Maintenance of Your Garden Beds
Members agree to maintain all of their garden beds so that weeds are not left to seed, or spread to neighbouring beds.
Hay and straw available on site may be useful in mulching garden beds when not in use, but beds will still need regular maintenance.
Please assist in the maintenance of the garden by keeping the surrounding edges and pathways of your garden beds free of obstacles and weeds. Try to ensure that all plants stay within the confines of your garden beds. This helps the volunteers who mow and whipper-snip the pathways.
If you are unable to harvest your entire crop and would like to offer it to others please display a ‘Free Picking’ marker on your bed (ice cream container lids make good markers).
Organic Policy
As part of our commitment to sustainability, gardeners should use organic methods and follow permaculture principles. This means, please do not use poisons and pesticides or synthetically manufactured fertilisers.
What you can use:
- Blood and bone, chicken pellets;
- Seasol or similar soil conditioners;
- Organic cow, horse or sheep manure, and compost (weed-seed free please!);
- Lime, gypsum, rock dust, seaweed;
- Organic pest control as a last resort:
e.g. white oil, wettable sulphur, chilli sprays etc
Children
Any child under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other responsible person in the garden. The parent, guardian or responsible person must be present, and take full responsibility for the child and their actions at all times while present in the Garden.
Membership of the Kingston Community Garden is limited to people who are at least 18 years of age.
Tools
The garden has a collection of hand tools in the tools container that all members are welcome to use on site, with the exception of the power tools which can only be used with a committee member.
Any tools used must be cleaned and returned to the tools container after use.
A key to the tools container is available upon payment of a $10 refundable deposit.
Please ensure that the tools container is securely locked before leaving the site.
Pets and Rubbish
The gardens are a pet and rubbish free zone. We have three bins:
- A red topped bin, for general rubbish,
- A yellow bin, for recycled material only,
- A green bin, for green waste only.
Rubbish collection is on Thursday mornings.
Composting
If you wish to use the compost bins please follow the guidelines on the side of the compost bins.
Please do not add twitch/couch grass runners or any other weeds with runner-type roots to the compost bins. If you are not sure what this means, please ask. These twitch, couch and other weeds with runner-type roots should be placed in the green waste bin.
Plant material should be broken down as much as possible before being adding to the compost. This applies especially to woody plant material.
Please remember that the compost bins are maintained by volunteer work. If unsuitable material is added, this impacts on your fellow gardeners.
Site Use and Maintenance
Please treat all people, property, facilities and the environment with respect.
Members agree to attend at least 2 working bees per year.
Produce may not be sold on site for personal profit.
Forfeiture of Garden Plots
A plot will be forfeited by the holder if it is neglected for 6 months or more. In cases of prolonged absenteeism, inform a committee member or leave a waterproof notice on your plot. Gardeners who no longer require their plot should notify a committee member so that the plot can be reallocated to waiting gardeners.
If a plot is not maintained and becomes overgrown, the committee will ask the holder if they would like to relinquish it so that another person can use it.
Health and Safety
Please take precautions to minimise health and safety risks by wearing gloves, hats, sun screen, covered shoes etc.
A first aid kit is located in the tools container with forms to record any incidents.
Please report any damage to tools and equipment, or any hazards or concerns that you become aware of in the garden, such as broken beds.
Questions and Feedback
If you have any questions or feedback please contact Chris:
kingstoncommunitygarden@gmail.com or ph 0407 560 960.