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. If you have any questions, please contact your Garden Leader first, then the office.

Community Garden Program provides:
Water (regulated by the city and weather conditions)
Free, unlimited mulch for pathways
Tools & wheelbarrows in sheds
Gardeners may purchase: small quantities of compost
    in the spring.

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:

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 announced in emails and in each monthly newsletter. Garden Leaders will supervise these days. Gardeners should call or email their hours into the office to receive community service credit.

COMPOST
$8.00 per wheelbarrow. Compost will be delivered in early March. It will be available on a first come-first served basis. Please bring the appropriate amount of cash or check made out to Growing Gardens for your compost.

MULCH
Donated to the garden in the spring from various local tree service companies. This is free and unlimited! Mulch is available on site at Hawthorn and Hickory for all gardeners. Gravel fines are available at Foothills.

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.

TRASH
Dumpsters are available at all the City of Boulder gardens (Fortune, Hawthorn, Hickory, and Foothills).

COMPOSTING
Compost carts are available at each of the gardens for all of your compostable garden waste. These bins are picked up on a weekly basis by Western Disposal and taken to their site for processing.

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. This works: in early spring weed whack or scythe your paths, put down commercial weed barrier and cover with 3-4 inches of mulch. Reapply mulch as needed. Community Gardens with gravel pathways will need to be weeded as needed. Weeding after a rain or snow storm really works!

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
The Hawthorn Garden's Organic Only Section is located west of the main north-south path. Herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers made from synthetic chemicals are are NOT permitted. All other Boulder Community Gardens are Organic ONLY.

ORGANIC OPTIONAL
The Hawthorn Garden’s organic optional section is located east of the main north-south path. Fertilizers made from synthetic chemicals, such as Miracle Grow, are permitted, but not required. Herbicides and insecticides made from synthetic chemicals are NOT permitted.

FENCES
Low, well maintained fences are permitted around plots. Fences can not block sun from another garden. No barbed wire or other hazardous materials may be used on, in or around fencing and/or garden. Fences can be up to 4 feet tall and need to be well kept.

WATER & HOSES
Use of water should always be controlled. Drip systems and timers are encouraged. Keep hydrants in the off position when not in use. Continuous pressure from being left in the “On” position for timers and other devices leads to the rapid breakdown of the hydrants and their internal parts. Check hoses for leaks.  Gardeners may not leave garden hoses in use unattended unless using a drip irrigation system.Drip irrigation is highly recommended in our dry, arid climate and can be purchased locally. City of Boulder residents can apply for a drip irrigation rebate at www.bouldersaveswater.net.

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.

VEHICLES
Foothills Gardens:
NO vehicles allowed in the Foothills Gardens.

Hickory Gardens:
Hickory gardeners may use the garden driveway to unload supplies. Please park on Hickory Ave when you are finished unloading.

Hawthorn Gardens:
Vehicles may only enter the Hawthorn Gardens at Hawthorn St. Vehicles may drive along the main path, the north and east edges of the garden. The bike paths and internal pathways are off limits to vehicles. Driving into the gardens is for loading or unloading only. Remove vehicles when you are finished loading or unloading. Please park on Hawthorn or other surrounding streets. Do NOT park within the gardens near the Greenhouse or Able Garden. Vehicles are not permitted in the garden after June 13, 2010. Vehicles may enter the gardens after September 13, 2010, iin order for gardeners to clear out their plots and take supplies home.

SHARING SURPLUS
Food donation programs are organized for most gardens and begin in late August. Details will be announced through emails.

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 Planning.

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.