Mount Airy Community Garden Rules and Regulations

Community Gardeners are responsible for:

o Supplying own garden tools

o Providing own seeds/plants

o Daily / weekly maintenance of their own garden plots and adjacent walkways

o Reporting any problems to Town of Mt. Airy staff immediately

All gardeners must sign an annual Registration Form and agree to abide by the following Mount Airy Community Garden Rules and Regulations.

• Fees must be included with the Registration Form. Gardeners must reapply each year for a garden plot. Existing gardeners desiring to continue gardening are required to re-sign an annual Registration Form and pay their annual registration fee by December 1 to hold that garden plot. If a plot is unavailable, the applicant will be placed on a waiting list and will be contacted only when a plot becomes available.

• A maximum of one garden plot per household is permitted. If there are still plots available after April 1, additional plots may be rented.

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Plots are non-transferable. All plots will be surrendered back to the Town of Mt. Airy. Fees are non-refundable.

• Garden hours are 7 a.m. to sunset, 7 days a week. No garden activities are permitted after sunset.

• Plots are rented March 15-November 15. Gardeners are to keep their gardens planted and maintained throughout this time period.

• Community Gardens will open March 15. Garden plots must be planted by May 31. Plots that are not planted by the planting deadline are assumed abandoned and will be forfeited without refund. Plots must be cleared of any and all debris/material by November 15.

• Garden plots that are rented after the season is opened, but show no signs of activity within 30 days of being rented, will be considered abandoned and all fees paid will be forfeited.

• All gardens are subject to occasional inspections. Garden plots are to be regularly weeded. Plots that become full of weeds or are not regularly maintained will be considered in violation of the Community Garden Rules. The gardener in violation will then receive an email to bring their plot(s) into compliance. A second inspection will take place the following week. If the garden plot(s) is still not in compliance, the plot(s) will be surrendered and all fees will be forfeited.

• Individual garden plots are to be used for growing fruits/vegetables only for personal use and not for commercial sales. Gardeners may not maintain plantings or structures that impede the adjacent gardeners’ access to sunlight.

• The Community Garden is meant to be an organic space. The use of insecticides or weed repellents is prohibited. While the use of non-organic fertilizer is allowed, organic fertilizers are recommended.

• Biodegradable mulch is encouraged. Examples include aged compost, leaves, straw and hay. Carpet mulch, stone, and sod are not allowed.

• Children are encouraged in the Community Garden. However, children are to be monitored while in the Community Garden area and are not permitted to play in or around any other garden plots.

• The Town of Mt. Airy may provide buckets to carry water from the water tank. When done using the bucket, it should be returned to the water tank (flipped over to reduce mosquitos) so other people can use it. If watering with a hose, use a Y gate on the hose in order to be able to have two hoses running at once. If other gardeners are waiting, please limit watering to 15 minutes. The gardener MUST be present when watering. Do not leave the water unattended. Water must be turned off when not in use. Sprinklers are not allowed.

• Keep plot boundaries weeded and trash free.

• Do not discard garden plot materials (including weeds) onto the surrounding walkways. This material is to be placed in the provided compost bids.

• No littering or dumping of trash. The Community Garden is a carry-in and carries out facility – trash free. A compost bin is available and is for plant waste only.

• Garden plot corners are clearly marked with stakes. Do not remove these stakes.

• No invasive plants are permitted. A list of invasive plants can be found at http://www.mdinvasivesp.org/.

• Alcohol in the Community Garden area is prohibited.

• Amplified music or any other activities that would infringe on other gardener’s enjoyment is prohibited.

• No unauthorized expansion of your plot into the surrounding paths or encroaching on other plots is permitted.

• No taking of fruits/vegetables from plots that are not yours.

• Keep the garden gate closed at all times. Lock the gate using the provided lock when leaving the premises.

• Smoking (including electronic cigarettes) or chewing of tobacco is prohibited. Tobacco carries the mosaic virus, which is deadly to some plants.

• No pets (except service dogs) are permitted inside the Community Garden perimeter fencing.

• Parking should be along Rising Ridge Road.

• The Town of Mt. Airy is not responsible for any injury or damage to property.