genus Amynthas. These worms are invasive here and rapidly break down organic material. This makes the soil crumbly, and some plants can have difficulty growing in these conditions. In particular, they are a problem for native plants and forests. See this DNR article for more information:  https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/jumpingWorm 

Several years ago, jumping worms were discovered in our leaf mulch piles. At this point, they have spread throughout most of the gardens. Even if you have not seen any in your plot, it’s best not to transplant any plants out of the gardens to avoid introducing them elsewhere.  

If you find them, treating the soil with heat by covering it with plastic is most effective. If you find a portion of your garden is badly infested, this may be a good method to try. You can also put any you find in a plastic bag and throw them away.

Although jumping worms are a problem, don’t let them discourage you from gardening! Fortunately we have not had many reports from gardeners about issues at this point. There is research being done, and hopefully we will learn of more solutions soon. For now, the most important thing to do is to try to avoid spreading them out of the gardens. 

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: July 9, 2025

Hello Gardeners,  

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Sunday, 7/13 at Eagle Heights Gardens from 8-11 am. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 8 am. Six volunteers are needed. The workday will be for weeding common areas. Volunteers should wear long sleeves and bring gloves. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign the spots in the order I receive replies.   

Theft: Unfortunately, we occasionally have reports of theft in the gardens. Often, vegetables or equipment are taken. Some gardeners have had whole plants dug up and removed from their plots. Please remember not to enter any plots besides your own, even if you think a plot might be abandoned. Contact me with any questions about plots or borders.  

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 and keep an eye on each other’s plots.  

Pollinators: Keeping an organic garden provides a place without pesticides for pollinators to live. 

• This is an excellent resource from the UW about supporting pollinators in your garden: https://pollinators.wisc.edu/ 
• This site also has good information on pollinators: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinators. 

However, some insects are not beneficial and can cause a lot of damage to crops. Here is another one to look out for: 

Squash bugs: Adult squash bugs look quite a lot like stink bugs but are narrower. The nymphs are gray with black legs. You might find them gathering together on the underside 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. Squash bug: https://extension.umn.edu/fruit-and-vegetable-insects/squash-bugs 

 

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 29, 2025

Hello Gardeners, 

 

Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Wednesday, 7/2 at Eagle Heights Gardens from 9 am -12 pm. Two volunteers are needed. The group will meet at the EH garden shed at 9 am. The workday will be for weed whacking. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign the spots in the order I receive replies.  

 

Creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides): This is an extremely invasive plant with a purple flower that is currently blooming. While it does have a nice flower, it will quickly take over. If you see this flower in your garden, please remove it right away and don’t allow it to flower or go to seed:  

https://extension.umn.edu/weeds/creeping-bellflower

 

Thanks, and happy gardening,    

Lily 

From the Registrar: June 25, 2025

Hello Gardeners,  

Some weed and pest reminders:  

• Some varieties of invasive weeds are beginning to flower. It’s important to remove the flowers (and ideally the plants) before they produce seeds that can spread. Please look in your plot for Canada Thistle and Bindweed plants and remove them now:  
• Canada thistle has a light purple flower: https://blogs.cornell.edu/weedid/canada-thistle/ 
• Bindweed has a small flower like a morning glory that’s white to light pink: https://authenticwisconsin.com/field_bindweed.html 

 

• Potato beetles are beginning to spread in the gardens. Please remember to check your plants and remove insects, larvae, and eggs to prevent them from spreading into neighboring plots.  

 

Don’t enter any plots but your own: Remember that you can only enter another gardener’s plot with their permission. Please also make sure that kids don’t play in or run through other gardeners’ plots.  

No harming animals: The large vole population in the Gardens is a constant problem for gardeners each year. Harming or disturbing animals is prohibited inside the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. For this reason, traps and poison are not allowed. Poisoning rodents is also very dangerous for other animals in the area that might eat them. Sound/Ultrasonic repellers for rodents are also not allowed in the Gardens.  

Recommended ways to deal with voles include:  

• Removing hiding places like weeds, brush, and containers. Keeping the ground exposed between your plants will leave the voles susceptible to predators like hawks. 
• Preventing access with fencing, wire mesh, or using raised pots.  
  
  

Drone flight delayed: The research drone flight that was scheduled for Monday over the BioCore Prairie was cancelled due to bad weather. It will be rescheduled, and I will pass that information on if I receive it in advance. 

 

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/