Community Gardens Director: Cathy Chittum
Office Phone: (303) 443-9952 x1
Email:

All Gardeners are responsible for being familiar with and obeying all garden rules.

Community Garden Program provides:
Basic tools & wheelbarrows in shed
Gardeners may purchase small quantities of compost
   in the spring and sometimes autumn
Administrative program support.

Gardeners are responsible for:
Annual program participation fee
4 hours (or more) of community service assistance
    for the garden
A clearly worked, weeded and harvested plot all
    growing season
Clear, weed-free, mulched pathways around their plot
Seeds
Hoses
Drip irrigation systems
Tools
Row covers
Any additional plot needs
Current address, phone numbers and email

GARDEN LEADERS
Garden Leaders are volunteers. The role of the Garden Leaders is to provide support for gardeners and to serve as liaisons between the gardeners and the Community Garden Director. They assist with work days, events and communication. Garden leaders are a great resource for questions and concerns and will try to provide information or coordinate help. Garden Leader’s plots are marked with bright orange bicycle flags.

Gardening Season Activities and Information:

MANDATORY DRIP IRRIGATION:
All gardeners must purchase a drip irrigation system for their garden plot by June 15, 2010. Drip irrigation may be purchased locally at Lafayette Ace Hardware or Home Depot.

Drip irritation is watering at a slow rate (or drip) right at the roots of the plants. Root irritation is a good water conservation choice because it provides a deeper level of watering than surface watering, which is prone to wastage due to evaporation and runoff.

SEASONAL WATER FEE:
In addition to the plot fee, all gardeners are responsible for paying the estimated seasonal water fee.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Four hours of Community Service time (per plot per year) must be given to participate in the Community Garden Program. This is in addition to maintenance of your plot and pathways. This will be tracked closely. Failure to do these hours will result in non-renewal of your plot or a fine of $80 to renew your plot the following year. There are many tasks needing to be completed and the office is open to unique and creative suggestions. There are specific garden days that will be scheduled throughout the season. Other events and/or activities please coordinate with the Community Garden Director with the following information: Gardener name and plot number, task completed, date completed, number of hours completed. The deadline to complete and report Community Service hours to the office is November 15, 2010.

GARDEN WORK DAYS
For your convenience, specific days throughout the season will be designated as community service work days.  Work days will be posted at orientation and in each monthly newsletter.  Garden Leaders will supervise these days. Gardeners need to call or email their hours into the office to receive community service credit.

COMPOST
Compost will be available during the fall and spring seasons and costs $8.00 per wheelbarrow

MANURE
This is your responsibility to arrange. Manure needs to be immediately watered down and thoroughly worked into the soil within three days of delivery.

STRAW
Available after the Memorial Day Boulder Creek Fest, on a first come-first served basis. Information will be sent out prior to the date.

MULCH
Gravel fines will be available on-site to use in the pathways.

TRASH
A trash container is located outside the tool shed is available during the gardening season.

COMPOSTABLES
Garden waste can be placed on the concrete compost pad during the gardening season. Work days will be arranged to transport it to the Louisville Wastewater/Biodolid Plant where it will be incorporated into the biosolid treatment process and used by the City and public in landsacpe projects.

REFUNDS
If a garden plot is voluntarily relinquished and notification given to the Community Garden office by May14th 2010, the plot will be reassigned and the plot fee, minus a $10.00 processing fee, will be refunded. No refunds will be given after May 14th, 2010.

PLOT NEGLECT/ABANDONMENT
Plots must be obviously worked and weed control begun by May 3rd, 2010, weather permitting. Any abandoned or unworked plots will be reassigned and no refund given. If you are unable to keep or maintain your plot you must contact the office or your Garden Leader immediately. Temporary help will be sought or your plot will be reassigned permanently, depending on the circumstances. It is ok if something in your life has changed to affect garden use and participation, just alert your Garden Leader or the office ASAP! We cannot help if we don’t have your permission.

PLOT MAINTENANCE
Plots must be reasonably maintained. Reasonably maintained means weeds under control and plants are regularly cared for, watered and harvested. Plants must not exceed plot boundaries. By November 15, 2010, all non-wintering plants must be removed as well as stakes, walls of water, row covers, etc... You may NOT store black plastic bags of leaves/organic matter over the winter.

PATH MAINTENANCE
It is each gardener’s responsibility to keep their paths clear and weed-free. Pathways around each plot are to be 4 feet wide. Paths must be clear, weed-free and well mulched with gravel fines. Gravel fines are provided free of charge at the Kerr garden.

WEEDY WARNINGS
There are many weeds in the community gardens. Weeds compete with other plants in your garden and can quickly become invasive. If weeds are left to go to seed they will affect your neighbor’s gardens as well. If your Community Garden Director sees too many weeds in your garden, or your plot looks unworked, you will receive a call and written letter from the office. If there is no communication and resolution after 1 week, your plot will be revoked and made available for others.. There is no refund of fees for revoked plots.

ORGANIC ONLY
Kerr Community Garden is Organic ONLY. Herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers made from synthetic chemicals are are NOT permitted.

FENCES AND PERMANENT STRUCTURES
There is a fence around the perimeter of the garden with a locking gate. Please lock the gate when you leave the garden.
 • Please contact the office for the gate code.

No permanent fences or structures are allowed. Temporary fences maybe used in your plot, but must be removed at the end of the season. No edging, wood, rocks or other materials are allowed to define the perimeter for you in-ground plot.

DIGGING
No digging is allowed in the patways as irrigatin lines are located 18" below the soil surface. Rototilling is allowed in the garden plots but care must be taken to avoid rototilling the area around the irrigation control box located in each plot. No compost pits or deep holes are allowed to be dug in the garden plots.

VEHICLES
NO vehicles allowed in the Kerr community garden. Please park in the parking lot and carry your supplies in with you.

TOOLS
Basic tools and wheelbarrows kept on site at the gardens for everyone’s use. Please lock everything up at night. The Community Garden Program is not responsible for any personal tools, etc.
  • Please contact the office for the tool shed code.

SHARING SURPLUS
A program will be arranged where surplus produce will be collected and delivered each week to the Sister Carmen Community Center food bank. It is not allowed to sell excess produce from Community Garden plots!

CONDUCT
No gardener shall at anytime:

The Community Garden Director is required to suspend the gardener immediately from further gardening and report the incident to the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation.
.

NOT ALLOWED IN THE GARDENS
Bee hives, tires, pressure treated wood, carpet, barbed wire, uncovered black plastic, smoking, music (use headphones please), selling produce, cane fruit (raspberries, blackberries, etc...), fruit trees, unleashed pets, and unsupervised children.

PLOT RENEWALS
2011 renewal applications will go out the end of January 2011. If you maintain your garden and pathways throughout the season, clean it up at the end of the season, fulfill your four hours of community service and have no outstanding money due, you will automatically be sent a renewal notice.

It is your responsibility to keep your address current with the office! After the renewal deadline has past, and you have not renewed your plot, it will be made available for open registration.