Hello Gardeners,
End of the season: We’ve reached the end of the season for most things in the gardens. You may still have a few cool-weather crops to harvest, but most plants have stopped producing now. If you haven’t put your garden to bed yet, now is the time. Fortunately, after the rain predicted early in the week, we should still have some mild weather ahead of us to take care of last-minute things in the gardens. If you have not planted garlic yet but would like to, there is still time for that.
We still have some horse manure available at Eagle Heights gardens. It should not sit there over the winter to wait for the spring thaw, so if you have not yet gotten any to age in your plot, or if you would like more, please take some now.
Closing day: Closing day at the gardens will be Sunday November 6th. Most of the tools and carts will be put away for the season at this time, but we will leave a few things out for gardeners that want to continue working in their plots. Please make sure that you do not have any community tools in your plot.
Reminder about applying for 2023: If you want to renew your plot for 2023, please turn in an application on or after December 15th. All gardeners must fill out an application every year. The deadline to renew for returning gardeners is February 15th. I will send a reminder email when the applications are available and again before the renewal deadline. If you already know that you don’t plan to garden again next year, please let me know.
Workdays for 2022 and 2023: Normally, one workday would be required per plot each season. Due to a workday shortage, the requirements for 2022 and 2023 have been combined, so if you have not completed or paid for a workday in 2022, you can take care of it in 2023. I will send an email to all gardeners that do not have a completed workday in the records. Receiving this email does not mean there is a problem with your status as a gardener. It’s only for your information. If you do not receive an email about your workday, it means I already have a record of you doing one in 2022.
I will not send regular gardening updates over the winter, but I will send deadline reminders and respond to emails. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks for a great gardening season!
Lily
Monday, October 24, 2022
Friday, October 14, 2022
From the Registrar: October 14th, 2022
Hello Gardeners,
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:
http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/garden_manual_v_1.12.pdf (page 80)
Portable Toilets: The portable toilets will be picked up from the gardens soon and they will be brought back in March next year.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
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:
http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/garden_manual_v_1.12.pdf (page 80)
Portable Toilets: The portable toilets will be picked up from the gardens soon and they will be brought back in March next year.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Friday, October 7, 2022
From the Registrar: October 7, 2022
Hello Gardeners,
There is a freeze warning for tonight. If you still have plants that are sensitive to cold in your plot, you can try covering them overnight. It's getting late for tomatoes, peppers and squash though. At this point, you may choose to harvest everything and bring it indoors.
Green tomatoes can continue to ripen off the vine with mixed results, or they can also be cooked as they are. Squash will not store as well if they've been subjected to freezing temperatures.
Best,
Lily
There is a freeze warning for tonight. If you still have plants that are sensitive to cold in your plot, you can try covering them overnight. It's getting late for tomatoes, peppers and squash though. At this point, you may choose to harvest everything and bring it indoors.
Green tomatoes can continue to ripen off the vine with mixed results, or they can also be cooked as they are. Squash will not store as well if they've been subjected to freezing temperatures.
Best,
Lily
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
From the Registrar: October 4, 2022
Hello Gardeners,
Gardening in 2023: Every year, all gardeners must reapply for their garden plots. If you’re interested in gardening again in 2023, please make a note that the deadline to apply for renewal is February 15th. Applications will be available beginning December 15th. I will send out a reminder email when applications come out, and again before the February 15th deadline. If you know now that you do not plan to renew your plot, please let me know.
Water: As a reminder, the water at Eagle Heights (except for the 100 and 500 rows) will be turned off this evening for a repair to the recurring leak by the mulch pile. Hopefully, the UW plumbers will be able to complete it quickly, and the water can be turned back on for a short time before the end of the season. As for when the water will be turned off for good at both gardens, it is usually around Oct 20th. However, we do not get to pick the exact day. An earlier freeze could necessitate it sooner as well.
Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Sunday, Oct 9th from 1 pm to 4 pm to weed the retaining wall along the western side of the 700s row. Large weeds are threatening the alignment of the wall, and a work crew is very much needed to remove them and prevent any further damage. Please consider helping with this project! We would like 10 volunteers. Email me if you’re interested, and I will assign spots in the order of replies.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Gardening in 2023: Every year, all gardeners must reapply for their garden plots. If you’re interested in gardening again in 2023, please make a note that the deadline to apply for renewal is February 15th. Applications will be available beginning December 15th. I will send out a reminder email when applications come out, and again before the February 15th deadline. If you know now that you do not plan to renew your plot, please let me know.
Water: As a reminder, the water at Eagle Heights (except for the 100 and 500 rows) will be turned off this evening for a repair to the recurring leak by the mulch pile. Hopefully, the UW plumbers will be able to complete it quickly, and the water can be turned back on for a short time before the end of the season. As for when the water will be turned off for good at both gardens, it is usually around Oct 20th. However, we do not get to pick the exact day. An earlier freeze could necessitate it sooner as well.
Workday opportunity: There will be a workday this Sunday, Oct 9th from 1 pm to 4 pm to weed the retaining wall along the western side of the 700s row. Large weeds are threatening the alignment of the wall, and a work crew is very much needed to remove them and prevent any further damage. Please consider helping with this project! We would like 10 volunteers. Email me if you’re interested, and I will assign spots in the order of replies.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Thursday, September 29, 2022
From the Registrar: September 29, 2022
Hello Gardeners,
Fall get-together: Please come to the Gardens Saturday, October 8th between 11 AM and 2 pm for an informal fall get-together. Meet garden neighbors, share gardening ideas, and talk about your harvest!
Signs in Lakeshore Nature Preserve areas: A sign promoting a business was posted within Eagle Heights Gardens recently. The Gardens are inside the Nature Preserve, where signs and advertisements aren’t permitted. Please let me know if you see anything like this in the future.
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
Workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Garden on Sunday 10/2 from 10 AM-1 pm. We will need five volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Fall get-together: Please come to the Gardens Saturday, October 8th between 11 AM and 2 pm for an informal fall get-together. Meet garden neighbors, share gardening ideas, and talk about your harvest!
Signs in Lakeshore Nature Preserve areas: A sign promoting a business was posted within Eagle Heights Gardens recently. The Gardens are inside the Nature Preserve, where signs and advertisements aren’t permitted. Please let me know if you see anything like this in the future.
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
Workday opportunity: There will be a group workday at Eagle Heights Garden on Sunday 10/2 from 10 AM-1 pm. We will need five volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Sunday, September 25, 2022
From the Registrar: Sept 25, 2022
Hello Gardeners,
Horse manure: We are expecting a delivery of horse manure to Eagle Heights Gardens soon. The manure will be left between the leaf mulch and wood chips. This is an excellent fertilizer for your plot. Please be aware that this will not be composted manure, so you should not put it directly on any plants. It will need to be aged, so if you would like some, you can put it in a pile or a large bag in your plot to leave until spring. Unfortunately, we can’t have any dumped at University Houses.
Workday update reminder: The workday requirements for 2022 and 2023 have been combined. Each plot will be responsible for one workday for both seasons. The change also applies if you pay the no-workday fee. So, if you paid the fee for 2022, you will not have to pay or do a workday in 2023. If you are still interested in doing an independent workday this season, please let me know.
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. Try to avoid stepping on the beds when you remove plants, to prevent compacting of the soil. Remove as much dirt as possible from the roots of plants before taking them to the weed pile. 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.
We could begin to see some light frost this week. If you have plants that are susceptible to frost, you may want to consider covering them overnight if the predicted temperatures are low enough.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Horse manure: We are expecting a delivery of horse manure to Eagle Heights Gardens soon. The manure will be left between the leaf mulch and wood chips. This is an excellent fertilizer for your plot. Please be aware that this will not be composted manure, so you should not put it directly on any plants. It will need to be aged, so if you would like some, you can put it in a pile or a large bag in your plot to leave until spring. Unfortunately, we can’t have any dumped at University Houses.
Workday update reminder: The workday requirements for 2022 and 2023 have been combined. Each plot will be responsible for one workday for both seasons. The change also applies if you pay the no-workday fee. So, if you paid the fee for 2022, you will not have to pay or do a workday in 2023. If you are still interested in doing an independent workday this season, please let me know.
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. Try to avoid stepping on the beds when you remove plants, to prevent compacting of the soil. Remove as much dirt as possible from the roots of plants before taking them to the weed pile. 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.
We could begin to see some light frost this week. If you have plants that are susceptible to frost, you may want to consider covering them overnight if the predicted temperatures are low enough.
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
From the Registrar: September 14, 2022
Hello Gardeners,
Workday requirement update: Unfortunately, we have not been able to schedule as many workdays as we would like this season. Because we don't believe we can provide enough opportunities for everyone that wants to do a workday, we have decided that the workday requirements for this year and next year must be combined. This means that each plot will be responsible for one workday for both 2022 and 2023. So, if you have already done a workday this season, you will not be required to do one next year. If you don't do one this year, you will need to do one next year.
However, we do still have some opportunities to do workdays this year! If you choose to do one of them, your requirement for 2023 will be out of the way.
Please use leaf mulch! We have been asked to use up our leaf mulch piles as quickly as possible. We must limit the length of time they are there due to DNR regulations. We are due to receive new leaves this fall as well. So please, use leaf mulch on your plots. It will be great for your soil too!
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
Workday requirement update: Unfortunately, we have not been able to schedule as many workdays as we would like this season. Because we don't believe we can provide enough opportunities for everyone that wants to do a workday, we have decided that the workday requirements for this year and next year must be combined. This means that each plot will be responsible for one workday for both 2022 and 2023. So, if you have already done a workday this season, you will not be required to do one next year. If you don't do one this year, you will need to do one next year.
However, we do still have some opportunities to do workdays this year! If you choose to do one of them, your requirement for 2023 will be out of the way.
Independent workdays: If you are interested in an independent workday or organizing a small group to clean an abandoned plot, please contact me for opportunities. There are a lot of tall weeds going to seed in the gardens.
Arbor Garden workday update: The Arbor Garden workday has been rescheduled for Saturday 9/24 from 10 AM to 1 pm. There are now two openings for this workday. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.
Group workday this weekend: There will be a workday at Eagle Heights garden on Sunday 9/18 from 10 AM-1 pm. The workday will be for weeding, and volunteers should bring gloves. We will need ten volunteers. Please email me if you’re interested and I will assign spots in the order people reply.
Please use leaf mulch! We have been asked to use up our leaf mulch piles as quickly as possible. We must limit the length of time they are there due to DNR regulations. We are due to receive new leaves this fall as well. So please, use leaf mulch on your plots. It will be great for your soil too!
Thanks, and happy gardening,
Lily
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