Garden Policies

Marina F. Andrews Community Garden
Policies & Information (Effective November 6, 2024) 

Garden Plot Rental Management 

• Prospective gardeners can request to rent a garden plot through the Marina F. Andrews Community Garden (MFACG) website, https://www.mfacg.org/. 

• Garden plot rentals are available only to residents or non-resident taxpayers of the Town of Falmouth. Use of each plot is restricted to the registered renter or family member; subletting of plots is not allowed. 

• To be eligible for the use of a garden plot, each garden plot renter and any helper or volunteer must sign a liability release form and submit it to: Farming Falmouth, PO Box 2322, Teaticket, MA 02536 Attn: Marina F. Andrews Community Garden. 

• Plot renters must agree to perform volunteer work (see Parcel Maintenance & Gardener Contribution) toward the upkeep of the community areas of the garden (i.e., lawn mowing, weed whacking, applying wood chips to paths, shed maintenance, compost maintenance, etc.). 

• Maximum square footage assigned to one household is 600*sq.ft. *(One grandfathered exception approved by vote of the board) * 

• Rentals are for a period of one calendar year, January to December. There is no discount in the rental charge for mid-year or portion of the year rentals. 

• Raised beds (if available) are reserved for gardeners with physical limitations. All requests for plot changes from current plot renters for the next season must be submitted to the Marina F. Andrews Community Garden Board of Directors (MFACG BOD) in writing or email by December 15th. Plot change requests will be considered in date order received as plots are available. A request does not guarantee that a plot change will be made. 

• Renters of existing garden plot rentals may retain their current rental by submitting the application and fees for the coming year by the deadline. 

• The MFACG BOD will maintain a waitlist of people requesting plots in order of request date. 

  • When a current plot renter does not rent the plot for the next year, the plot will allocated to the next person on the waitlist in the following order based on category and request date: 

    • First to active plot renters wishing to give up their current plot to move to another one

    • Second to people on the waitlist who do not currently rent a plot. 

    • Third to current gardeners seeking an additional plot 

  • The MFACG BOD will notify applicants on the waitlist by email when a plot is available for them. 

• Each notified applicant will have five calendar days to respond by email indicating acceptance of the plot. They will be required to complete the application for the coming year by the stated deadline below. If no response is received by the email deadline, or the applicant declines the plot offered, the next person on the waitlist will be contacted and the first person’s name will be moved to the bottom of the waitlist. 

• Applications for plots must be submitted and fees paid and postmarked by December 15th for the coming year. Returning gardeners will be able to retain their plots from the prior year, assuming timely submission of their applications and fees. All other plot assignments will be done as described above. 

• Fees are indicated on the application form. 

Garden Plot Use and Care Rules 

• Individual garden plots must be substantially planted by June 15th of each year or the plot will be reassigned and the plot fee forfeited. 

• It is the responsibility of each gardener to keep his or her plot reasonably free of weeds and debris and to keep the adjacent paths clear. It is important that weeds not be allowed to go to seed. Vacationing gardeners are not exempt from weed and maintenance rules. It is their responsibility to find someone to maintain their plot while they are gone. Gardeners compostable waste material shall be promptly removed and deposited in the designated compost location. There is no waste removal service at the garden, therefore Gardeners are responsible to remove and dispose of their own wood, paper, plastics, metals, etc. offsite. 

• Trellises may be used. Height of trellis and plants shall be a maximum of 6 ft and be located at least 18” from the plot perimeter. 

• Animal traps and poison bait are prohibited. 

• Fencing around the perimeter of garden plots must be maintained so as not to protrude into pathways, causing safety problems or impeding wheelbarrows. 

• All soil amendments, insect and weed controls must be organic. (OMRI standards) Non-organic chemicals are not permitted. A list of approved organic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides is available from the MFACG BOD website. Any other substances, whether chemical or biological in nature, must be specifically approved by the MFACG BOD. For further guidance refer to “Organic Gardening Tips” on our website. 

• The storage shed is for community garden tools and equipment, such as hoses and wheelbarrows, and not to be used for the storage of personal tools. Personal tools are not the responsibility of MFACG BOD. 

• Community garden tools should be cleaned and returned to the shed after each use. Gardeners should report any missing, damaged or non-functioning tools or equipment to the MFACG BOD. A marker board inside the shed may be used for this purpose or send an email to gardeners@mfacg.org. 

• Gardeners must be present while watering. Please use water wisely. Water is provided at no cost by the Town. Your help is requested in conserving water, in particular whenever there are water restrictions during drought conditions. 

• Soaker and drip hoses are allowed. Preferred watering times are mornings and evenings. Sprinklers are not allowed. 

Garden Hours, Use of Berry Patch Lane, and Parking 

• Gardening is permitted from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. 

• The speed limit on Berry Patch Lane is 5 mph for the safety of Tony Andrews Farm visitors. Avoid standing water, when possible, to limit enlarging potholes. Parking will be allowed only in designated locations adjacent to the community garden. Please monitor your email in the fall for special parking, entrance and exit instructions based on activity at Tony Andrews Farm. 

Policy Violations and Enforcement 

• Policy enforcement will be done by the MFACG BOD and its Garden Designees. Violation of these policies may result in the eviction of the gardener. Substantial policy violations shall be brought to the plot holder's attention by MFACG BOD. Gardeners are encouraged to discuss the situation with the MFACG BOD or its Designees. Extenuating circumstances may be taken into account and other arrangements made at the discretion of the Group.

• If after a verbal warning, substantial progress or corrective action is not made, two written notices with an action deadline will be emailed to the gardener at least one week apart. If the deadline is not met, the gardener will be evicted and the plot tilled in and reassigned. 

• The gardener may appeal the eviction to the MFACG BOD. After consideration of the appeal, the decision of the MFACG BOD shall be final. Any plot holder evicted from the garden shall not be eligible for a plot for a period of two years following the eviction. 

General, Behavior and Consideration 

• We expect gardeners to respect and be courteous to their fellow gardeners. Plot renters are responsible for the behavior of their garden guests. 

• Children are welcome but must be closely supervised at all times. 

• Plots may not be used to grow items for sale as per the parcel lease agreement. Foul language, loud music, and alcohol consumption are prohibited. 

• Pets are not permitted within the garden area. 

• Tobacco products, smoking, including electronic cigarettes or vaping are prohibited. Growing of any drugs, such as cannabis, is prohibited as per Massachusetts State Statute. 

• Picking of produce or seed pods from plots other than your own is not permitted without permission from the plot renter. 

Parcel Maintenance & Gardener Contribution Efforts 

• Gardeners understand that this is a community garden. In order for it to succeed, gardener support is needed to maintain the site and equipment, to keep the site free of weeds and debris, and to assist in implementing new projects. The use of the site is contingent on our ability to keep it well maintained. It is expected that all gardeners will contribute to this effort. 

• Gardeners are required to assist with upkeep of common areas, clearing weeds including along the outside fence perimeter, to lay wood chips from time to time, to assist with spring cleanup, autumn shutdown and other duties as requested by the MFACG BOD Designees. 

• Allocation of volunteer work is based on plot area. It is anticipated that a minimum of 1 hour of volunteer work per season will be needed by each plot holder holding a raised bed or a 100 sf plot. For each additional 100 sf of area, a plot holder is expected to volunteer an additional 1 hr. per season (i.e., 3 hrs. per season for 300 sf). Hours may change based on need at the discretion of the MFACG BOD. 

• End of Season Clean-up: Garden plots are to be cleaned by December 1st of all dead plants, trash, pails, and fertilizer bags, with tomato cages and stakes neatly staged, leaving the plot tidy for the winter. 

• The MFACG BOD reserves the right to amend these policies from time to time (necessary), provided that all garden plot renters are given 7 days’ notice of the change. Correspondence regarding these policies should be sent to: gardeners@mfacg.org.