Garden Rules & Bylaws

Morgan Spring Community Garden Rules & Bylaws

The garden should be a safe place for the community, children, and other gardeners. Do not bring anything that will compromise the safety of the garden.   Ensuring enjoyable gardening experience for all of the garden community is the primary goal of these rules and responsibilities. For this reason, observe the rules of the garden, and be a good neighbor.

The garden’s steering committee has the duty of enforcing rules and making decisions for the garden.  They have authority to resolve conflicts, including refusing a plot to a gardener or dismissing a current gardener. If you wish to be a member of the committee please notify the garden’s director/chair.

Garden Rules and Bylaws

Plots must be applied for annually. Preference for plots will be given to past year's participants first. Assignment of private garden plots will be awarded on a first come bases. Assignment of raised beds will be awarded on a need and physical restrictions bases rather than a first come bases. Group garden plots will only be assigned to groups qualifying under the guidelines set by the MSCG chair and co-chair for groups and will be based on need and availability of plots. There is a limited number of all types of plots so if there is more interest than plots a waiting list will be created to help people obtain a plot/s.  

Each Gardener is responsible for your own plot and 4 hours of volunteer work (contributing to the upkeep of the whole garden.) Garden plots should be cared for at least once a week. It is the gardener's responsibility to notify the coordinator if he or she is not able to care for their plot in any given week. If any plot is unattended during the season or if there is no evidence of activity at your plot by June 1st that plot is subject to reassignment and all fees and deposits forfeited and no refund will be issued. However, plot holders may receive either a verbal or written notice before reassignment and given 72 hours or 3 days to comply before policy enforcement and reassignment of plot/s.) If you decide not to use your plot, please contact the plot coordinator so it may be reassigned to someone on the waiting list.

Each gardener is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their garden plot. Watering, weeding, harvesting and any other garden related maintenance are all the responsibility of the gardener. Gardeners may arrange for other gardeners to help with their plots if they are away or unable to do it themselves but still hold the responsibility and risk if it is not tended to.

A limited number of tools, hoses and watering equipment will be available in the community garden shed and site for use during the growing season. However, gardeners are encouraged to use their own tools and are welcome to store them neatly in the shed at gardeners own risk.

Each gardener will be given one key to the MSCG storage shed for access to tools and watering equipment. Gardeners are responsible for bringing that key each time they work in the garden. Keep garden shed locked at all times and return all tools.

Children are welcome in the garden but must be accompanied by an adult and must be supervised at all times.

Each gardener must complete a Release of all Claims form, submit a completed Plot Application, select their volunteer choices for their 4 hour requirement and Pay all Fees in full before any plots are officially assigned or before work in the garden is permitted.

The application of herbicides (weed killers) to the garden plots is prohibited.

Gardeners may harvest vegetables and flowers from their garden only. Do not pick from your neighbor’s gardens even if you think they have neglected their plot.

MSCG is a seasonal garden. It is tilled each year in the spring only upon request of each plot holder as some gardeners prefer the no till method.  The garden’s private plots, 1 year group plots and raised beds cannot accommodate perennials at this time. Ongoing group plots that serve a public need maybe granted special approval for perennials that serve a special purpose approved by the committee or both chair and co-chair. However, the group must have approval in writing and needs to remove perennials upon vacating or reassignment of their plots.

Fall annuals will only be allowed for gardeners returning the following year. If you wish to plant fall annuals you must notify the plot coordinator as to what you plan on planting and the plots that the crops are in prior to planting for approval and complete requirement #5 for the following year. An example of a fall annual is garlic or any other annual that requires to be wintered over in the ground. This policy also applies to self seeding annuals (like dill) that may not be removed before going to seed.

Biodegradable mulch such as compost, leaves, straw, and hay are encouraged. Remove any non-organic mulch (such as plastic sheeting) by closing day.  No wood chips as mulch. They do not biodegrade quickly.

MSCG is a place open to everyone. Be respectful to all gardeners, guest, and committee members. Keep pets, crops, children, and visitors out of neighboring plots.

Keep plot boundaries and walkways weeded and trash-free.  Keep plot edges free of weeds that will go to seed.  Don't put rocks and compost in paths. Take them to the rock or compost areas.

Compost your garden waste following compost instructions at the compost bins.  All gardeners are welcome to take finished compost for your plot from the MSCG compost bins as long as they are considerate of other gardeners that may also need some. The compost and compost area are property of MSCG and are for the use of ALL plot holders.

Pack your trash and bring it back home to dispose of properly.

At the end of the growing season, gardeners are responsible for clearing their plot of all plant material and leaving the plot as they found it in the spring and must return all keys assigned to the plot holder by the deadlines set forth for the growing season prior to receiving a return of the gardeners plot deposit.

2016 Update

Morgan Spring Community Garden Rules & Bylaws

The garden should be a safe place for the community, children, and other gardeners. Do not bring anything that will compromise the safety of the garden.   Ensuring enjoyable gardening experience for all of the garden community is the primary goal of these rules and responsibilities. For this reason, observe the rules of the garden, and be a good neighbor.

The garden’s steering committee has the duty of enforcing rules and making decisions for the garden.  They have authority to resolve conflicts, including refusing a plot to a gardener or dismissing a current gardener. If you wish to be a member of the committee please notify the garden’s director/chair.

Garden Rules and Bylaws

Plots must be applied for annually. Prior year's participants can put down a refundable deposit at the end of the each years season to hold their plots for the following year (see details for refund of deposit). Deposits can also be given at anytime to secure a plot that has not already been rented or secured. New gardeners must pay both a non-refundable deposit and their plot fees before being assigned a plot. Assignment of private garden plots will be awarded on a first come bases.

Assignment of raised beds will be awarded on a need and physical restrictions bases as well as a first come bases.

Assignment of New Gardener plots will be awarded to gardeners with three years or less of gardening experience.

Group garden plots will only be assigned to groups qualifying under the guidelines set by the MSCG chair and co-chair for groups and will be based on need and availability of plots.

There is a limited number of all types of plots so if there is more interest than plots a waiting list will be created to help people obtain a plot/s.   

Each Gardener is responsible for your own plot and 4 hours of volunteer work (contributing to the upkeep of the whole garden.) Garden plots should be cared for at least once a week. It is the gardener's responsibility to notify the coordinator if he or she is not able to care for their plot in any given week. If any plot is unattended during the season or if there is no evidence of activity at your plot by June 1st that plot is subject to reassignment and all fees and deposits forfeited and no refund will be issued. However, plot holders may receive either a verbal or written notice before reassignment and given 72 hours or 3 days to comply before policy enforcement and reassignment of plot/s.) If you decide not to use your plot, please contact the plot coordinator so it may be reassigned to someone on the waiting list.

Each gardener is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their garden plot. Watering, weeding, harvesting and any other garden related maintenance are all the responsibility of the gardener. Gardeners may arrange for other gardeners to help with their plots if they are away or unable to do it themselves but still hold the responsibility and risk if it is not tended to. No Gardener may remove or add items or alter in any way another gardeners plot without permission from the gardener that owns the plot. Violation of this will result in a permanent ban with or without warning of that gardener from the garden by the committee.

A limited number of tools, hoses and watering equipment will be available in the community garden shed and site for use during the growing season. However, gardeners are encouraged to use their own tools and are welcome to store them neatly in the shed at gardeners own risk. Personal items must be removed at the end of each seasons deadline or became property of MSCG.

Each gardener will be given a lock box code for key access to the MSCG storage shed for access to tools and watering equipment. Gardeners are NOT allowed to share this code with even with other gardeners. If you forget the code you can contact a member of the steering committee for access. Keep garden shed locked at all times and return all tools.

Children are welcome in the garden but must be accompanied by an adult and must be supervised at all times.

Each gardener must complete a Release of all Claims form, submit a completed Plot Application, select their volunteer choices for their 4 hour requirement and Pay all Fees in full before any plots are officially assigned or before work in the garden is permitted.

Gardeners may harvest vegetables and flowers from their garden only. Do not pick from your neighbor’s gardens even if you think they have neglected their plot.

MSCG is a seasonal garden. Gardeners are responsible for the prep of there own plot. Only committee members may use the MSCG tiller for their own personal plots. Non-committee members wishing to have their plots till can make a donation and a suitable labor fee per plot for this service. The deadline for tilling is two weeks after garden’s official opining day. The garden’s private plots, 1 year group plots and raised beds cannot accommodate perennials at this time. Ongoing group plots that serve a public need maybe granted special approval for perennials that serve a special purpose approved by the committee or both chair and co-chair. However, the group must have approval in writing and needs to remove perennials upon vacating or reassignment of their plots.

Fall annuals will only be allowed for gardeners returning the following year. If you wish to plant fall annuals you must notify the plot coordinator as to what you plan on planting and the plots that the crops are in prior to planting for approval and complete requirement #5 for the following year. An example of a fall annual is garlic or any other annual that requires to be wintered over in the ground. This policy also applies to self seeding annuals (like dill) that may not be removed before going to seed.

Biodegradable mulch such as compost, leaves, straw, and hay are encouraged. Remove any non-organic mulch (such as plastic sheeting) by closing day except by those paying or leaving a deposit for the following year. However, this also makes your deposit non-refundable accept under the standard refund policy and refund deadline posted annually or one month before opening day (whichever comes first).  No wood chips as mulch. They do not biodegrade quickly.

MSCG is a place open to everyone. Be respectful to all gardeners, guest, and committee members. Keep pets, crops, children, and visitors out of neighboring plots.

Keep plot boundaries and walkways weeded and trash-free.  Keep plot edges free of weeds that will go to seed.  Don't put rocks and compost in paths. Take them to the rock or compost areas.

Compost your garden waste following compost instructions at the compost bins.  All gardeners are welcome to take finished compost for your plot from the MSCG compost bins as long as they are considerate of other gardeners that may also need some. The compost and compost area are property of MSCG and are for the use of ALL plot holders. Compost all unhealthy plants in black trash bags and remove. Please note that dead or dying plants are considered healthy and compost able unless the hold a disease.

Pack your trash and bring it back home to dispose of properly.

At the end of the growing season, gardeners are responsible for clearing their plot and leaving the plot clean and free of all plant life by the deadlines set forth for the growing season prior and remove all personal property from the grounds to receiving a return of the gardeners plot deposit.