Garden Guidelines

Pull weeds before they seed
Pluck slugs
Keep it clean, practice good gardening hygiene
For more gardening tips contact the Cooperative Extension Service website or our local UAF-CES Agriculture/Horticulture and 4-H Agent at 796-6281.

Please be respectful of community tools and materials
Community Tools and supplies are to remain at the gardens, never taken home (unless being repaired or authorized by the Board).
Return tools and equipment clean and in good working order. Tools should be washed using the hose to thoroughly remove dirt and debris.
If a tool needs to be repaired or if you have a suggestion of a tool that would be useful to have, please contact a board member.
No permanent structure may be placed at the gardens without prior approval from the DCG Board.
Hoops should not block light from neighboring plots. Hoops should be no more than 3 feet higher than ground level.
Please also consider the height of your plants and how they might affect light on your neighbors plot. Sunshine is already limited enough in Douglas, let’s try to help each other out!

Both sites have composting bins set up (made out of wooden flats). Please help fill them with both brown and green compostable material.
Do not compost: weeds, potato stalks, tomato stems, or diseased plants
Please contact the board if you’d like to be on the composting committee, a great opportunity to earn volunteer hours
B Street Site has a greenhouse. Please contact the Greenhouse Coordinator (TBD) or the Board before growing something in the greenhouse.
Pest management in the greenhouse is very important.

Weed management is an important part of community gardening, else everyone’s plots suffer. Please:
- Dig and pull weeds and all their root parts
- Don’t put weeds in compost. Throw in trash or burn
- Cut flower heads before seeds set and spread
- Plant aggressive, yet wanted plants in containers (such as mint)
- Cover and put tarps on beds not being used
- Be careful not to spread known weeds to other areas, i.e. compost
- Help your neighbor (share your garden knowledge, not the weeds)
Most plants can be grown in the DCG plots, but we must be considerate of our gardening neighbors (often divided only by a string) and SE Alaska’s ecosystems. Invasive plants have a tendency to be aggressive and escape cultivation and can alter ecosystems. They must be detected early and handled properly to prevent a future problem. Please alert the Board if you suspect an invasive plant is growing at either DCG location.
Please do not plant Invasive Plants or other common weeds at the Douglas Community Garden. Visit this site for a list of non-native plants and their invasiveness rankings. Plants ranked over 50 may not be planted. Plants ranked between 30 and 50 should be planted in a container.
If you are unable to keep the weeds in your plot manageable, you may be notified by the Board. If you are further unable to manage weeds, we may transfer the stewardship responsibility (and control of the plot) to someone else.

Pesticides and herbicides are not allowed at the Douglas Community Gardens unless authorized by the Board.
Fertilization- We recommend that you amend your soil with seaweed, shells, and moderate amounts of compost or composted manure.
- Over Fertilization can be a problem. If you use synthetic fertilizers, please do so sparingly and keep the following records: active nutrient levels (ie.16-16-16 or whatever), amount applied (ie. # ounces), and dates applied.

Dogs need to be on leash and attached to their person (leash around the waist, etc.) Do not let them walk or do other business in or around garden boxes.
Dog feces is to be picked up by their person and removed by their person from the garden property. There is not a supply of dog poop bags on site. There is not a trash receptacle on site. Dog feces is a poor mix with garden dirt piles, wood chips, compost piles or other garden resources.
The DCG encourages you to involve your own and/or other children in your gardening venture. Please make every effort to see that children respect plots and walkways.
Parents are completely responsible and liable for the actions of their children and their pets.
There are two designated youth plots at B Street. If these plots are not used for youth activities, they will be considered community plots and gardeners may plant and care for them for volunteer hours. Members helping out may harvest small amounts from community plots, and some produce may be donated.

Please, do not use tobacco products at the garden.
Diseases from the tobacco, the same ones that are present in tobacco products infect other solanaceae (tomato, potato, eggplant).
Report theft, vandalism, and other unwanted activities to a board member for immediate attention.

It is the responsibility of each member to leave the plots clean and useable for the following season.
All plots must be closed before the Fall close-out work party, unless alternate plans made with the Board.
Plan ahead to prevent negligence of fall cleanup.
Remove and burn all potato and tomato stems and vines.
Pull weeds and cover plots with plastic to prevent soil nutrient leaching and unwanted weeds from settling in bare soil.
Record what crops were grown in the plot so future gardeners can maintain healthier soils by rotating crops. Send records to the Board if you do not plan on renewing your plot the following year.
There will be a Season close out work party each Fall. All beds will be closed down unless alternate plans have been made with the board. This is a great opportunity to finish up volunteer hours.
End of season tool clean-up: We will scrub tools with brushes from a bucket of soapy water, rinse them and then put the tools into a bucket of bleach water for 10 minutes, remove tools, dry them off and then apply oil from a damp rag to prevent rusting. Tools will be put away and inventoried to determine what tools need to be replaced for next year.

Have fun gardening and thanks for being active Douglas Community Garden Members!

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