Bexley Community Garden Update

The Friends of the Bexley Community Garden met on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at City Hall to consider a number of proposals by the Garden Operations Committee.

Compost. We discussed a need to improve the soil since, among other things, we had no worms visit us over the summer and many gardeners found it challenging and expensive to grow anything this past season. It was decided that compost was needed (as well as pH reducing items like sulfer and/or peat moss). It would cost approximately $1000/inch to apply regular compost, but Barb discussed how we could decrease the cost by half by purchasing Com-Til Plus from the City of Columbus instead. Diane discussed how she used it on her garden and it worked well. It has a similar consistency to compost. Rebecca raised a concern with residual chemicals and medicine. It was voted to purchase up to three inches of the Com-Til Plus if we are able to raise the necessary funds by charging $30/plot this year.

There was some discussion about when the compost would be applied. Because we will not be able to raise enough money until mid-November at the earliest, we will be purchasing the compost after we have enough funds and then apply it – maybe around Thanksgiving. It would be better to apply it after plowing and before the snow falls so that it can partially work itself into the soil. We will need help spreading the compost after it is delivered.

Early Registration. Jay had previously proposed early registration to raise money to purchase the compost. At the meeting, he also suggested that current gardeners be permitted to reserve up to the same number of plots they gardened this year a week before the garden registration opens to the public. The communications committee will publicize the registration through a number of avenues and in the neighborhood of the Garden. Barb is working on a survey for the neighborhood.

Alysha observed that we could pay for the Com-Til Plus by registering just 60 plots and suggested that 33% of the plots be reserved for the neighbors and for school students. She reported that she had contacted a number of area home economic teachers and they were covering urban farming and gardening in their classes. She thinks that they might be interested in gardening in Bexley. It would also help with fundraising. I pointed out that we only had 4-5 neighbors garden with us this year. Rebecca suggested that we be flexible enough to describe the plots with less specificity because we might end up with many interested gardeners and not as many students. I suggested that we tentatively reserve no more than 20 plots so that we can accommodate as many gardeners as possible.

There was some discussion about how much the plots should be subsidized for economically challenged gardeners. Jay suggested that each gardener pay at least $10 so that they could be proud of contributing to the Garden and feel ownership in it. They should more than double their investment if our soil improvement plan works.

Because we do not know yet how the Garden will be designed (because we do not know exactly where the new water line will run), we can only describe that the plots will be a minimum of 120 square feet (which is larger than this year). There was some discussion about putting a maximum limit of plots which gardeners could reserve (since they will be given priority in reserving the same plots the following year). The consensus was to limit gardeners to 2 plots each for now.

Current gardeners can reserve plots from October 17 until October 24. Bexley gardeners can begin reserving plots on October 25 and can reserve a second plot beginning on November 1 (subject to availability). Subject to availability, non-Bexley gardeners can register to reserve a plot on November 8 and can register to reserve an additional plot beginning on November 15 if plots are still available.

Registration will be available in the Parks & Recreation website, although neighbors can register by mail.

The Friends voted to approve the early registration plan.

Garden Rules. In light of the early registration plan, we will want the registrants to be aware of the Garden Rules before they register for a plot. This was a glitch this year because gardeners who registered online and did not attend meetings of the FBCG were unaware of the expectations.

The only discussion was over whether to make the work days in April mandatory. Alysha reported that she would not attend because her children had a birthday that weekend and felt enough people would show up without making the work day mandatory. Amy felt that it would be demoralizing to make the work days mandatory. Diane and I felt that a mandatory work day was necessary in order to get the Garden set out without putting all of the work on just a few people. I repeated my concern that too many people are willing to leave the physical labor to others and focus only on their own plots. We only had six adults show up to spread mulch last year and Bruce mulched half the garden by himself. It was to be stressed that community gardens cannot operate or accomplish their goals unless everyone participates equitably in the work of the Garden. For instance, we do not have little elves or paid staff to spread mulch on the paths or plant flowers along the south fence.

1. Gardeners must begin planting in the Garden before May 20 and keep it planted or maintained until the Fall Clean Up date or the plot will be reassigned to the next name on the wait list or tilled in after 10 days notice.

2. If a gardener must abandon his or her plot for any reason (or be absent for more than 10 days), the gardener should notify a Garden Operations Chair so that the ripe produce may be harvested and donated to a food pantry or shelter and/or the plot reassigned to the next name on the wait list (as applicable).

3. Gardeners will keep their plots and the adjacent paths weeded and litter free or the plot will be reassigned to the next name on the wait list or tilled in after 10 days notice of the need to clean it up.

4. Gardeners will stay on the Garden paths or your own plot. This also means that your garden should not grow into someone else’s plot or block use of the paths.

5. Herbicides (also known as weed killers) may never be used in the Garden. Gardeners must also be cautious about any activities (like pesticides, invasive plants, over watering, etc.) which could affect their neighbor’s plot. Organic gardening techniques are highly encouraged.

6. A community garden only works if everyone shares in the effort. All gardeners (or their adult representatives) are expected to attend at least one of the work days during the second weekend of April to mark out the plots and paths and to spread mulch on the paths and along the outside of the fence. No plots will be assigned until the Garden has been set out. The rain date will be the third weekend in April. Gardeners are also encouraged to participate in the Gardening Tilling Day the third weekend of April (or fourth weekend if weather requires) to hand-till the Garden plots with hand tools and machines. Other volunteer events (like to plant flowers along the fence, etc. are encouraged but at this point are not mandatory).

7. No pets are permitted in the Garden.

8. Gardeners should not leave tools in the paths where someone could trip over them and should return any of the community tools to their regular location near the gate when they leave for the day.

9. Children are welcome in the Garden, but must be supervised at all times by an adult.

10. Unless the plot has been reserved for the following year, gardeners should clean up their plot and remove any objects placed there by the gardener (including stakes and rocks, etc.) by November 1 or they may be banned from having Garden plot in the following season.

11. If a plot contains blighted plants, the gardener will be given one week’s notice to remove or cure the plant or to convince the Garden Operations Committee chairs that it is not dangerous to other plants in the Garden and should not be pulled and destroyed.

Garden Clean Up. We discussed the need to rake up the mulch on the current paths before the Garden is plowed (so that the wood chips do not decompose and rob the soil of valuable nitrogen). Bruce announced that he (and his valuable wheel barrow) could only come on October 31. Steve asked where the mulch should be placed once it is raked up (if he found time to begin raking before October 31). Alysha suggested that the fence be pulled up so that we could rake the mulch to the western and northern fence lines (where it will keep the weeds from growing in the fence). Mulch should not be placed near the southern or eastern fences because of construction and expansion of the Garden.

The Friends voted to make Garden Rake Up Day on October 31.

Website. I announced that Rebecca has created a website just for the Bexley Garden at www.bexleycommunitygarden.blogspot.com.

Election of Officers. Alysha had scheduled an executive committee meeting immediately before the Friends meeting, but only three of us showed up. We need elected officers to, among other things, sign a lease for the Garden and other documents. I asked for nominations and the following individuals were elected: Alysha as President; Jessica as Secretary and Bruce as Treasurer.

Miscellaneous. Margaret announced that Friends of the Alum Creedk Tributaries (FACT) was having a compost lecture on Thursday at Innis Woods Metro Garden near Westerville. A $15 registration fee would provide each attendee with a $35 compost bin. She also indicated that the Bexley Garden had been authorized to use the Four Seasons Garden (which has 501(c)(3) status) as a fiscal agent for grant applications, etc. She suggested that we form a non-profit organization and register with the Ohio Secretary of State.