2024 Season

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​The Rose Roots Community Garden succeeds through the commitment of gardeners’ time, abilities, and participation in garden activities.

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As a member, I agree to:

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1. Planting, Maintaining, & Cleaning of Plots:

   1. Begin substantial gardening in my plot by June 1st, or the garden will be forfeited back to the garden. Accommodations will be made for gardeners who got their plot later in the season.

   2. Throughout the season, maintain my garden with care and keep the pathway surrounding my plot weeded—see below for related policies.

   3. Put my garden plot ‘to bed’ by October 31st. Crops that are still growing may remain (i.e., carrots, kale, etc. to overwinter), and gardeners are permitted to grow cover crops. Other vegetable plants should be cleaned out of the plot. Gardeners who do NOT clean up their plot by the end of November and desire to return the following year will be charged an additional payment of $40.

2. Service Hours:

   1. All gardeners shall either contribute service hours or pay $7 for each required service hour not completed.

      1. 12 service hours required for full plots (15’ x 15’)

      2. 6 service hours required for half plots (half a full-size plot shared with another member)

      3. 6 service hours required for raised bed (4’ x 8’)

   2. Two (2) of the total required number of service hours shall be spent on composting. Composting training will be offered.

   3. Gardeners who do not complete their required number of service hours by October 31st will be charged $7 per remaining service hour not worked, up to $84. Gardeners who do not complete their service hours or pay the associated $7/service hour, will result in non-renewal of their plot the following year.

   4. Gardeners are responsible for inputting their hours into the online tracker.

 

Rose Roots Community Garden Policies:

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1. Member Dues & Access:

   1. To secure a garden plot, complete an application form, maintenance guidelines waiver form, and pay the household membership fee. The garden member dues are as follows:

      1. $80 for a 15’ x 15’ full plot

      2. $50 for a half plot (1/2 of a full plot to be shared with another member)

      3. $50 for a 4’ x 8’ raised bed

   2. Dues allow gardeners year-round access to the garden daily from dawn to dusk. As a gardener, you will need to sign a release waiver for yourself and ANY other individual that may assist you in the garden (family, friends, neighbors), however, YOU need to be present in the garden at all times along with any of these individuals unless they have also gone through the member orientation.

2. Communications:

   1. New gardeners are required to attend an orientation meeting at the garden with a member of the leadership team. Returning gardeners are responsible for keeping current on changes which may occur to the operation of the garden.

   2. Rose Roots communicates with gardeners through many methods. Gardeners should read and respond as applicable.

      1. Chalkboards near garden entrance gates announce upcoming events and other important topics

      2. Evites are sent for special events and work parties

      3. Newsletter updates arrive in your email and are posted to the Rose Roots website

      4. The kiosk located between the garden plots and the south pollinator garden is updated with announcements and upcoming events

      5. Social media-Facebook posts highlight garden events and announcements

3. Monthly Business Meetings:

   1. The business of Rose Roots is accomplished at monthly meetings open to all gardeners. During nice weather, meetings are held at the picnic tables under the pavilion at 6:00pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Gardener attendance is welcome.

4. Policies for Garden Plots:

   1. Conserve water. Remember to turn off the hoses. Do not use unattended timers for watering personal plots.

   2. Take precaution when growing tall plants (i.e., corn). They should not shade your neighbors’ plots when mature.

   3. Rose Roots is an organic garden—refrain from using non-organic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Do not plant genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

   4. Use natural materials instead of plastics and other synthetics. Cinder blocks are not permitted due to potential leaching of heavy metals.

   5. Maintain healthy soil by practicing organic methods such as using compost, mulch, cover crops, and reducing tillage when possible.

   6. Control weeds in your plot and the pathway surrounding your plot to avoid production of weed seeds and pests.

   7. Control rapidly spreading plants by planting them in pots or deadheading so they don’t spread seed (cosmos, morning glory, lemon balm, mint, calendula). Only dwarf sunflowers are allowed.

5. Garden-wide Policies:

   1. Harvest only crops from your own plot and your allotted portion of crops from common area plots.

   2. Share excess harvest with others, including the Veggie Van by bringing extra harvest into the west barn refrigerator for bi-weekly food donation pick-ups.

   3. Pick up trash and litter and dispose of them properly. Rose Roots is a ‘Leave No Trace” environment.

   4. Place only healthy organic material in the compost. Diseased plants should be disposed of properly.

   5. Keep the garden safe by putting tools away, rolling up hoses after use, supervising young children, etc.

   6. Never smoke in the garden, as it can transmit the tobacco mosaic virus onto plants.

   7. Be a responsible pet owner by keeping pets on leashes and out of the garden.

   8. Be respectful of neighbors walking and cycling near the garden. Avoid parking along Alkire Street or private driveways.

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If you have any questions about these policies, please contact us at leadership@roserootsgarden.org.

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