Gardeners agree to maintain their plots under the following guidelines.
Gardeners will be assigned plots by May 18th, at our kickoff meeting and agree to plant no later than June 1.
Plots not used by June 1 may be canceled and will be rented to the next person on the waiting list. No refunds are issued for unused gardens.
Fees
The Fee for each raised bed is $25 for the season.
Hours of Operation
The garden is open from sunrise to sunset during the growing season [May 21st- Oct 31st] with the exception of Thursday and Saturday when the garden will open at 12:30p.m. to accommodate parking for pantry guests.
Garden Access
We will be installing a temporary fence until a permanent fence is secured.
Garden access is controlled by a combination lock on the gate. Gardeners must not share the combination with anyone else. Gates must be kept closed and locked at all times. Gardeners must verify that gates are closed and locked securely in place when leaving the garden. The combination lock code will be provided when plots are assigned.
Parking
Gardeners will park in the designated parking area.
Garden Beds
- Gardeners will keep a clean and well maintained garden area.
- No structures will be built within or around the beds.
- The gardens are organic. The use of non-organic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides is not allowed. Use only certified organic additives.
- Gardeners may use landscaping fabric but must remove it at the end of the season.
- Gardners may use sticks or structures to support plants as long as they don’t interfere or block a neighbors garden
Maintaining your raised bed
- Raised beds should be kept clean and free of weeds. Currently we do not have a compost pile so gardeners will be required to take home and discard all compost until we secure a compost service.
- If a plot has excessive weeds, gardeners will be given a two-week notice to clean up the raised bed.
- Gardeners should make their own arrangements with other garden members for the care of their allotted bed during temporary absences eg. vacations.
Removing waste
- Trash in/trash out. Whatever you bring into the garden must exit with you when you leave.
- Plant material- must be removed by the gardener from the property.
- Non-organic material- including bags, pots, cardboard, must exit with you.
Watering your plant
- No water shall be left on and unattended.
- The gardener is responsible to manage the water facilities by making sure they are turned off after use and the hoses are recoiled.
- No hose should be draped over another gardener’s plot.
- No soaker hoses or drip lines can be attached to hoses.
Seeds & Plantings
- Planting non-native invasives is not allowed. Plantings and structures should not encroach upon or shade neighboring plots.
- No cannabis, perennials or invasive plants
- Plants should not exceed 6 feet in height.
Fall cleanup
- Our fall cleanup is to be completed by Oct 31st.
- All produce should be harvested and all non-plant supplies (such as stakes, supports, string, row markers, landscaping fabric, etc.) should be removed and discarded.
- Gardeners will be responsible for pulling or unearthing all plants, stems, stalks, and roots at the end of the season.
- All beds should be raked clean and level. Cover crops can be planted.
- Plots must be cleaned by Oct 31st. to be eligible for a plot the following season.
Garden Ethics
- Be Kind
- This is a family, friendly community garden
- No firearms, alcohol or smoking is allowed in the garden, including the parking area.
- Please be respectful of your neighboring gardeners and their crops
- No pets or other animals are allowed in the garden area
- No smoking, vaping, drinking or use of illegal drugs in the garden area
- All guests, visitors and children must be accompanied by a plot owner and follow our guidelines
If our guidelines are broken, our community garden staff will issue a verbal or written warning. If you don’t respond or correct the issue within a defined time you will receive an email notice that you have forfeited your garden privileges and plot.
The community garden staff has the right to change any or all parts of the guidelines at any time, at their sole discretion.
Our guidelines are published online and updated online. It is important to understand that our guidelines and FAQ’s are a work in progress and as we build out our garden program, the guidelines may be tweaked to better fit our vision. It is up to the gardener to check the website often and stay current with any changes that are made to the guidelines.