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
