PEAT Peaks Environmental Action Team

Peaks Island Community Garden Guidelines
2011 Season

Thank you for your interest in the community garden! If you have any questions about the garden, please use this web site's Contact Us form, on the left-hand side.

REGISTRATION AND GENERAL

• The community garden is primarily intended for residents of Peaks Island.
• The garden is to be used for non-commercial purposes only, per the terms of the lease with the City of Portland.
• Plot fees are $35 per plot for the 2011 season. The fees go toward city-mandated insurance for the garden site, and its upkeep as well.
• Plots may be renewed in following years, but gardeners must fill out a new application form each year.
• Registered gardeners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone of all community-garden meetings, and sent application forms via e-mail sometime in early December.
• Applications must be received or postmarked by December 1st, or plots will be reassigned from a waiting list. Annual fees are due by May 1st.
• At least two meetings will be held every year: one in mid-April and one in late October or early November.
• Individuals or groups may sign up for one plot.The primary gardener, or group leader, may register one other name (the secondary gardener) at the time of application.The primary gardener will receive all mailings.The plot is not transferable to anyone other than the primary or secondary gardener, e.g. no subletting.
• It is the gardener's responsibility to keep his or her mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number current with the organizers of the community garden. Please make sure you can be reached in a timely fashion using one of the above contact methods.
• Refunds will be given for gardeners withdrawing prior to June 1st.
• The growing season varies, of course, but typically the last frost on Peaks has been mid-May and the first frost has been in early October.
• Plots are to be turned over and planting begun by June 1. (If frost is really expected after that date, planting can take place later.) Untended plots may be reassigned after that date.
• Gardeners are expected to complete fall clean-up and at least one workday if they wish to continue using their plot for the following season.

PLOT MAINTENANCE

• The primary gardener is held responsible for his or her assigned garden plot. This includes group plots.
• If due to a temporary illness or personal emergency, a gardener is unable to personally maintain their garden, they will be allowed keep their plot if they are able to make appropriate arrangements with the community garden to ensure their plot is in compliance with these guidelines. The maximum length of this accommodation is one growing season.
• Keep the plots well-tended: substantially planted, free of weeds, and harvested when ready. Keep the plots and paths in good repair, and free of trash.
• Foliage may not overhang the paths, as the paths need to be clear and unobstructed for all. Foliage outside your plot may be removed without prior notice by the garden organizers, although we’ll try to contact you first.
• Please be aware of your neighbors’ plots, and resolve any disputes among yourselves in a cordial fashion.
• Pets are NOT allowed within the garden’s fenced-in area.
• Tobacco virus is a real concern for tomato plants, so please do not smoke in or near the garden, as your hands might carry the virus to the plants.
• Black plastic may be used, but must be entirely covered with organic mulch.
• Black and white or colored newspaper may be used, but must be entirely covered with organic mulch. Glossy papers may be toxic and should not be used.
• There are some structural rules:
• Structures such as trellises, hoops, supports, hardscape, hardware cloths and fences taller than 12 inches are to be situated at least 1 1/2 feet inside the plot perimeter.
• Keep trellises under six feet, and situated such that they do not block sunlight from neighboring plots.
• Any structures must be removed entirely at the end of the season, usually during fall clean-up time.
• Raised beds may be built immediately inside plot edges. Do not use pressure-treated or painted wood.

PLANTING

• The community garden will follow organic planting methods. Do not use any pesticides or herbicides. This includes compost that may have been treated with chemicals, such as lawn clippings – be careful.
• Do not nurse and baby sick plants.
• Immediately remove diseased plants, such as tomato or potato plants that suffer from late blight. They can rapidly affect neighboring plots.
• Be aware of sources of disease, such as blighted seedlings purchased from, say, Home Depot or Lowes, or other big-box stores.
• Keep destructive insects such as Japanese beetles, tomato hornworm, and cabbage worm picked or organically at bay. Read about integrated pest management, and learn how to recognize and encourage the good bugs while identifying and discouraging the bad bugs.
• Do not ground-plant invasive species. The list of those plants may surprise you. They include herbs such as mint, horseradish, lemonbalm, comfrey, nettles, strawberries, grasses, and bamboos that spread by perennial root runners. Confine them to pots or other containers.
• Woody perennials such as blueberry and raspberry bushes, and dwarf trees, should also be potted.
• Do not plant hardy invasive species which procreate by seed, such as garlic mustard, purple loosestife, wild lobelia, amaranth, and others.
• If you spot Japanese knotweed (aka Mexican bamboo) anywhere near the garden, remove immediately, and if possible, dispose of at the nearby island transfer station. Knotweed is a noxious weed with a tenacious rhizome system, and is extremely hard to eradicate once established.
• Tall plants such as corn can overshadow smaller plants. When possible, you may be able to coordinate tall plantings, like corn, with your neighbors – but in general, organize your plantings to avoid casting shade on a neighboring plot.
• Please refer to http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/2500.htm for additional guidelines on invasive plant species in Maine, and to http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/ for an invasive plant atlas for New England.

SAFE/NATURAL DEFINITIONS

Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are prohibited. (For example, “Miracle Gro” contains formaldehyde and other chemicals.) Only organic, non-toxic items are allowed. The following is an inclusive list:

Acceptable products

• Insecticidal soaps
• Liquids may be applied by hand held spray only.
• Summer oil
• Seaweed/fish preparations
• Garlic, hot pepper, "kitchen" mixes
• PRO GRO fertilizers
• Diatomaceous earth
• Serenade
• Spinosad
• Sulfur
• Wood Ash
• Manures (non carnivorous)
• Rock powders (lime, rock phosphate, greensand, granite dust)

Unacceptable products

• Miracle Gro, Miracid, Peters, etc
• 5-10-5, 5-10-10 and variations
• Rotenone
• Sevin
• Diazonin
• Malathion
• Methoxychlor
• Pyrethrins
• Slug baits with metaldehyde
• Copper
• Sabadilla
• Chemical formulations