Dowling Community Garden Rules

2012 Gardening Rules

1. Agreement and fee. Submit your completed, signed Agreement and all required fees and forms by the due date on the Agreement form. If these are not postmarked by the final due date, your plot will be reassigned. By signing and returning the agreement, you agree to these rules.
2. Use of chemicals. You agree never to use unapproved pesticides or herbicides in the garden. Use of unapproved materials is grounds for immediate forfeiture of your plot, with no refund. Pesticide Information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education.
3. Service commitment. Perform 4 hours minimum in service to the garden during the year.
• Complete tasks as assigned by your service coordinator and report your service time within two weeks of performing it by completing a form and placing it in the drop box on the shed door.
• Coordinators make initial contact and outline tasks. You are responsible for ensuring that your minimum service hours are completed by November 11, 2012. Reported service times will be published online, and you are for checking their accuracy.
• Only verified hours reported within two weeks will be credited. Service at the end of the season must be reported by the deadline for completing service. Failure to perform and report the minimum service in a year is a rule violation and results in consequences outlined under “Consequences of rule violations”.
• Note: lack of assignment does not excuse failure to meet this requirement. Contact your coordinator or call (651) 255-6607 by September 1 if you need alternative assignments.
4. Contact information. All official communication is through the listed primary plotholder. Make sure the Dowling Garden Committee always has your current address, phone number and email address. (Use the Web site email link or call (651) 255-6607 to provide updates.)
5. Transferability. You may not transfer or sublet your plot. The Dowling Garden Committee may, at it's discretion, choose to approve a one-year leave of absence upon formal written request.
6. License requirements. You agree to be bound by any requirement not named here that the Minneapolis School District imposes as a condition for continued use of the Garden space, including but not limited to undergoing a criminal background check.
7. Planting/cleanup deadlines. Clean up and plant your plot by the following deadlines. Your plot must be clean, fully prepared, and at least half planted by June 3. Any plot failing to meet these conditions is considered abandoned and will be reassigned immediately, with no refund provided. If your plot is not fully planted by July 1, the unplanted portion may be used by The Garden, and you may be assigned to a smaller plot the following year. Remove dead plants and temporary structures by the October 31 fall cleanup deadline.
8. Expected conduct. To retain your gardening privileges and plot, you agree to:

1. Act in a manner considerate of the rights, needs, and safety of other gardeners and the community at large and with courtesy toward others.
2. Actively garden, maintain, and use your entire plot. Remove weeds promptly (including in perennial plantings) and harvest produce in a timely manner. Keep all plants within your plot boundaries. Maintain in-plot composting to be neat and odor-free. A rule violation may be given if a plot is excessively weedy, contains numerous 8" weeds, or is filled with debris or overripe produce. Any plot with numerous 2' or taller weeds or that remains unharvested or obviously untended for 3 weeks will be presumed abandoned and is subject to immediate forfeiture without refund. Minnesota Prohibited Noxious Weeds
3. Maintain your half of the path around your plot regularly. Paths must be kept free of rocks, weeds, and all obstacles, including encroaching or overhanging plants (e.g., raspberries). The Garden reserves the right to remove materials obstructing any public path at any time. Approved methods of maintaining public paths are (1) regular mowing and (2) mulching with wood chips. Carpeting, roofing materials, plastic, and other inorganic materials are prohibited.
4. Keep your plot free of trees. If an adjacent plot's gardener complains of excessive shading by anything on your plot, you must come to an agreement or remove it.
5. If your plot borders the school's chain link fence around the garden, maintain a 1 foot plant-free buffer next to the fence.
6. Respect school property. Keep rocks inside your plot's border or remove them from the grounds. Put compostable materials only in the school compost area east of the orchard or in your own plot's compost bin. Never dump debris or garden materials anywhere else on school property. Do not use motorized vehicles in the garden area.
7. Respect the Garden's property and assets. Use equipment and tools owned in common responsibly and treat them with care. Return them to the shed promptly and store them neatly and securely for the safety and convenience of fellow gardeners.
8. Do not enter others' plots except with permission or on garden business or allow pets or unsupervised children to do so.
9. Keep dogs leashed and under your control at all times, and always clean up after them.