From the Registrar: April 1, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 
Important date reminders: 

•  Opening day in the gardens will be this Saturday, April 4th.
• The Seed Fair will be held at the Community Center next Saturday, April 11th from 9 am to 11 am.

Row cover sale: We’ll be selling row cover at the Seed Fair. The pieces are approximately 7 ft x 20 ft and they are $5 each, CASH ONLY, exact change if possible. Here is some information about row cover: http://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/row_cover_handout.pdf

Plot markers and corner posts: Please don’t move your numbered plot marker or the yellow corner posts of your plot. The numbered markers help new gardeners find their way around the gardens and are needed for the garden juries to correctly identify plots. Yellow corner posts permanently mark plot boundaries.

Plants and fences can extend to the border only in the fronts of plots. On the other three sides there must be six inches of space left as a path (so there is a 12-inch path between plots). Please check your borders at the beginning of the season so things can be moved early in the year, before plants begin to grow. Plants can grow larger than expected, so they should not be planted too close to the borders.

 
New guidelines for vole and mouse control: With permission from the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, the Garden Committee has approved new guidelines for vole and mouse control. Gardeners may now use snap traps to trap voles and mice in plots, but ONLY if these guidelines are followed: 

• Traps must be placed inside a piece of PVC pipe that is 2-4 inches in diameter and at least 12 inches long to protect other wildlife like birds.
• Traps must be located in the interior of a plot, two feet from any plot borders.
• Only snap-traps are permitted. Sticky traps and in-ground mole traps are NOT permitted.
• Gardeners that use snap traps assume responsibility for safely setting them up and regularly checking them. Gardeners must also safely dispose of any trapped voles or mice in the designated area by the weed piles (these will be marked) or in an area of their plot visible to hawks and other predators.

Please email me if you have any questions about these guidelines. Here is an example of a snap trap: https://www.victorpest.com/victor-safe-set-mouse-trap-2-traps-m070b

Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily

From the Registrar: March 12, 2026

Hello Gardeners,

 

Welcome to the Gardens for the 2026 growing season! 

Please note these important upcoming dates:

 
Opening day in the Gardens: Saturday April 4th
Seed Fair: Saturday April 11th from 9 am to 11 am at the Community Center

 
Opening day: Shared tools and carts will be available, and the portable toilets will be delivered to both gardens before opening day. Parking on Eagle Heights Drive will allow 4-hour parking for the Gardens on the south side of the street. Parking will be available in the small lot by University Houses Gardens. The water will not be on until late April/early May. Orientations for new gardeners will begin on opening day. A schedule of various dates and times will be available soon for sign-ups.

Seed Fair: Please join us for the annual seed fair at the Community Center on Saturday, April 11th from 9 AM to 11 AM! Each plot can choose 15 free packets of seeds. This is a fun community event and a great way to get your garden started. I hope to see you all there!
If you are interested in volunteering to help at the Seed Fair, please let me know and I will assign available spots. The volunteering time commitment will be from 8:15 AM to Noon.

Planting Season: Even if it is warm on opening day, there will still be a danger of frost into May that could kill many plants. Mid-April is typically when a lot of cool-weather plants go in. Refer to this guide for planting dates:
http://eagleheightsgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/vegetable_planting_guide.pdf

If you want to start cleaning up and preparing your garden before the planting season begins, try not to walk on or disturb the soil too much while it’s still muddy. This will compact the soil, which is not good for plants. Marking your paths early in the season to avoid walking in the planting areas can help keep your soil healthy.

 
Start on page 38 of the garden manual for information on preparing your garden: https://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/garden_manual_v_1.12.pdf

Garden waste guidelines: Many plots will need cleaning in the spring. Please make a note of where different waste should go in the Gardens so we can keep things running well: 

• WEEDS/PLANT MATTER: Go in the weed piles. *Dirt, trash, and sticks cannot be put in the weed piles.
• TRASH: Goes in the trash dumpsters. If weeds and plants are put in the dumpsters, we may receive a fine.
• STICKS: Go in the stick barrels/piles. These piles are for gardeners to take sticks as plant supports. Please do not take sticks out of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve surrounding the Gardens.

Plots available: We still have some openings at both EH and UH gardens. If you know anyone that is interested in having a plot this season, please share the application with them, or refer them to me with questions. https://eagleheightsgardens.org/gardeners/plot-applications/

Thanks, and happy gardening,    

Lily