Fees
Annual membership is $10 and plot rental is $5 per year per plot. This money is due at the beginning of the year, but can be paid by installment. These fees are used to pay for the water and insurance. If you join the gardens after July you won’t get a crop until the following year, so you only pay membership for that year. Fees are paid to the Treasurer at one of the orientation meetings in January.

Plot Rental
To get on the waiting list for a plot, you must come to a monthly work party. Garden members are required to renew their membership and pay plot fees at one of the orientation meetings in January. At these meetings members commit to a general garden chore. As a member in good standing, allotment of your plot is on a continuing renewal basis. If you intend to renew your plot or let your plot go, you must inform the plot coordinator by Jan. 30 Plots left dormant will be given to someone on the waiting list.

Remember plots are only rented and members may not pass them on to others.

Participation
The garden is managed by the gardeners themselves. We do not have paid staff. This means all work is done through the cooperative effort of the gardeners. Much of the work is done at work parties on the last Sunday of each month (except December). Also, all gardeners commit to jobs involving general garden maintenance at the beginning of the year. If you would like to work on a project already set up, like the orchard, the wild area, composting or herb garden for example, you should mention it at your orientation meeting. New projects can certainly be considered, but you’ll have to propose them at one of the monthly meetings.

Meetings
Monthly meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Garden House at Strathcona. What needs to be done at upcoming work parties is discussed at these meetings. The Annual General Meeting is held in March of every year. Everyone is welcome.

Plots
How you design your plots is up to you. If you want to make raised beds, there are sometimes odds and ends of used lumber in the far southwest corner of the orchard. When there is compost available in the compost yard, it will be posted on the bins by the compost coordinator. Sandy material and leaves are sometimes available too, but if you see a pile ask if it’s being saved for some special use. Rocks you dig out of the soil can be used in drains or taken to the designated rock pile in the compost area. If you want trees on your plot they should be positioned so they don’t shade your neighbours. See to it that the roots don’t interfere with other plants.

Fences bordering plots are not allowed.

Environment
We are an organic garden. Herbicides and pesticides are not allowed. All plots are connected to the wild area via underground drainage, so any private use of toxins implicates the rest of the garden. Pesticides also kill helpful insects your neighbours depend on to protect their crops. Even slug bait is harmful because it is passed on into the food chain and into the soil.

Paths
Gardeners are responsible for the paths that run along their boundaries. Paths need to be kept weeded, since weeds allowed to mature will seed themselves and spread. It’s smart to clean up any soil or compost spilt on the path because this makes it easier for the weeds to take root. If edge boards bulge, or if you accidentally break one, they need to be fixed. Ask someone how to do this. Edge boards will bulge if they aren’t backed with soil or gravel on their plot side.

Tools
Garden members are given the combination to the lock on the cedar-sided shed where an array of wheelbarrows, hoses and other tools are kept. Please do not give this combination to non-members. It goes without saying that tools must be replaced and the shed relocked at quitting time. Shovels, forks, etc. need to be rinsed before being put away. Plastic buckets are tools as well – not fixtures. Like any tools they should be put away after use. Plastic is not a natural substance and is unsightly when scattered all over the garden.

Edges
The wild edges of the garden are not free to be used for private composting, refuse dumping, garden extensions or storage space. They belong to the wild area and are being planted with bushes that feed and shelter wildlife. When people dump weeds and rubbish in the wild area they are often as not killing some bush that has been laboriously planted and tended by other people.

Compost Area
You may take compost only from the finished bins that have been opened by the compost coordinator please ask first. Note that the morning glory must go into the bin marked for it, and not into any other. Raspberry, blackberry, rose and other woody clippings should be piled near the compost bines. The compost coordinator will arrange their disposal. This compost area is not for the use of commercial landscapers.

Dogs
Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, as the whole garden is a bird sanctuary.

Social and Kid’s Area
This is a park as well as an allotment garden. Anyone can use the picnic table and tea fireplace. You don’t have to be a garden member to bring your child or make your supper here or walk around in the orchard or wild area. There is a garbage can at the entrance – please use it.

Intrusions
Gardeners expect a certain amount of theft and vandalism, but it is disturbing nonetheless. Use your wits to make it less likely that your garden will be disturbed. Plant tempting crops at the back of plots and flowers or more pedestrian vegetables along the paths. Carrots can be hidden by other larger leafed plants. Hide the entrance to your plot. Even a low flimsy trellis is a good psychological deterrent. Also when your stuff is ripe, PICK IT. If you see someone else’s plot being raided, you can try shaming the thief by following them around and staring at him or her. Bolder people could try boring them with a moralistic lecture.

Year-end Maintenance
If you do not intend to grow winter crops then please clean up your plot and put it neatly to rest for the winter. Once the summer growing season is over, do not leave old dead growth as it falls. Pull it out of the ground and compost it. Why not try planting a cover crop (green manure) this winter?

Washrooms
There is a washroom on the north side of the garden house with a combination lock on the door. Ask one of the garden members for the combination and please do not give it to non-members. As an alternative use the washroom in the Strathcona field house across Hawks Avenue.