October 2021

 Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

October 13, 2021 7 PM

Remote Meeting

7:00 Present: Lily, Ninja, Andy, Jolene, Jessica, Ric, Barb A and Karen.

Jessica started the meeting.

Minutes  Motion by Lily and seconded by Ric to approve the September 2021 minutes. The minutes were approved. 

Registrar Update

Lily said after discussion with Giesalla from the Preserve that wren houses will be allowed in the gardens. Wrens uses houses with a much smaller hole than sparrows. The preposed new rule is:

Birdhouses

Birdhouses are not permitted in plots unless they are wren houses. If you would like to have a wren house in your plot please contact the registrar. The Friends of the UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve provide copper plates with the correct entrance hole size for wrens to prevent house sparrows from enlarging the holes and invading the area.  Lily proposes that a gardener interested in birds volunteer to help make sure the wern houses have the copper plates and won’t allow sparrows to nest in the garden.  The committee agreed this was a good solution.

Water is still off at Eagle Heights garden.  The UW Plumbers turned if off and were supposed to turn it on again.  Lily has been contacting them, but does not have an answer yet.

2022 Application

The proposed changes to the 2022 Application were discussed. First the birdhouse rule discussed above. 

Other additions are: 

Plots rented after September 1st will be free.  

Water lines are close to the surface, so never dig outside the plot boundaries. 

The gardeners of each plot (including plots with fences) must maintain a six inch unplanted path or around the edge of the plot so that other gardeners can access water and plantings. The front border of your plot can go up to the path but no further.

The request to transfer may be granted if there is not a waiting list. Plots transferred without consulting the registrar may be confiscated. Subletting plots is not permitted. All rental agreements and fee collections must be with the Gardens by way of the registrar.

Gardeners who have not done a workday or paid the fee will not be allowed to renew their plot or apply for a different plot the following season until the no workday fee has been paid. 

Perimeter fences must be wire and must not shade neighboring plots. 

If you do not reply within ten days, you fail to remove the weeds within two weeks, or your garden is identified twice during the same year, your plot may be confiscated.

Political and/or unsolicited signs are not permitted in the gardens.

Gardeners who have not done a workday or paid the fee will not be allowed to renew their plot or apply for a different plot the following season until the no workday fee has been paid. 

Lily said last year there was a Mandarin translation of the application.  This year she also proposes adding on in Spanish and maybe Korean.  Discussion ensued.  It was suggested to ask the gardeners in the weekly Wednesday update note sent by the Registrar.  

The Preserve has offered Buckthorn sticks for use in the gardens.  The sticks are tall and straight.  This prompted discussion about the difficulty of tall perimeter fences that shade neighboring plots.  Someone asked if the sticks would sprout.  The committee decided to not accept the sticks.

So far Baker Creek Seeds has responded to our request for seed donations.  The proposed date for the Seed Fair is April 9, 2022.  

Two umbrella were donated to the Eage Heights arbor area and are secure to the pinnic tables.  After discussion the committee agreed that pinnic tables and umbrellas would be a good idea for University Houses too.  The fabric part of the umbrella will have to be stored at the community center for the winter due to mice in both sheds.

Long Range Planning Committee

Lily attended the September 15th meeting and said the draft is not yet ready but contains a proiritized list for both University Houses and Eagle Heights.  It will be finalized when Rhonda is back from vacation.

Garden Worker Report 

Andy said the 700’s wall is close to being done.  There is a workday tomorrow which should allow enough time to complete the last ten feet and clean up the debris.  If there is any time left, the crew will start stacking the broken blocks to be removed.  The committee said the wall looks beautiful.  The other big project has been the thistle patrol, which has also been successful.  

 Other Items

There is a political sign near the Eagle Heights share shelf.  Discussion ensued about the garden policy not allowing political signs.  

Ninja says that Gemma requested for next spring that the University House blackberries be hard pruned and wood chips added by the weed pile.  

Motion made by Karen and seconded by Barb A for the policy to be: The gardens are for community gardening. No posting of political or unsolicited signs.  

Motion passed 6/1

Adjourned at 7:50 by Jessica

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee