Garden Rules

WELCOME TO THE 2026 GARDEN SEASON

NEW to the garden? Orientation is required. Contact us at:
summitgardenpvd@gmail.com

ABOUT THE SUMMIT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY GARDEN
We are a community garden organized by the Summit Neighborhood Association. We have a Steering Committee that helps guide our garden’s growth with Officers who work hard to keep the garden running smoothly. Find us on the web at: https://summitcommunitygarden.org/

GARDEN MEMBER RULES

● Gardeners in good standing can retain their plots by signing a new garden contract each season.
● Sign the garden contract and pay dues each year ($40) by April 15th. If the fee is a problem, talk to the garden chair or the vice chair. We have scholarships and are happy to help!
● If you no longer wish to retain your garden plot at SNCG, please email us. Also, make sure that your plot is cleared, and the next gardener can use it for cultivation.
● The SNCG Steering Committee can terminate a gardener’s membership and privilege to garden at SNCG for failing to follow the guidelines detailed below:

PARTICIPATE – IT’S PART OF THE DEAL
● Participation is mandatory. Plan to attend the Annual Meeting, workday events (fall and spring clean-ups), and special garden meetings or risk being terminated. We understand if you cannot attend meetings or participate in workdays. If so, please email SNCG about your absence at: summitgardenpvd@gmail.com.
● You may vote by email if you cannot attend in person, but you must vote.
● You must arrange an alternative time for your workday commitment.
● Repeated absences from workdays, and meetings are grounds for termination. If you are sent a warning and fail to reply, after three repeated attempts, your privileges will be terminated.
● If your contact info changes, let us know by emailing us.
● Each garden plot holder is required to volunteer as a garden steward for one week each season, assisting with watering and weeding communal plots as needed.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR PLOT AND MAINTAINING AN INCLUSIVE GARDEN
CULTURE
● We are a community of gardeners. Please be considerate and kind to each other.
● Your plot must be planted by June 1, but you can begin preparing it and planting your vegetables earlier.
● Each gardener (with their household) cares for their plot.
● Keep your plot tidy, so it won’t spread weeds. Keep your plants within your plot & out of the aisle.
● Weed all around the perimeter of your plot, including the walkways and aisles.
● Email the assigned Garden Steward and Chair if you need someone to help care for your plot while you’re away.
● Don’t harvest from other plots or tend to other gardeners’ plots without permission.
● We are an organic garden! Do not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers (Miracle-Gro, for example) in the garden. If you’re not sure, please email us summitgardenpvd@gmail.com.

GARDEN GATE AND SHED ACCESS
● The garden gates are kept locked. Due to ongoing theft in the garden, entry is limited to gardeners only. Please make sure the gates remain locked at all times. You will be given the combination for all locks, but you must not share them.
● The shed has tools and supplies for your use. The shed must remain locked when not in use. Please, do not keep personal items in the shed.
● Report any damage, pest/animal problems, and theft to the Garden Steward or Officers.
● Feel free to invite community members in to explore the garden with you.

COMPOST AND RECYCLE
● Compost garden waste ONLY, but NOT tomatoes, weeds, or diseased plants — dispose of those in the brown paper bags.
● Keep plastic out of your plot. Take home plastic flowerpots – rinse and recycle them in your home bin.

GARDEN STEWARD RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Inspect the garden for any signs of damage and help keep it clean by removing any litter.
  • Check that the communal tools in the shed are clean, organized, and in good condition. Tidy the shed if needed, and always lock it when gardeners are not using it.
  • Inspect the composter. Add garden scraps to the leftmost bay, keep the compost adequately moist, and stir it regularly. If you have any questions about compost maintenance, please contact Michael Bradlee, SNCG Liaison to SNA, at thecommunitycompostdepot@gmail.com.
  • Remove weeds from the central pathway, the perimeter along the fence, and all other shared areas of the garden. Please do not weed the mint plants, as members have agreed to keep them because they help deter rodents.
  • If you notice ripe vegetables that have not been harvested, please email us with the plot number so we can remind the gardener to harvest their crops.
  • If there has been no rain for three days or the weather is especially hot, water all communal plantings. This includes:
    • the pollinator plot,
    • the area around the silver metal meter box,
    • the morning glories and other flowers along the fence,
    • the three communal plots outside the fence (two near the Summit Avenue entrance and one at the rear).
  • Water the plots of absent gardeners if they have requested assistance.

Sunday Evening

  • If the leaf bag near the Summit Avenue gate is full, place it outside the fence for collection and replace it with a new bag from the shed.
  • Please email us if the supply of leaf bags in the shed is running low.

© The Summit Neighborhood Community Garden Revised 02/28/2026

Garden Rules 2026Download