Garden New Season Welcome Meeting - held April 26th
The new season welcome meeting will be conducted to provide information regarding DPR requirements, going over garden rules, collecting gardener paperwork and dues for the 2025 season.
Initial welcome meetings took take place in April
Existing gardeners please keep a watch for the group email regarding the new season
Garden Workdays
The garden agreement require that members put in two hours a month to the common areas (not the member's plot) which requires you "to volunteer hours toward community gardening efforts. That time will include helping... for [at least] TWO (2) hours per month to maintain the community garden in addition to the time necessary for my own plot."
Workday spreadsheet for members unable to attend the requisite workday: If you are unable to make one of the workdays, you are permitted to work on your own time but you must work with the board to identify what you can work on to make up the workday.
2025 Workday Schedule -Dates
** NOTE - First October Workday is not on Thursday (Workday would end after sunset on Thursday)
Garden Year and Plot Rental
Your Plot Rental Fee is due annually by the spring garden meeting date and allows you to garden (provided you are in alignment with the garden rules) until March 15th of the next year. If you have not requested to keep your garden plot responding to the return to the Garden inquiry for the new garden year by March 25th and paid your garden plot season fee and completed the DPR agreements by the last spring meeting, your plot will be assigned to another person on the garden wait list. Each gardener is responsible for renewing and planting their own plot by the first weekend in May each year unless otherwise agreed upon with the Garden President at the addresses listed on the main page. If you join the garden late in the year, your garden year starts from the day you pay your Plot season Fee through March 15th of the following year. There is no discount for starting later in the year, Plot season Fees are the same year round.
Planting Season May 1 – October 30
Everything you do in a community garden may affect others around you. In order to keep the garden tidy, and avoid the spread of weed seeds and plant disease we have set dates during the year when your plot must be cared for. You must have your plot cleared and planted by the first weekend in May and you must keep your garden planted and weed free until September 30. You can feel free to garden your plot prior to May 1 and after September 30 if you wish.
Gardeners are encouraged to plant cover crops for fall and winter and specific cover crops are provided by the Garden. Cover crops keep your garden area tidy, and help provide nutrients and compost back into your garden plot when you turn them under in the spring. Several types of cover crops that do well in the DC area are:
Winter Wheat
Hairy Vetch
Annual Rye
Oats
Garden Peas
Fava Beans
Crimson Clover
Buckwheat
Barley
Australian Field Peas
Alfalfa