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Puyallup Community Garden Brown Property The Puyallup Community Garden is located on the Brown Property at 1111 19th Ave SW in Puyallup. The garden is open to the public and available for year-round gardening from February to October for an annual fee. The following Garden Plot Guidelines are in addition to the City’s Parks Code which regulates all City park use. These guidelines are set forth to ensure the garden users safety and satisfaction. Contacts For assistance with reservations, plot delineations and general guidelines contact the Puyallup Recreation Center at (253) 841-5457. Specific questions and for reserving a garden plot ask for Brett Carter. Reservations can be made at the Puyallup Recreation Center Monday –Friday. Reservations The Puyallup Community Garden consists of 44 garden plots, which are 10’x 10’ in size. Annual fees are $30 resident and $36 non-resident for each plot. Returning gardeners may reserve their plots beginning the second week of February. Reservations of available plots for new gardeners will be taken the second week of March. Additional plots can be rented if there is no waiting list. Contact the Puyallup Recreation Center for reservation forms. Once again Reservations can be made at the Puyallup Recreation Center Monday –Friday. Community Garden Guidelines 1. A garden plot must be maintained, planted or mulched, and stay within its boundaries. Plots may not be consistently weedy, untended or filled with debris. Gardeners should expect to spend on average 2 hours per week tending the plot during the growing season. This constitutes a “working garden.” 2. The growing season: 2nd Week of February - October 31st These are approximate seasons depending on conditions. Gardens are prepared for winter with mulch or cover crop. Perennial crops and some annual winter hardy crops may be over-wintered but should be maintained. 3. Garden plots are rented on a year-round (2nd week in February – Oct 31st) basis; however, by the end of the primary growing season gardeners who are not doing winter gardening should remove all non-plant materials from their plots. This includes plastic pots, wire tomato cages, stakes, tools and tires etc. All perennial plant material, temporary structures, wire cages, etc. must be removed when a gardener discontinues gardening at the Community Gardens. Individual gardeners are responsible for cleaning ---PAGE BREAK--- the plots and returning them to their original condition so that they can be assigned to new gardeners next season. 4. Community Garden Deadlines: 2nd Week in February: Returning gardeners should apply to retain their plots this week. Applications will be accepted through the end of February at the Puyallup Recreation Center, 808 Valley Ave NW ([PHONE REDACTED]). 2nd Week in March: New applications will be accepted for available garden plots. Applications are available at the Puyallup Recreation Center. Once a gardener is registered for a plot these deadlines are in place to motivate gardeners. April 1st: By this date the gardener should meet these minimum requirements of “getting started.” Weeding, planting Working some of the soil in preparation for planting Harvesting of crops, if appropriate Pathway clean-up By this date gardeners must begin working in their assigned plots. Plots not worked by this time may be reassigned. June 1st: There should be marked progress towards a productive garden, which includes: At least ½ of the individual’s plot should be worked Removal of remaining weeds Establishing and caring for plants Continued pathway maintenance (since plots are close together, gardeners should endeavor to keep their borders free from weeds or other materials that may impact neighboring plots.) October 1st: Activities during this month include: Harvesting of the annual crop Clean up and composting of plants Plots can be cover-cropped and/or mulched (if retaining the plot) Removing any other items from the plot and returning it to original condition (if not retaining the plot) Gardeners not planning on retaining their plot(s) for next season should return their shed key to the Puyallup Recreation Center. 5. Vegetables, herbs, flowers and small fruit plants for home consumption and donation are appropriate in the community garden. It is not acceptable to allow quantities of produce to rot. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6. No large structures, trees, or large collection of non-plant items are allowed. 7. Produce may be shared but not sold. Please consider giving to your neighbors in need. You must pick and give the food yourself. 8. Please do not expand your designated plot. Allow space for vining or spreading crops. Do not let plants encroach on other plots or into the walkway. 9. Please respect other plots and harvest from your plot only. Infringement of another gardener’s plot could result in loss of your garden plot. 10. The Puyallup Community Garden gardeners should follow stringent organic gardening standards, wildlife and environmental practices and rules set out by the Puyallup Parks and Recreation Department. Therefore, the use of chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers is strictly forbidden. Use of raw human or animal waste, including “hot or green” manure is not allowed due to environmental and health concerns; however, fully composted manures such as Tagro, steer or chicken manures are allowed. 11. Pest and plant disease management options: • Select non-chemical management choice as your first option. • Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the first choice for pest control. Go to the WSU site, or contact a Master Gardener to get information for specific IPM questions. • Use WSU Master Gardener website as a resource for plant disease and management: http://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/Home/HortsenseHome.aspx ; this site includes home gardener fact sheets for managing plant problems with IPM. 12. Water in the gardens is turned on by April 1st and shut off by October 31st. • Gardeners must be present at their plots while watering them. • Drip irrigation, soaker hoses and other irrigation should not be left on unattended. • Gardeners should conserve water as much as possible. 13. Gardeners are responsible for the maintenance of shared paths adjacent to the plots. Gardeners should also keep these pathways clear of rocks, tools and other obstacles. 14. Gardeners should closely supervise their children and encourage and model respectful behavior towards neighbors and their garden plots. 15. Dogs must be leashed and not allowed to run through the garden or go into other garden plots. Please be mindful that your pet is not crushing other gardener’s plants or urinating on their produce. Please clean up after your pet. 16. One of the main goals in community gardening is to work together or next to each other in relative harmony. Please be courteous in all interactions and work together to resolve any disagreements.