Community Commitment
As a Chelsea Community Gardener, you are a member of a community of neighbors and your input is needed to keep the garden running smoothly. Therefore, your household is expected to contribute at least 6 hours per plot of community work during the gardening season. There are many opportunities to fulfill work hours. Examples include:
- mowing paths
- participating in compost parties
- weeding common crops and flowerbeds
- administrative functions (taking minutes at meetings, website upkeep, orientation for new members, etc.)
- special projects (fence maintenance, water pump maintenance, equipment repair, compost sifting) and many other tasks.
Gardeners will have an opportunity to signup for ongoing jobs in the spring. There is a complete list of jobs located in the small tool shed.
Shared Responsibility
Community gardeners have a responsibility to each other to be kind, respectful, and use shared resources conservatively and wisely. During dry weather, if a gardener over waters their plot, or leaves the hose running, the water storage tank may run dry. Please conserve water and be cognizant that everyone wants to water their plot during dry spells.
It’s a jungle out there! One needs to look at the garden as a whole and if some sort of pest (weeds, fungi and bacteria, insects, voles) gets a foothold, then everyone is affected. Under the right weather conditions, a couple of weeks of inattention and things can get out of hand. Usually people want to take some time away over the summer and this can create significant problems. Several community gardeners have been doing this for more than 15 years and so asking for advice can save a lot of aggravation.
If you see a problem (mower, tools, gates, water system, etc.) that needs attention and you don’t feel comfortable addressing on your own, please post a note to the group email list or let someone else know. This is particularly important with water system issues.
Ask other gardeners for advice; they are very helpful and have probably dealt with an issue or question you may have. The garden’s shared email list has a lot of good information in its archived conversations.
Garden Plots
Each full plot measures about 20 feet by 20 feet. Plots are separated by 2′ wide grass paths from front to back and 4′ paths across the width of the garden. Paths must be kept clear fro mower and wheelbarrow access. There are 43 plots in the garden. Each plot is marked by stakes at the corners, which must not be moved.
Plots are assigned by the Plot Plotter. Returning gardeners should let the Plotter know by March 15th whether they plan to return to the garden. New gardeners will be assigned plots on a first come, first served basis. If all plots are full, a waiting list will be maintained and plots will be assigned as they become available.
Items such as tomato cages, pots, stakes, etc. should always be kept in your assigned plots, even when not in use. Please keep the paths between plots clear so that gardeners, wheelbarrows and mowers can get through. Also, make sure that stones and other hard objects don’t end up in the paths; these wreak havoc on the mower blades.
Fees
The fee for each full plot is a $30 one-time deposit plus a $30 annual use fee, payable with registration. Your deposit may be refunded at the end of the season if your plot is in good order (no weeds or dead plants) by November 1st. Returning gardeners may carry over their deposit from year to year.
Cancellations
Plot registration fees, minus $5 for processing, will be refunded for cancellations prior to May 1st. No refunds will be given after May 1st. Due to concerns about weed spread to neighboring plots, gardeners must commence work on their plots by June 1st, or the plot will be returned to Chelsea Community Garden and the fee will be forfeited.
Our Precious Water Supply
Water for irrigation is pumped via solar power from Lett’s Creek into our water tower. From there, water is gravity-fed through pipes and hoses for use in watering crops. While the quality of the creek water is good, as surface water goes, it is not safe for drinking due to the potential of fecal bacteria contamination. You should wash your produce in tap water before eating. There is a drinking fountain and a water bottle filling station near the parking lot with clean water to drink while you are at the garden.
Please conserve water and be cognizant that everyone needs to water their plot during dry spells. During dry weather, if a gardener overwaters their plot, or leaves the hose running, the water storage tank may run dry. Make sure all faucets are closed when you are finished and recoil all hoses neatly. Most mature irrigated crops require about one inch of water per week, which is most efficiently applied with a good soaking of the soil so that water penetrates several inches as opposed to just getting the surface wet where it is more readily evaporated. Even in hot and dry conditions, you should only need to water a couple times a week, although seeds, seedlings and transplants with shallow roots may need more frequent watering. A good layer of mulch will also reduce evaporation. It is a good idea to check the soil for drying to assess the need for watering.
In 2023, the City of Chelsea extended a water line to the garden during renovations to TimberTown. This water source is for emergency use only when the water storage tank is empty due to the failure of the pump in Lett’s Creek or because of extreme drought. The spigot for the City water will be locked so that inadvertent use of this water, which the Community Garden must pay for, will be minimized. Three gardeners will have keys to the spigot lock to fill the tank when needed, depending on their availability. Their phone numbers are posted in the small tool shed.
If there is any issue with no water flowing from the hose faucets, please send a note to the email group so that others know about the lack of water. Also contact one of the spigot key holders by phone or text. Someone will investigate and address the situation when they are able to get to the garden.
Overgrown and Abandoned Plots
To address seriously neglected plots, a group of three gardeners will walk through the community garden on or about the first of the month, May through September, to jointly evaluate the condition of each garden plot. If a plot appears to be long-neglected, full of invasive weeds or abandoned, the gardener will be privately contacted by one of the group about the situation and condition of the plot. After being notified, the gardener will have two weeks to resolve the issue.
If you are unable to maintain your plot due to extraordinary circumstances (illness or injury, for example) please let the person who contacted you know or send a note the email group. Fellow gardeners are willing to pitch in to help you out!
If the gardener does not intend or is unable to keep up their plot, or if the gardener refuses to address rampant weed issues, the gardener will be notified by phone and mail that the plot is considered abandoned and will be open for another gardener to take over for the remainder of the season. Immediate mowing and/or tilling may ensue to prevent the spread of weeds and pests. Gardeners who have abandoned their plot may re-apply for plot assignment for the following year.
Tracking Your Community Hours Worked
Each gardener is required to commit to six hours of communal work per season per full plot. There is a box of index cards, one for each gardener, in the tool shed to track hours worked. Gardeners may also track their hours independently, noting what tasks the hours were spent on. We track hours on the honor system. Each gardener will be asked at the end of the season, “Did you complete your allotted hours of community service to the garden?” People should simply answer yes or no in keeping with the honor system. Those who say no, will be charged a $20 fee. Those who refuse to answer will not automatically be given their plot for the following year until they answer.
Intentional Harvesting
These garden plots are a gift and a privilege. To allow food to go to waste through lack of attention to harvesting is also a form of neglect and misuse of the gift. Gardening responsibilities should include taking care of the bounty the earth gives us, in some way. We have always encouraged gardeners to give excess produce to Faith In Action or the Chelsea Senior Center. Informally, some gardeners invite others to pick when there is too much for them to use personally.
Garden Access
Members may not drive from the TimberTown parking lot to the garden. Emergency access is possible. There are wheelbarrows and a cart in the large tool shed that may be used to transport heavy materials, such as hay bales.
Compost
The garden maintains a suite of large compost bins that are managed on a three-year rotation. At any one time, compostables should be going into only two bins; small signs will be placed to label those to be filled and which hold finished compost. Generally, assume that you should not be placing material in any bin that has a fence section lying on the top. Two types of vegetation that should not be placed in the compost bins: crops with disease such as tomatoes with blight or alliums (onions, garlic, shallots) with signs of botrytis and noxious weeds that produce a lot of seeds, especially purple deadnettle once the purple flowers begin to show in the spring and galinsoga once the small white flower appear in mid-summer (see discussion below under weed control.) These should go into the forested area surrounding the garden since our composting process generally doesn’t get hot enough to eliminate these problems. Every fall, a group of gardeners turns and sifts the compost, which is then available for use in the garden plots. We also organize a delivery of composted horse manure to the garden once a year, which may be used by any gardener for fertilizer and to build the soil.
The entire garden is fenced with 6′ tall welded wire mesh, with two strands of wire above that for a total fence height of around 9′. There is a gate on each side of the fence. Please close the gate after you enter to keep out animals (especially rabbits!) and be sure to lock the gates if you are the last to leave.
There is chicken wire at the base of the fence to keep out voracious bunny rabbits. If you see a gap in the chicken wire, please let someone know.
Tools
The garden has two tool sheds with a variety of hand and power tools available for the use of gardeners. Gardeners should use caution when using any gas-powered equipment. Gardeners are responsible to get training as necessary, follow instructions, and use equipment with care. Contact information for power tool problems is posted in the large shed.
Please take care of our tools. Return them dirt-free, to the shed when you are finished. Use water and scrub brushes provided to remove all dirt. Cleaning tools prevents rust and the spread of weed seeds and diseases. All donated tools brought to the garden should be pre-washed with a bleach solution. Do not store personal items in or around the tool sheds as these areas need to be mowed in a regular basis.
Please be sure to lock the sheds if you are the last person to leave.
Community Plants
Membership in the Chelsea Community Garden entitles gardeners to a share of community crops: blueberries and asparagus. Garden volunteers monitor and direct the distribution of the community crops.
Weed Control
Weeds left unchecked on your plot will quickly spread to neighboring plots so please keep your weeds, especially Purple Deadnettle and Hairy Galinsoga, under control. See the Garden Resources web page for more details and photos of these bad weeds.
Chemical herbicides of any kind are prohibited, as they are hazardous to human health, may kill or damage desirable crops, drift into neighboring gardens, or persist in the soil. Hoeing, mulching, and hand weeding are recommended.
Mulch should preferably be of an organic nature; newspaper or black plastic are acceptable mulch but they must be secured so that they do not blow away. Landscape plastic and fabric must be removed at the end of the season if you are not returning to your plot the following year. Covering paper or cardboard with an organic layer is also encouraged. Hay, straw, and leaves could all be used for effective organic weed control.
Pest Control and Disease Control
Synthetic insecticides are prohibited. Preferred control methods are crop rotation, hand picking of insect pests, introduction of predator species, companion planting, soil solarization, and biological controls (e.g. Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium that controls cabbage worms). As a last resort, natural botanicals, i.e. rotenone and pyrethrum (that break down quickly and do not leave harmful residues in the soil) may be used. Some gardeners use neem oil or spinosad as natural insecticides, or Serenade as a naturally derived fungicide. We use pheromone traps to control Japanese beetles.
Flea beetles are often a problem early in the growing season until the end of June. They can be controlled with sticky traps that you can purchase or make yourself. Row covers may be used to protect plants the flea beetles enjoy such as spinach, greens and eggplant.
Voles are a problem in the garden. These small rodents love to nibble on crops. You can help control them by using mouse traps, which are available in the shed.
Most problems can be controlled if you maintain healthy soil, choose disease-resistant varieties, and remove diseased plants from the garden.
Fertilizers and Soil Amendments
Commercial inorganic fertilizers (e.g. Miracle Grow) are not permitted. Products of plant or animal origin i.e. compost, leaf mold, livestock manure, blood and bone meal, cover crops, fish emulsion, kelp meal, liquid seaweed, and commercial organic fertilizers are acceptable. Natural mineral fertilizers, such as greensand, granite dust, and ground limestone, are also acceptable. Gardeners are encouraged to add as much organic material (i.e. compost, leaf mold, and manure) as possible to their plots to maintain soil fertility.
- Ornamental corn and popcorn – the pollen from these corns adversely affects sweet corn
- Invasive species such as mint, comfrey (unless contained in pots or raised beds).
- Trees, bushes, or other woody perennials (unless grown in pots)
- Illegal or dangerous plants
Details on organics
All plots in the community garden are organic. We only use fertilizers and pest control measures such as those accepted by major organic certification agencies such as the Organic Crop Improvement Association. In general, soil fertility is maintained through crop rotations and organic matter, such as leaves, compost and manure.
Do not use:
- Miracle Gro or other synthetic fertilizers
- RoundUp or other synthetic herbicides
- D-Con, Raid, or other synthetic insecticides
Yes! You may use…
- Straw, hay, marsh grass, coco hulls, trash-free leaves and wood chips
- Black plastic, landscape cloth, cardboard and newspaper
- Commercial and homegrown seeds (seeds do not have to be organic)
- Commercial and homegrown transplants (they do not have to be organic)
- Lime, greensand, bone meal, rock phosphate and biochar
- If necessary, organic-certified pesticides such at Bt, insecticidal soap, rotenone, pyrethrum, diatomaceous earth, etc.
- Mouse traps
- Row cover fabric, plastic film “low tunnels”
- Cover crops like buckwheat, ryegrass, oats, vetch and clover
Chelsea Community Garden 