Upcoming Events

• End-of-Season Garden Party - Saturday, September 19. Join us on Saturday, September 19th as we celebrate a wonderful season in the garden from 1–4 PM at the picnic tables on the north side of the gardens! Enjoy an afternoon of treats, games, and time with neighbors. Desserts and easy beverages will be provided, along with plates, cups, and utensils. There will be fun for all ages, including a kid-friendly garden scavenger hunt and yard games like Kubb and Bocce. Come celebrate the end of the growing season, connect with fellow gardeners, and enjoy an afternoon together!

• NEW! DCG T-shirts. Show your garden pride with a DCG T-shirt! Shirts will be available for pickup at the Garden Party on September 19. Be sure to order yours online in advance, as we’ll only be printing the number of shirts ordered. T-shirts are available in sizes S–2XL, with both unisex and women’s styles. Additional pickup times will be available. The deadline to order is August 31, so order promptly! Click here to order now.

• Garden Mingle - Monday, September 7. Please join the Dowling Garden community on the first Monday of each month for a casual mix and mingle. Please feel free to explore the garden grounds and connect with your fellow gardeners.

Please Return Water Couplers Promptly

This summer has been a hot one, so a lot of watering has been necessary. There are enough couplers to allow all Garden outlets to be used at once, but only if no couplers are misplaced. This makes it especially important that you return couplers to their proper place as soon as you have finished watering your plot. North and south Garden couplers are not interchangeable, so be sure to return the south Garden ones to the shed and the north Garden ones to the yellow coupler box. Couplers are expensive, and replacing lost ones will add to future plot rents. Thank you for your cooperation to allow everyone to water their plots as quickly as possible and to let barrel fillers refill the barrels promptly for everyone’s use.

Shed Tools and Supplies

You may have noticed that the shed has had a makeover this summer! Please do your part to keep it tidy and organized: hang tools and hoses neatly when you have finished with them. The garden tools and hoses are for use by all gardeners - however, the supplies like leaf bags and maintenance materials are reserved for service team use. Gardeners are responsible for their own zip ties, leaf bags, cleaning materials, etc. 

Mesh Water Barrel Covers

 When removing the water barrel covers, please use care as they cut and tear easily- don't hang on anything such as a post or a stake. Please put them back on the barrels when finished - they help keep pollinators from drowning in the barrels as well as keeping the water cleaner from debris.

Plot Changes for 2027

Please let us know as soon as possible if you will not be returning to the garden in 2027, or if you’d like to change to a different plot. Your plot must be entirely cleaned up before you can take possession of a new plot. Of note: two raised bed plots will be available for the upcoming season (1 raised bed per plot). Priority will be given to gardeners with mobility limitations. 

Learnings From Our Resident Master Gardeners
Worried about cyclospora from homegrown produce? Lori Anderson breaks down the importance of using clean water in your vegetable garden. 

Completing and Reporting Service Hours

The deadline for completing and reporting service hours is approaching. You are responsible for ensuring that your minimum service hours (5 for most people) are completed and reported by November 12, 2026. Please review the number of hours you've completed and reported this season here.

Only verified hours reported within two weeks will be credited. Service at the end of the season must be reported by the November 16 deadline to be counted.

Remember - hours can easily be submitted using the electronic form on the DCG website. If you have any issues using the form, reply to this email and use the paper slips available in the shed.

Clean-up Deadlines

Remove dead plants and temporary structures by the November 16 fall cleanup deadline. Compost all plant material on your plot or transport it to your home for municipal pickup.  Unauthorized dumping on school grounds is a rule violation.  

Upcoming Cleanup Days

Gardeners who aren't assigned to the cleanup crew or supervisors must check with their assigned coordinator to see if there's anything else to do for their assigned service activity. If your coordinator doesn't have additional tasks, you can fill your remaining service hours by attending one of the upcoming cleanup days:

August 29 (Sat)    10:00 AM - Noon           

Sep 19 (Sat)     10:00 AM - Noon                        

Oct 3 (Sat)        10:00 AM - Noon                         

Oct 17 (Sat)         10:00 AM - Noon                     

Oct 31 (Sat)        10:00 AM - Noon