Department of Neighborhoods (DON) P-Patch Program
Rules for P-Patch Participants
(See also P-Patch Office Gardening)
Plot Use and Maintenance of
Adjacent Paths
- Your plot will be reassigned if it is not worked by April 1, or in
short season gardens, within two weeks of rototilling. Exceptions, however,
will be made for weather.
- Maintaining your garden is your responsibility: If this year will
be difficult for you, let us reassign your plot and you will stay at the top
of the waitlist to come in when you’re ready. If you need help watering
or harvesting, please notify your site coordinator or neighboring gardener.
- Do not expand your P-Patch beyond its designated area. Keep
invasive, vining and spreading crops confined to your own plot. In short-season
plots, comfrey and jerusalem artichokes are not permitted.
- Please be careful that sunflowers or tall trellised plants do not
shade your neighbor. You must call the office before building any structure
taller than four feet.Trees and permanent structures are generally not allowed
in plots.
- For safety, do not dig into main paths; keep paths level, rock free,
and wide for walking. Keep your own access paths fully within your own
plot unless you agree to share them with your neighbor. You must keep
the common paths around your garden weeded and/or mulched.
Unattended Plots - Reassignment of Your Plot
During the gardening season, P-Patch staff work with site coordinators to
monitor plot usage. When plots are untended (overgrown, weedy, unharvested)
for more than two weeks, gardeners will be contacted by phone or a postcard
and asked to take care of the plot by a certain date. Failure to comply can
result in reassignment of the plot; fees will not be refunded.
No Insecticides or Herbicides May be Used
The P-Patch Program is for organic gardening only. The use of insecticides
made from synthetic chemical materials is strictly prohibited. Rotenone, pyrethrin,
and Safer Soap are allowed only when used according to label directions.
Herbicides, or weed killers, are prohibited as well. Slug bait is permitted
only in enclosed containers which must be removed from
the site after use. Beer and sugar/yeast/water solution serve as organic
slug bait. If you have questions, please contact your site coordinator or
P-Patch staff
P-Patch Community Hours —
Eight Required
- At least four hours must be completed at your P-Patch
or by helping your P-Patch in some way (working your own plot or adjacent
paths does not count). Call your site coordinator for a task or see
the Site Maintenance section of the enclosed job list.
- Completing your hours is your responsibility,
as is recording your hours on the log sheet in your tool shed/tool box.
- Hours are due by October 31. If you’re having
problems, call the Program office, and we’ll find work for you.Gardeners who
fail to complete their hours may lose their plots.
Miscellaneous
- Smoking is prohibited
in the gardens. Tobacco can transmit a lethal virus to tomatoes.
- Loud radios are prohibited.
Please consider headphones for your neighbor's peace and quiet.
- Tires are not allowed
at the sites. They can release cadmium or lead into the garden.
- Produce from your plot
may not be sold.
- Please treat hoses carefully
and return them when finished watering. If others are waiting to use
the hoses, limit your time to 15 minutes. Sprinklers must be attended.
Be careful not to water others' plots without their permission.
- Water service is off between
11/1 and 3/15.
- Well-mannered, leashed
dogs are allowed within your own plot, unless complaints are received. Please
remove scooped poop. Dogs are not allowed at Good Shepherd and Capitol
Hill.
- Closely supervise your
children.
- Do not block paths while
visiting your garden.
- There is no garbage service.
Please pick up trash and take it home for disposal.
Other rules:
At the P-Patch Program office, copies of the flyer, Being a Considerate
Gardener, are available.
2001 Season
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