Garden Policies & Procedures

Growing Season

Water will be turned on from May 1- October 1, 2018

Hours

Sunrise to sunset

Parking

Parking is available in the First United Church of Arvada parking lot

Contact methods

Email:  commonearthcommgarden@gmail.com

Website: commonearthcommunitygarden.org

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Restrooms

Restrooms are not available at Common Earth Community Garden.  There are restrooms available across the street at the 7-11 gas station.

Supplies

Gardeners are solely responsible for the planting and management of their own plots, including providing their own seeds, plants, amendments, and any tools not provided by Common Earth Community Garden.

Organic Gardening

Common Earth Community Garden is an organic garden. Use of compost, organic mulch and weeding is acceptable.  Use of pesticides, herbicides and rodenticides are not acceptable.  Organic fertilizers are allowed.

Water and Hoses

Each gardener is responsible for watering his or her own plot- see suggestions for best practices.  Be considerate of your neighbors’ needs. Do not remove hoses from the spigots to which they are attached.  Only one hose to a plot when other gardeners are waiting. Lay hoses on paths only. Use water conservatively. Turn off hoses when you leave.  Gardeners will not leave a hose unattended, soaker hoses are not allowed.

Tools

(Garden tools will be available when a storage structure is on site)

Common Earth garden tools are not to be taken from the garden.  Return tools and wheelbarrows to storage when you finish with them.  Gardeners may bring their own tools into the Garden to use in their plots, but they cannot store personal tools in the garden or garden shed.

Plot Boundaries

Common Earth garden plots are edged with cedar edging.  Interior boundary fences around individual plots are discouraged: they are difficult to weed and can quickly make the overall garden unsightly.  The preferred boundary is a weed-free edge.  If splitting a plot, a low profile (less than 12” high) edging material, which is in good condition and well-kept will be allowed.  We discourage the use of “scrap” materials, such as broken bricks and concrete, small fragments of sandstone or pavers, scraps of wood, metal or plastic edger and white wire fencing.

Plot Maintenance

Gardening must be started by June 1 (2017 growing season) or the plot will be assigned to others and the plot fee will not be returned.

Each plot must be kept clear of weeds, spent plants, debris and trash.  Each fall, turn compost and organic material into the soil and cover it with a layer of mulch to regulate soil temperature and retain moisture throughout the winter. This makes a garden plot look cared for to the passer-by.  Any perennials in your plot must appear well kept.  In addition, you are responsible to maintain the area immediately adjacent to your plot including paths, compost bins, trash collection areas, fences, and other common spaces.

People not wanting their plots for any reason should notify the Common Earth Community Garden.  Abandoned or neglected plots will be plowed under for weed control.

Compost

Individual compost bins are discouraged as they distract from the visual continuity of the community garden.  

Common Earth Community Garden compost bins (future feature): All gardeners are encouraged to utilize the composting bins.  All materials used in our compost bins must be chopped in one to two inch pieces before being added.  Please do not add diseased plant material to the compost bins.

Plastic bags of spent plants, grass clippings and leaves are not allowed to be stored anywhere in the garden at any time.  To a passerby they appear to be bags of trash.  Unopened bags of topsoil, compost or manure are not to be stored in the garden.  Chop and spread these materials in your plot immediately.

Absence/Vacation

Gardeners may not abandon their plots.  Abandonment means failing to maintain a plot for 2 weeks.  If a Gardener expects to be away from the garden and wishes to have a substitute gardener care for their plot please contact Common Earth Community Garden and a “’Garden Angel” can be assigned to care for your garden for up to 2 weeks.

Vertical Structures

Structures to encourage vertical growing, including arbors, trellis, tree branch frames, fence sections and cages are only allowed during the growing season if they are functional, orderly, safe, and attractive.  All growing structures must be disassembled and removed during the off-season.  

DUG does not permit the construction or existence of permanent shelter structures within individual or shared community garden plots, including personal sheds, storage or shade units.  Individually constructed shelter structures present safety concerns and are antithetical to DUG’s community based approach.

Off Season Storage

The following items are not authorized to be left standing during the off-season and must be disassembled and removed from the site when not in use:

Chairs & individual benches         wire cages, fencing                            piles of brick & stone

Shoes, clothes                              plastic plant pots, tools         water containers

Sticks, steel posts                                         wheel barrels, wagons           bags of compost/ leaves

Buckets, plastic containers           non-permanent garden art   pipe, hoses

Tools and Shed

Gardeners will return the CECG tools to the storage shed as soon as they are finished using them.  If a CECG tool appears dangerous or in disrepair, gardeners should not use the tool and inform Common Earth Community Garden as soon as possible.

Common Areas

Gardeners will keep clean and neat any common areas, such as pathways and storage shed.  Gardeners will promptly report any concerns about the safety of the garden to Common Earth Community Garden. 

Volunteer Hours

All gardeners are expected to volunteer 5 hours (2017 growing season).  Gardeners are expected to record these hours in the volunteer log book.  The volunteer log book is located in the alcove of the back door of the church.

General Conduct

Gardeners are expected to be civil, honest, and cooperative in dealing with the landowner, Common Earth Community Garden, garden neighbors, other gardeners, and guests of other gardeners.

Guests

Gardeners may bring guests, including children into the garden, provided that the guests comply with the Gardener Expectations. Children are welcome in the garden, but they must be with an adult at all times.

Respect Others Property

Gardeners may not enter other plots, or harvest another gardener’s produce, without explicit permission of the other gardener.  Gardeners may not enter property next to the garden without the owner’s permission.

Music

Gardeners may play music.  Music may not be loud enough to be a nuisance to other gardeners or to the garden’s neighbors.

Illegal Plants

Gardeners may not grow any plants considered to be illegal under state or federal law- this includes Cannabis Sativa (marijuana).

Pets

Gardeners may not bring any pet or animal into the garden, including for burial.  Service dogs will be allowed in the garden if staying with their owner.  Dogs are allowed in the field, if on a leash.  Dogs may also be tied to the chain link fence near the church structure.

No Firearms

Gardeners may not carry, use, or store firearms in the garden.

No Smoking or Vapor

This garden is a non-smoking, tobacco free, vapor free, environment.  This is for the comfort and health of other gardeners; and to guard against the tobacco mosaic virus which affects tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.

No Alcohol or Drug use

Alcoholic beverages may not be brought into the garden.

Dispute Resolution

Gardeners will communicate any disputes about the garden or with fellow gardeners to Common Earth Community Garden.  Common Earth Community Garden will have the power to hear these disputes and will resolve them in the best interest of the garden.  If a mediator is requested, Common Earth Community Garden will utilize a mediator to resolve the dispute.