OSU Extension Unger Community Gardens
OSU Extension Unger Community Garden Rules
OSU Extension Unger Community Garden Rules 1
General Information 2
Calendar 2
Payment and Plot Agreements 3
Start of Season 4
Plot Maintenance Expectations 4
Unclaimed or Neglected Plots 4
End of Season 5
Gardener Meetings 5
Community Service/Volunteering 5
Gardening Rules 7
Organic 7
Conventional 7
Weeds And Disease (See Also “Compost And Trash”) 7
Large/Woody Plants Or Structures 8
Soil Amendments/Remediation 8
Adjacent Paths & Borders 8
Watering 9
General 9
Compost and Trash 10
Other Garden Plots 10
Property and Tools (and Equipment) 11
Gardeners, Family, and Pets 11
CHILDREN 11
PET ANIMALS 11
Warnings And Penalties 12
2009 Application for Community Garden 13
Unger Community Garden Rules 1
General Information 2
Calendar 2
PAYMENT AND PLOT AGREEMENTS 3
Start of Season 4
PLOT MAINTENANCE EXPECTATIONS 4
Unclaimed or Neglected Plots 4
End of Season 5
Gardener Meetings 5
Community Service/Volunteering 5
GARDENING RULES 7
ORGANIC 7
CONVENTIONAL 7
WEEDS AND DISEASE (see also “Compost and Trash”) 7
LARGE/WOODY PLANTS OR STRUCTURES 8
SOIL AMENDMENTS/REMEDIATION 8
Adjacent Paths & Borders 8
Watering 8
General 8
Compost and Trash 9
Other Garden Plots 10
Property and Tools (and Equipment) 10
Gardeners, Family, and Pets 10
CHILDREN 11
PET ANIMALS 11
WARNINGS AND PENALTIES 11
2009 Application for Community Garden 12
General Information
1. Plots will be 102 x 20 with 54-foot paths between plots
2. The gardening year runs from March 15 to October 15
3. There will be a kick-off meeting in March and a close-down meeting in October; and a community potluck in August
4. There are no facilities at the farm for storage of tools
5. There is no well at the farm.
6. There will be “organic only” plots and or “conventional” plots.
Calendar
Thursday, Jan 1 – first date to pick plots for new gardeners
Tuesday, Feb 12 – Garden committee meeting
Thursday, Mar 5 – Spring Kickoff Meeting
Saturday, Mar 15 – deadline for payment, first date for planting
Thursday, Mar 19 – Garden Committee meeting
Thursday, April 16 – Garden committee meeting
Friday, May 15 - deadline for tending plot
Thursday, May 21 – Garden Committee meeting
Saturday, May 30 – deadline for planting something in plot
Monday, June 1 – available plots released to waiting list
Thursday, June 18 – Garden committee meeting
Thursday, July 16 – Garden committee meeting
Sunday, August 16 – Potluck at Aumiller park
Thursday, August 20 – Garden committee meeting
Thursday, September 17 – Garden committee meeting
Thursday, October 15 – deadline for plot cleanup
Thursday, October 22 – planning meeting for next year, refunds available
PaymentAYMENT ANDand PlotLOT AGREEMENTSgreements
1. Gardeners can officially garden at at OSU Extension Unger Farms after reading and signing the attached agreementmemorandum of understanding, and after the official 2009 gardening opening.
2. There is a $105 deposit to cover the cost of gardening at the site for the annual gardening season. $510 of this fee is refundable at the end of the gardening season upon satisfactory cleanup of the garden plot by the end of the gardening season. This fee must be paid by May 15. After May 15, if the fee remains unpaid, the “chosen” plot will be considered available to other applicants.
3. Plots are assigned by OSU Master Gardeners on a first come/first serve basis. Gardeners who have previously gardened at the site, and are in good standing, are given the ability to choose a site for the following year in the fall. First-year gardeners may choose a site after Jan 1 of the gardening year. (Will we allow a person to have multilple plots?)
4. Garden plots are assigned to one person only and are not transferable. Others may garden at your site, but the responsibility for payment of fees, cleanup and other duties at the site will be the responsibility of the individual whose name is assigned to the plot.
5. You can request specific plots, but please remember that since it is a first-come, first-served program, you may not get your first choice. Reserving more than one plot is permissible after satisfactory completion of the first year but, if you do, you must still leave the required walkway between each individual garden. Obstructions in walkways will be removed.
6. It is the responsibility of each gardener to follow Community Garden rules and to take an active role in administering the gardens. All gardeners are required to attend the Annual Spring Meeting at the Crawford County Courthouse (date/time to be announced) and to participate in the maintenance of their garden section. Failure to attend that meeting (or to send a representative) may result in forfeiture of your plot and the return of your fee. Applicants will be notified of their plot number and receive a copy of the Season Schedule at the Annual Spring meeting.
7. A waiting list will be maintained for applicants for whom no plot was available, but the fee will be returned in full.
8. Your plot is not transferable. You may not give your plot to another person.
Start of Season
9. You must tend your plot by May 15th. Plots will be rototilled and fertilized prior to May 15 weather permitted. If the kind of plants you are growing must be planted later, weed your plot as needed before then. You are responsible for your plots for the entire season. Keep it free of weeds and harvested through September.
10. The plot must be planted and weeded all summer long. Gardener will call [telephone number]419-562 -8731 if you decide not to plant your assigned plot.
11. The planting deadline is June 1. Plots that are unplanted by the planting deadline are assumed abandoned and will be forfeited without a refund. Plots not planted will may be reassigned.
Plot Maintenance Expectations
Gardeners must maintain plots (including adjacent aisles) throughout the growing season. Gardeners who do not maintain their plots will be given an initial notice; upon a second violation gardeners will forfeit their plot for the remainder of the season and will not be eligible for a plot in the following year.
If, for any reason (health, vacation, work pressure), you will be temporarily unable to maintain your plot, con, inform the coordinatortact a member of the committee. . If you have a substitute gardener, again, contact a member of the committeeinform the coordinator.
Please contact a committee memberthe garden coordinator if you will be moving, taking an extended vacation, or otherwise will be unable to maintain your plot throughout the summer. Abandoned plots are reassigned mid-season.
Unclaimed or Neglected Plots
Plots not chosen by the spring meeting are first come, first served (after payment).
June 1 is the day we will let allow gardeners use the option to plant unused plots at no charge, if any plots remain.
If gardens are not being used nor taken care of, to the extent that weeds become an issue, The plot will be “ticketed” with a warning card after 1 week, and a written notice will be mailed after 2 weeks. The third week without any action by the gardener will result in forfeiture of the plot See above the note on not maintaining plots
12. Forfeited plots will be cleared. Any produce growing in the plot will may be donated to charity. They will be given to existing gardeners for fall planting only. They will be open for new gardeners in the following season. Deposit is forfeited to pay for cleanup combine
End of Season
13. Garden cleanup must be accomplished by 0ctober 15th. Failure to do so by this date will result in forfeiture of your fee refund.
14. Cleaned up means plot is ready for tilling, clean and level. Cover crops can be left on plots.
Gardener Meetings
15. It is the responsibility of each gardener to follow Community Garden Rules and to take an active role in administering the gardens. All gardeners are required to attend the Annual Spring Meeting, at the Crawford County Courthouse and to participate in the maintenance of their garden section. Failure to attend that meeting (or to send a representative) may result in forfeiture of your plot and the return of your fee. (before the garden is opened for planting , the ground will be plowed and the plots marked. Applicants will be notified of their plot number and receive a copy of the Season Schedule at the Annual Spring meeting).
16. There will be a potluck picnic at Aumiller park in August. Attendance is encouraged.
17. Deposits will be refunded at the fall meeting. Failure to attend the meeting (or send a representative) may result in forfeiture of your deposit. The agenda for this meeting is to discuss positive suggestions for improvement.
Community Service/Volunteering
18. Gardeners understand that this is a community garden and in order for it to succeed, gardener support is needed to maintain the site, manage compost, make signs, deal with wildlife, obtain our donated transplants, plan and
19. execute Participate in donating extra produce giveaways to charity, help keep site picked up from debris, and plan
20. celebrations.
21. Gardeners are encouraged to work together as a group on communal aspects of the garden..
22. Feel free to give notes on the bulletin board in the shed for any useful hints and ideas
23. Gardeners with an interest are encouraged to join the Master Gardeners program through the Crawford County Extension office.
Gardening Rules
There are two sections of the garden – Organic and Conventional. The gardener will designate which section he/she wishes to use, and will follow the rules below for that section
Organic
24. Gardeners must agree to garden organically. This means toxic fertilizers only organic pesticides may be used, pesticides, herbicides & rodenticides may not be applied. A lissit of organic pesticides will be given to gardeners choosing to grow organic. Organic definitions can vary and organically labeled pesticides can actually be as toxic or even more toxic than synthetic versions. (Very good) However, using compost, barriers and weeding are always acceptable. Gardeners agree to check with garden committee before applying any fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides & rodenticides, even if labeled "organic".
Conventional
25. When using fertilizers, sprays, dusts or other products, gardener agrees to limit application to only his/her plot and prevent any unintentional wind drift, runoff, or other contamination of other plots.
3. Herbicides will not be allowed in plots, use of an herbicide will result in immediate dismissal from the community garden.
Weeds And Disease (See Also “Compost And Trash”)
26. Gardeners agree to keep the garden & garden edges, including ½ of the pathway surrounding each plot, free of weeds, diseased plants, insect-infested plants and over-ripe vegetables.
27. As a community garden, please respect the surroundings and tend to your plot and help keep the area free of litter and weeds.
28. Diseased and infected plants must be removed from the garden and disposed of properly. tThrough composting in the community garden compost bin.
29. Weeds, if removed from your plot, are to be piled in the labeled areas for hauling to the compost site.
30. Keep your garden neatly weeded on a regular basis. Weeds may not become taller than 8 inches. Weeds are a major complaint of neighbors and other gardeners, and are the leading cause of plot forfeiture.
Large/Woody Plants Or Structures
31. Do not plant trees or shrubs or perennial vegetables such as horseradish, asparagus, and or rhubarb. If it’s woody and/or perennial, it’s not allowed in your plot.
32. Be respectful, tall crops (such as sunflowers, raspberries, and corn), structures, trees, etc… should be planted to on the west side of your garden so as not shade the another garden located east of your garden.
Soil Amendments/Remediation
33. Mulch with organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, livestock manures, straw or hay to improve the soil, reduce water evaporation and prevent unwanted weeds.
34. All rocks should be removed from the garden area and piled in the labeled areas. Rock borders are not permitted, including the outside flower beds. Do not dump rocks in the path.
Adjacent Paths & Borders
35. Wood chips may be used in the public paths but not in the individual plots.
36.
1. Weed the path adjacent to your plot. You are responsible for maintaining the chipped paths near your plot. Weed them and add wood chips when necessary.
37. Weed the path adjacent to your plot. You are responsible for maintaining the chipped paths near your plot.
38. Gardening activity and plant growth must be restricted to the gardener’s plot. Please prevent vegetation from attacking walkways and adjacent plots.
39. You may not use carpeting, roofing material or other non-organic materials on common pathways.
40. When planting near paths, leave adequate space for plant growth so as not to encroach into or overhang the paths.
Watering
41. There is no well at Unger Farm. Suggested method of watering transplants is to bring water in milk jugs from home. Please take these with you when you leave. There is sufficient rainfall in Crawford County in most years to make additional watering unnecessary.