Back with community garden questions

[mr_yan]

Well I didn't forget about this forum in the last month I just got swamped in the rest of life. I guess that happens when you gut and rebuild a kitchen though.

Anyway there's an empty lot in our neighborhood and we're about to turn it into a community garden of raised beds. The grant came through and I was smart enough (or dumb enough) to volunteer at the association meeting to help get this off the ground, or in the ground. Part of it was I get to write the app / rules and regs.

What we're envisioning is raised beds 12x4 or 8x4 which will be assigned to households for the season. The lot had a house on it which the city razed last year and filled the foundation. We have not yet done soil analysis. If soil testing comes back with lead or the like can we safely get by with just making the beds deeper and using a weed block on the bottom of each bed?

I mainly copied the regs from our church's community garden.

Anyone have experiences with community gardens like this?
Would you suggest anything be added or removed?


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All gardeners are required to fill out an application

Garden plots will be assigned to applicants who are members of (our) Neighborhood Association

Garden plots are the responsibility of the applicant

Plantings must not shade other beds

Gardeners are responsible for tending, watering, harvesting, weeding, and maintaining their garden bed

Gardeners are to keep weeds to a minimum both within their bed and in the path around their bed

Please do not harvest or pick from another person's garden bed

Planting illegal plants is prohibited

Please place weeds and dead plants in compost bin

Please do not plant asparagus, rhubarb, or other perennials in beds

For safety reasons, please only tend gardens during daylight hours

Violation of gardening guidelines: If any of the guidelines are violated, the bed will be marked with a red flag and you will be contacted by phone or e-mail and will have 7 days to address the violation. After 7 days, if the violation has not been remedied, you may lose your gardening privileges.

Untended / unmaintained plots may be cleared

Plant debris are to be cleared from beds by October 31 and the garden bed returned to the same condition as at the start of the season.

Name
Address
Phone
Email


[ ] I am a new gardener and would like an experienced gardener to help
[ ] I am an experienced gardener and would like to help a new gardener


Garden beds are assigned on a first come/ first serve basis. In the event that all available beds are assigned, a waiting list will be established.

 

[RonsGarden]

Very interesting Mr. Yan!
Here's a few things that come to mind:
Who pays for and builds the raised beds?
Do the ones who use and plant the beds responsible for adding ammendments yearly, or is this paid for by the association?
Do users pay a fee for using the beds?
How large is this lot and how many beds are you planning on building?

I'd rule out corn since it does take a large area and there would be a height/shading factor to consider.

I like your guidelines and think you have covered almost everything, but you will find more to add as you grow through your first year!

 

[mr_yan]

We've received a $2400 grant for this. Word is the local park district will dump wood chip mulch for community projects like this for free - this is what is planned for the path between raised beds.

The lot is nominally 122 x 50 measured from the sidewalk edge to the alley, but there is a drop off about 2/3 of the way back from the street. The first 66 feet from back from the sidewalk is flat then from 66 to 88 feet there is a 5' drop. From 89 feet to 122 feet (all the way back) it is flatish for the middle 44 feet.

The soil is junk fill or whatever got turned over when the demo took place. When you look at the surface it is a light tan colour.

Someone else is looking into getting a few water pigs and a hydrant-meter for water.

Looking at starting with a 1:1 mix of topsoil and compost. As I see it you amend as you need. With that I would like to keep the same person in the same bed to the extent possible - I think it will fall on me to assign this too.

I am working on bed layout based on both 4x8 beds and 4x12 beds. Based on what the soil looked like I think we should go with a deep bed.

I think we will need to do a build day where anyone getting a bed will need to help to the extent they can. Even then filling will be a ton of work unless someone in the neighborhood is willing to offer the use of a bobcat or at least a small flat trailer.

 

[lynpenny]

Here is a question Do you bring your own hoes, rakes, shovels or are they furnished. And do you have a place to keep these things and hoses? Is it fenced and who pays for the water? I know I ask too many questions. Good luck with this project. We will want pictures you know.

 

[Crabbergirl]

I like the idea of consistent gardeners in the same plot. It makes it more personalized.
In addition to Ron's suggestion about a limit on corn, you may also want to consider vining plants that cannot be contained easily. Or dedicate a section for planting items like that toward the back of the lot. Maybe charging a small premium for a larger plot to grow such items. You will most likely have a rule "stretcher" so make clear what the consequences will be for repeat offenders. You are the enforcer so make sure you are prepared to take the steps necessary to keep the drafted rules. It is sometimes hard to be impartial and not show favoritism. Do you have a board who will vote on the rules or are you the only one responsible? I ask only because it can be an issue if only one person is in control, you could end up in a really tough spot and alone without support of the group. You seem to have had experience through the church garden, but keep in mind you have a group of people that may not have any common ground other then living in the same area. At least at church you all had a great common connection where you shared ideals of life.

 

[Markymark]

Maybe with the section towards the back that drops 5 feet down, throw up a nice grape arbor (I used the wrong word, but I'm talking about the way farmers grow grapes), and let people have a plot for some grapes, or just grow them and donate the grapes to a local food bank.