From the Gardens Registrar: Cool Weather Plant Sale This Sunday, April 25; Two Volunteers Needed; Row Cover Will Return; No Word Yet on Water; A Few Rule Reminders; About Organic Growing

Hello Gardeners,

 UPCOMING PLANT SALE – On Sunday, April 25, Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be selling cool-weather plants at Eagle Heights, from 10am – 1pm. These are the plants he will be selling:

Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Lettuces (mixed and individual packs as well as salad mix packs), Napa Cabbage, Green and Red Cabbages, Cauliflower, Kales & Collards, Swiss Chard, Parsley (Italian flat & curly varieties), Thyme, and Sage.  Everything will be $2.50.  (That's the price whether it is a single plant pot (tomatoes, peppers, herbs, flowers, anything in a single pot) or a multipack like 4 or 6 plants per pack.) Please wear a mask and prepare to social distance. Scott will be back towards the end of May with tomato plants and other warm weather plants.

TWO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Scott will be bringing a crew to help him unload his truck and sell his plants. But we will need to provide two volunteers to help people social-distance. Volunteers should arrive at 9:45 a.m. to check in with Scott, and will probably be able to leave by 12:45. (I’m assuming he’ll sell out, and the sale will end before 1:00.) This is a work day – please let me know if you’re interested.

ROW COVER – We ran out of row cover at our sale last weekend, but we have more, and will have another sale soon. I’ll announce the date when we have it.

WATER – No word yet from the UW Plumbers about turning on our water, but we’re having cold nights again (and it’s snowing as I write this), so I’m guessing it won’t be until next week.

A FEW RULE REMINDERS – It’s early in the season, but I’m already receiving complaints from gardeners. One gardener complained that they keep finding things rearranged in their plot, plus toys have been left in their garden. Another gardener complained that tomato cages and other equipment left from last year’s gardener, which they were planning to use, has suddenly gone missing. Folks, I shouldn’t have to repeat this, but the rules state clearly – do not go into anybody else’s plot without being invited, and don’t let anybody who helps you with your plot (or who plays with trucks while you garden), go into other people’s plots. And while you’re not going into other people’s plots, be sure to not take anything while you’re (not) there – such as equipment, or plants, or vegetables. A community garden is not just a collection of individual plots – it is a community, and we are all in this together.

WHAT’S THIS ORGANIC THING? – (Gardeners in rows C-F at University Houses may ignore this and go do something useful instead.) New gardeners often ask if everything they plant in our gardens has to be organic. Seeds? Plants? No, it’s okay to use commercial seeds and plants in our plots, although organic seeds and plants become easier and easier to find. But any soil amenities you bring in, such as compost and store-bought mulch, must be organic. Likewise, anything you use in your plot in the way of fertilizer or insect-repelling substances must be organic. The practice of organic gardening is based on the belief that food raised without synthetic chemicals tastes better and is healthier, both for the person eating it, and for the planet in general. Organic gardening is based on a different relationship between the gardener and the garden – less adversarial, more cooperative. An organic gardener tries to build up the health of their soil in order to grow healthier, happier plants, in order to have healthier, happier food to eat.

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn           

 

From the Gardens Registrar: Upcoming Plant Sales at EH; What Not to Plant; More Seeds; Water

 Hello Gardeners,

 UPCOMING PLANT SALES – On Sunday, April 25, Scott Williams, from Garden to Be, will be selling cool-weather plants at Eagle Heights. We haven’t set a time yet, but it will probably be from 10am – 1pm. Scott has sold plants to us for many years – he likes us because we give him a lot of business. We like him because he sells plants we want to buy, his quality is excellent, and he gives us good prices. Last year, due to the pandemic, we had a special arrangement, where gardeners had to order directly from him in advance. But this year, we think the sale can take place in a fairly normal way – with social distancing. For the cool weather sale, Scott will bring plants like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, kale, bok choi, and herbs. I will have more details in my next message. And Scott will be back on Sunday, May 23, to sell warm weather plants, such as tomato, pepper, and eggplant.

 WHAT NOT TO PLANT IN OUR GARDENS – New gardeners often ask about what plants are not allowed. We do not allow gardeners to plant trees in their plots. Other than that, the big three plants we do not want planted are mint, comfrey, and annual artemisia. The reason is that all of these plants are very aggressive, spread quickly, and are very hard to get rid of.

As for mint, there’s no need for any of us to plant it – the gardens are full of it. And it’s very tasty mint, too. But if you have it in your plot, and like having it, you’ll still want to pull a lot of it out, to keep it from spreading to your neighbors and taking over your entire plot. Mint is part of a large family of plants, which includes basil, lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and many others. (Wouldn’t it be wonderful if basil grew as easily as mint?) There are also lots of varieties of mint. If you want to have other kinds of mint than what grows wild in our gardens, plant them in pots in your garden. That way, they won’t escape and make trouble.

Comfrey is a beautiful plant with furry leaves and pretty blue flowers. It also grows wild in the gardens, and is very difficult to get rid of, because it has long tap roots. But there is at least one advantage to having so much of it around - the leaves are excellent fertilizer.  You can put them under your vegetable plants, where they will decompose very quickly and add nitrogen and other nutrients to your soil.

 Annual artemisia is often grown as an ornamental  for its foliage – there are lots of varieties. But there is one kind that is really out of control in our gardens – it has a number of names including Sweet Annie and Qing-hao. It’s a native of China, but has naturalized in this country. It spreads like crazy, the roots are hard to get out, and though it smells nice at first, the odor quickly becomes cloying. Though it has medicinal uses and can also be used to make wreaths and flower arrangements, those gardeners who get stuck with it hate it, and battle it constantly.

MORE SEEDS – We’re continuing to put out seeds on the share shelves several times a week. I’m putting the rest of the tomato and pepper seeds back in storage for next year, unless anybody lets me know they want them. Peas and turnips have joined the lettuce, carrots, radishes, kale, beets, and spinach.

WATER – Last year, the water was turned on for the season around April 20, which was a little earlier than usual. We don’t have a date for this year yet. It’s all weather-dependent. It’s very warm (and dry) right now, but we will still have cold nights in the next few weeks that could freeze the pipes. I will let everybody know when a date is set.

 Happy Gardening,

Kathryn

 

From the Gardens Registrar: The Gardens Are Full; Eagle Heights Garden Arbor; Shade at University Houses?; Junk Left in Your Plot; The Fence Story; What to Plant Now; The Gardens Registrar Position is Live

Hello Gardeners,

THE GARDENS ARE FULL – Normally, we continue to have garden plots available well into May, but this year, due (I assume) to the pandemic, more gardeners than usual renewed their plots from last year, and also we have had more applications than usual. Both gardens are now full, and there is already a considerable waiting list. As always, if you find your plans have changed and you won’t be able to garden this year, please let me know. I can get you a refund and reassign your plot.

EAGLE HEIGHTS GARDENS ARBOR – Say goodbye to our Arbor, which has adorned our garden and provided shade for 15 years. It is being taken down this week. It’s held up pretty well over the years, but the wooden posts began to rot a few years ago, and it’s too far gone to repair. We do plan to build another one, but that probably won’t happen this year. In the meantime, we know that gardeners appreciate a shady spot to relax after hours of gardening, and we will be putting up some kind of shade sail temporarily, once we get to the summer.

SHADE AT UNIVERSITY HOUSES? – And while we’re at it, would UH gardeners also like to have a shade sail for the summer? If so, any ideas about the best place to put it?

JUNK LEFT IN YOUR PLOT – Several gardeners have contacted me to ask what to do with junk left by previous gardeners – old furniture, rusty barbed wire, broken pots, etc. I’m sorry that not all new gardeners are able to start off with a cleared plot. But these worthless items are now yours. If there’s anything useful to you, such as hoses or decent fencing, you’re welcome to keep them. If the items left are totally junk, please haul them to the dumpster. Otherwise, if you don’t want them but you think someone else might, please put them on or near the share shelves, near the entrance to the garden. They might just get adopted. Or adapted. It’s amazing sometimes what people will take, and make good use of.

THE FENCE STORY – Officially, we prefer that gardeners not put up fences around their plots. This is because they’re so often put up badly, in the wrong places, and not well maintained. Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have seen tremendous growth in our turkey population, and we have deer, increasingly, as well. Gardeners who want to protect their crops often feel they have no choice. So if you’re opting for a fence, here’s how to do it. Most importantly, put it in the right place. Fences can not be put up right on the plot border, because then your neighbor would not have good access to their plot or to water. A fence must be at least six inches inside your four plot borders. (At the front of your plot, a fence could interfere with mowing and also come dangerously close to a water line.) Next, your fence must not be so tall that it shades your neighbors’ plots. Your fence must be well-constructed and maintained. Lastly, you must weed your fence regularly. If you can do all that, you may put up a fence. If not, I will hear from your neighbors, and, in turn, you will hear from me.

WHAT TO PLANT NOW – It’s still very early to plant, but the ground is thawed, and should be gradually warming up. If your plot is not muddy, you can get started planting early spring crops, such as radishes, carrots, beets, and greens, such as chard, kale, spinach, and cabbage. These vegetables like cool weather, and can stand some frost. And yes, we’ll keep bringing seeds out for the gardeners, several times a week. We have lots of spinach seeds this year!

THE GARDEN REGISTRAR POSITION IS LIVE – If you are interested in applying for the position as Eagle Heights Registrar, you may now do so. The deadline for applications is 11:55 pm on Wednesday, April 7. Here are two links you can use to apply (either one will work):

https://jobs.hr.wisc.edu/en-us/job/508733/garden-registrar  or

https://www.housing.wisc.edu/jobs/career/  Please do not ask me any questions about the application process – I don’t have anything to do with it. But if you apply, good luck.

 

Happy Gardening,

Kathryn

 

From the Gardens Registrar: How This Place Works; Volunteer Opportunity; Don’t Take the  Bricks; Birdhouses; Reminder About Opening Day March 20

Hello Gardeners,

 HOW THIS PLACE WORKS – Who runs these gardens, anyway? (No, not the Registrar – I just assign plots, answer questions from gardeners, and make feeble attempts to enforce the rules.) Surprise – you do! These gardens are actually run by the gardeners. Since our gardens are on University property, the UW does have some say in what we do and how we do it, but primarily our policies and projects are created by the gardeners. We have a Garden Committee that meets the second Wednesday of every month (currently via Zoom), and we have an email discussion list – every gardener is allowed and encouraged to participate in both of these things. The Garden Committee is led by two Co-Chairs, who run meetings and lead the group in planning and decision-making. Which leads me to:

 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY – We currently need a Co-Chair for the Garden Committee. This involves very little work other than attending the monthly one-hour meeting and putting together an agenda every month. (There are occasional crisis situations that may involve more, but that’s unusual.) New gardeners, as well as long-term gardeners, are welcome to apply. We would especially appreciate having a Co-Chair to represent University Houses Gardens. To apply, please send me an email, explaining why you would like the position, and telling us a little about your background. If you have any experience herding cats, that would be helpful. We will accept these emails for two weeks, and then invite candidates to our next meeting, April 14, to meet the committee.

 THOSE BRICKS AND BLOCKS BY THE WEED PILE AT EH– Please do not take these bricks and blocks to your plots for your own personal building projects. We will be using these to shore up the 900 row as soon as the current pandemic allows us to have workdays. We also do not encourage people to put bricks and blocks in their plots, because they don’t stay on the surface – they sink, and make problems for future gardeners. (There are bricks buried in my plot, for instance, which are a nuisance.)

 BIRDHOUSES – We have received a request from the volunteers who monitor the bluebird boxes that are part of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. The Biocore Bluebird Trail consists of eight Bluebird boxes located along the edges of the Biocore prairie, which is above the Eagle Heights Gardens. They also take care of the Purple Martin House at the northeast corner of the gardens. Their mission is to provide, preserve and protect habitat and nesting sites for song and migratory birds. (A number of our gardeners are part of this group, and thank you.)

There are about 25 birdhouses in the Eagle Heights Gardens, mostly very old and in bad shape. They have asked that our gardeners take them down. Although it’s nice to think of attracting birds to our gardens, the only birds that use these houses are English sparrows, starlings, and other invasives which compete with bluebirds and other native species. The native birds we enjoy in our gardens, such as robins, finches, warblers, cardinals, blackbirds, and native sparrows, do not use these birdhouses. If you have a birdhouse at Eagle Heights, please take it down. If you have questions or need help removing the house, please let me know. The English sparrows don’t need any help from us, but the bluebirds do.

OPENING DAY MARCH 20 – A reminder that our Opening Day will be Saturday, March 20. On that day, the tools and carts that have been stored in the garden sheds for the winter will be brought out. We will also have some free plant pots and trays available at both gardens. More of these will come out in the next few weeks, so you don’t have to be there on Saturday to get some. As I mentioned last week, we have lots of free seeds to distribute, and those will start appearing on the share shelves at both gardens beginning next week, depending on the weather. Just keep an eye out.

 Happy Gardening,

Kathryn

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: It’s Starting Soon! Information on Upcoming Non-Events at Eagle Heights

 

Hello Gardeners,

 OPENING DAY – Opening Day for our gardens this year will be Saturday, March 20. On that day, we will bring out the tools and garden carts that have been in storage for the winter at both gardens. Although we’re not officially open until this day, we do keep some tools and carts outside all winter, so that gardeners can work in the off-season.

 Portable toilets will be set up at both gardens starting on Thursday, March 18. By March 20, the parking signs on Eagle Heights Drive will be changed from the winter version which does not allow garden parking except on weekends, to the garden season version, which designates the spots along the south side of the street specifically as garden parking.

Please note that the water in the gardens will not be turned on until there is no danger of heavy frost that would damage the pipes. Don’t expect the water to be on until late April, or even early May.

 FREE SEEDS – Normally (that is, when the Earth is not experiencing a global pandemic), we hold a Seed Fair every year, at the end of March. Current gardeners come to the Community Center that morning, check in, and receive tickets which they can exchange for seeds for vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Last year, the Coronavirus settled in while we were planning the Fair, and it had to be cancelled. This year, the health situation is better, but we will still not be able to hold our usual event.

 However, we do have lots of seeds to share with gardeners. After our Opening Day, I will begin bringing seeds to both gardens, and leaving them on the share shelves. I will bring some out several times a week, depending on the weather. We will have seeds for the vegetables that need to be started early in the season, in the house, such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. We will also have seeds for early crops, such as lettuce, carrots, radishes, greens, beets, and peas. Seeds for beans, cucumbers, squash, melons, herbs, flowers, etc., will be brought out later when the weather warms up.

 Last year, our gardeners did a fantastic job of social distancing. It will be important again this year, particularly when people are clustering around seed packets. Please wear a mask and give other people space when you are in common areas of the gardens and other people are around.

 FREE POTS – We also have a large collection of plastic plant pots, including trays and pots for starting seeds. These will also be brought out to both gardens and left on the share shelves. Help yourself. (They take up a lot of space in my office, and I hope to never see them again.) If you have extras of these at home, as most gardeners do, please bring some to the gardens to share.

 ROW COVER – Many of our gardeners use this garden fabric to give their seedlings protection from insects, wind, and cold. We buy big rolls of it, cut them into smaller pieces, and sell them, at cost, to gardeners. Again, because of the pandemic, we weren’t able to sell any last year, but this year, we will sell some, for $5 per piece, in the next few weeks. We haven’t set dates for this yet, but when we do, I will include the information in one of my next weekly messages.

 QUESTION; So, does this mean we can start gardening now?

 ANSWER: NO, my dears, it’s still March! It’s way too early to plant anything outside. We’re having nice warm weather this week, but it won’t last. We will have more cold and snow before Spring really takes hold. The gardens are still covered with snow, and once that melts, the ground will still be frozen. Once it thaws, it will turn into mud. And it is very bad for your soil to dig and work it when it’s wet and muddy, especially for us with our heavy clay soil. (It’s also bad for whoever washes your clothes.)

 Early April is generally the earliest anyone can actually start planting anything here, and mid to late April is still plenty early.  Planting too early can be counter-productive - seeds won’t necessarily sprout and plants will grow very slowly if the soil is too cold. However, you can certainly do some cleaning and clearing in your plots now, if you’re desperate to be outside.

Happy Gardening (pretty soon),

Kathryn

 

From the Gardens Registrar: THE END; Some General Reminders for the Future; Would You Like to Have a Formal Garden?; Storing Seeds; Thank Yous!

 Hello Gardeners,

THE END – Though chard and kale and a few other hardy vegetables are still going strong, most of our gardens are basically done. This will be my last weekly Wednesday email for this year. But I will send out a reminder on or around December 15, to let people know that our applications for 2021 will be available. In past years, we have had paper copies at the Community Center, as well as copies online. This year, most likely the Community Center will still be closed to the public. But if it’s possible for us to have applications there, I’ll let you know.

MORE REMINDERS – If you would like to renew your garden plot for 2021, please fill out an application when they become available on December 15. Everybody needs to fill out an application. You may mail it, along with your check made payable to the Division of University Housing, to the Community Center, whose address is on the application. Or you can drop it off in a green garden envelope in the drop box in the vestibule at the Center. Or you may fill out the application online and email it to me, and then mail or drop off your check separately. Please remember that your application is not complete until I receive your payment. We can not accept cash for garden fees – your payment must be a check or money order. The deadline to renew your plot will be February 15.

 If you want to return as a gardener next year, but you want a different plot, please get your application to me by the deadline, and indicate your preferred plot number or the area in the garden you would prefer.

If you know you will not be returning next year, please let me know now, if you haven’t already done so.

Because of the virus, we are combining 2020 and 2021 as far as workdays are concerned. If you paid the no-workday fee for 2020 or did a workday this year, you will not have to do that in 2021. If you did not do either of those this year, you will have until the end of 2021 to do so.

Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this. I won’t be working much in the next few weeks, but I will still be checking emails regularly.

FORMAL GARDEN AVAILABLE – You may have noticed Plot 1004 in the last few years – the gardener worked very hard to create a beautiful, serene, formal garden, quite unusual at Eagle Heights. Unfortunately, the gardener has moved on, and has given up the plot. My preference in reassigning it would be to find a gardener who would like to keep it basically the way the last gardener set it up. Would anyone be interested in switching to this garden, either now, or starting next spring? Please let me know.

SEED STORAGE – If you got seeds in the spring and didn’t use them all, you might be able to plant them next year, depending on how old they are, and how you’ve stored them. Basically, your seeds should be in a place that’s cool, dark, and dry. Some people put them in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, or even in the freezer, but a drawer is just fine. Be sure that every packet is labeled with the variety and the year. Except for onion seeds, most common vegetable and flower seeds should still be viable at least one year after the packet date. Generally, small seeds will last longer than large ones. Here’s a viability chart I’ve used: https://www.highmowingseeds.com/blog/seed-viability-chart#  I know gardeners are always telling stories about growing champion tomatoes from seeds that are 20 years old, but generally, fresher seeds are better.

THANK YOUS!!! – This year has been quite a challenge for us at Eagle Heights and everywhere else in the world. I am very grateful that we were able to keep the gardens open despite the pandemic, and that both new and continuing gardeners were able to find safe and satisfying activity for themselves and their families growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers. I would like to thank all the gardeners who took good care of their plots, social-distanced, and maintained good hand-washing hygiene when sharing tools. Thank you to everyone who managed to do a workday despite our not being able to offer group projects. Thank you to our garden workers, Megan and Andy, for outstanding work, and thank you to the many gardeners who do extra work in common areas and on special projects to keep the gardens going.

I hope that 2021 be a better year for everyone. In the meantime, have a good winter, and stay well.

 

Kathryn

 

 

 

From the Gardens Registrar: Last Call for Extra Produce; Lasagna Gardening; Overwintering Herbs; Gardens Closing Day November 8

Hello Gardeners,

ANY EXTRA PRODUCE? One of our gardeners is a member of First United Methodist Church, which runs a kitchen that prepares food for homeless people. They are always looking for fresh produce. If you still have any extra produce in your plot, such as winter squash or greens, and you’re done with harvesting, please let me know. This gardener would be very happy to come clear anything edible from your plot to bring to her church.

LASAGNA GARDENING – A lasagna garden is a garden that is built up in layers – this technique is also called “sheet composting.” You can start a lasagna garden any time of year, but fall is the best. So if you’re tired of digging and weeding, you might want to try this out.  I have had a lasagna garden for almost five years – it’s been pretty productive, and it’s very easy to take care of. You can start by hauling off your weeds, or you can also just trample down the weeds you have, since they’ll be covered up by your layers and will feed your soil as they decay. Then you put down the  first layer – cardboard. On top of that, you put down layers of wet newspaper and leaves. You can also add compost, straw, coffee grounds, whatever other soil amendments you might have. Then leave it for the winter. In the spring, it won’t look much different, but you can go ahead and plant into it, and your plants will feed on the nutrients and decompose the layers, while the cardboard continues to block the weeds. Seeds can be planted the same way you plant into soil, If you’re putting in a plant, you only need to dig a small hole into the layers. One of the advantages of lasagna gardening is that, since you do very little digging, you don’t disturb the microbes that live in the soil and improve it. Later this fall, I’ll add another layer of newspaper and leaves to mine. Here’s a link to a good article: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-a-lasagna-garden-2539877

OVERWINTERING HERBS –The best thing about gardening is having fresh herbs to cook with, and the worst thing about the end of the season is having to say goodbye to that. As far as growing is concerned, herbs can be divided into 3 types. There are annuals, which are planted every year. Some of the annuals, such as dill and cilantro, readily reseed themselves, so if you plant them once, they may keep coming up on their own every year. Basil, unfortunately, has to be planted again every spring. Then there are hardy perennials, such as chives, sage, and mints, including oregano. These need no help getting through the winter. Chives can survive just about any winter, and will be one of the first plants to start growing as soon as the ground starts to thaw in the spring. And then there are more tender perennial herbs, such as lavender, which can use a little help to get through the winter. This is a short article about how to protect those, and also about trying to extend the herb season by bringing some of your plants indoors. : https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/2508/

CLOSING DAY NOVEMBER 8 – Our gardens will have their official closing day this year on Sunday, November 8. On that day, most of our carts and tools will be put away in the sheds for the winter. But we always leave a few out for gardeners who do some work during the winter. Also, we’ll bring the UH hoses in for winter storage, and take the opportunity to throw out the worst ones, since we have some new hoses to replace them with. You can help in this process by please please please returning any of the community tools you currently have in your plot.

 Happy Gardening and Stay Well,

Kathryn