Community Garden Rules & Regulations

Welcome! You are joining a community garden. This means that you are not simply receiving access to an individual garden bed/ plot, but that you are agreeing to take part in making the entire garden a well-maintained, beautiful, and valuable asset to the neighborhood.

All gardeners are expected to garden for the entire season, attend group workdays (at least once during the gardening season), and communicate with the garden coordinator as needed.

Please remember: No one “owns” any specific garden beds; rather, each raised bed/ plot within the garden is rented by a gardener for one garden season (March 15th – November 15th).

Ver las regals y regulaciones en español

Eligibility

Gardeners must be residents of Middlesex County or affiliated with Rutgers University. Gardeners must be 18 years old or older to participate.

By participating in the community garden, all gardeners agree to abide by these rules. Failure to comply may result in the forfeiture of the assigned plot.

Each household is limited to one raised bed or plot. Family members living in the same household are not permitted to have separate, additional plots.

Garden Rules

1. Days, Hours Of Operation
   • You are welcome to visit the site to tend your garden plot(s) on your own schedule, seven days a week, during the growing season.
   • However, the gardens are open to you during daylight hours only.
   • No gardeners should be on site after dark in the evening, or before sunrise in the morning.
2. Communication
   • Ensure your email address and phone number remain up to date, as these will be the primary means of communication between the garden coordinator and gardeners. Any changes to your contact information must be reported within three business days.
3. Notification System
   • 1st Notice
     • Email notice/phone call is sent detailing the issue. The gardener has one week to resolve it. Notices are cumulative and do not need to be consecutive.
       • Each Notice gives the gardener a week for improvement.
   • 2nd Notice
     • Final warning is issued. The gardener has one week to clean up the plot and maintain it for the rest of the season. Failure to comply leads to a 3rd notice.
   • 3rd Notice
     • The plot is reclaimed by Rutgers Gardens and reassigned. An email/phone call is sent, and the gardener has one week to remove personal belongings. Items left behind will become property of Rutgers Gardens.
4. Personal Hardship
   • If you have a personal hardship that is preventing you from successfully maintaining your plot, please contact the garden coordinator to request assistance so your plot is not flagged with maintenance warnings.
5. Plots + Structures
   • No altering of the dimensions of any garden bed is permitted.
   • Gardening must begin by April 1st. If weeding, planting, etc. is not initiated by this date, the plot will be considered forfeited and assigned to the next person on the waitlist.
   • Gardeners are responsible for all maintenance, which includes watering, weeding, harvesting, and other garden-related tasks.
   • Gardeners must ask the Garden Coordinator for approval before installing any type of trellis or structure in their garden bed.
     • There is a 5-foot height restriction for trellises, structure, items and fencing so as not to shade neighbors’ gardens.
       • Gardeners will be required to remove all unauthorized structures.
   • Gardeners are not allowed to plant in “empty” areas around the garden.
   • Gardeners cannot claim an empty box/plot without approval from  the garden coordinator.
     • If plants/crops are found in unauthorized empty boxes, they will be removed without warning.  
   • Personal items may be stored within a gardener’s plot but should be kept to a minimum and placed neatly in a corner of the plot/raised bed.
     • Walking aisles must remain clear and are not to be used for planting, storage, or other purposes. Pots and containers must be kept within your raised bed/plot and should not be outside or in walkways, ensuring paths remain unobstructed.
   • Garden plots cannot be connected.
     • Gardeners with previously connected beds will be asked to separate them.
   • Each household is only permitted to have one raised bed or plot.
     • Returning members may request a second raised bed/plot if additional spaces are available.
6. Respecting Private Property
   • Each plot is considered private property. Entering another plot, even if it contains rotting produce or weeds, is strictly prohibited without explicit permission from the plot owner.
7. Plot Relinquishment
   • If a gardener decides to end their participation during the season, they must notify the Garden Manager promptly so the plot can be reassigned to someone on the waitlist.
   • Gardeners are not permitted to transfer or pass down their plots to others. All reassigned plots will be offered to individuals on the waiting list by the garden coordinator to ensure fairness.
8. Weeding
   • Gardeners are expected to keep their garden beds neat and productive throughout the season.
     • This includes consistent removal of weeds within each plot/bed and along its perimeters/boundaries.
       • Failure to maintain clean and clear pathways may result in the loss of fencing privileges.
       • Gardeners are expected to maintain all adjacent paths bordering their plot(s), including half of the path shared with neighboring plots.
   • If a gardener does not follow these basic expectations, the gardener will be notified via email/phone and will have a week per warning to improve their garden bed/plot.
     • Failure to do so will result in the garden bed/plot being reassigned to another gardener.
       • Each gardener will be given a total of three warnings.
         • The third and final warning will be sent as a reminder to remove any personal belongings.
   • Gardeners are responsible only for their rented plot and the walkways directly surrounding it.
     • Any cleaning or maintenance of common areas is limited to designated group volunteer workdays.
     • If a plot is consistently unkempt and the gardener is unresponsive to the phone calls or emails, the plot may be forfeited at any time during the garden season.
9. Use Of Fertilizers + Pesticides
   • For the health and safety of all participants, only organic fertilizers are to be used in the garden.
   • No pesticides (including insecticides, fungicides, or herbicides) are allowed.
   • Please talk to the Garden Coordinator for more information should you have any questions.
10. Composting
    • A compost area is provided for gardeners to deposit their garden debris.
    • Finished compost may also be available; please do not add garden debris to finished compost.
    • Please do not compost weeds that have gone to seed, or insect/disease/fungus infested plant material (these items should be disposed of in the trash).
    • Ask the Garden Coordinator if you are unsure of what to compost.
    • Please do not place non-garden materials, including other food scraps, in the piles; the composting area is for on-site composting only.
       
11. Trash Management
    • Gardeners must clean up after themselves.
      • Esperanza Community Garden: Trash cans are provided around the perimeter of the garden.
      • Cook Organic Garden: the garden operates as a carry-in/carry-out facility. Gardeners must take their trash with them.
12. Facilities
    • Water
      • There is no drinkable water available at either community garden. Gardeners must bring their own water.
    • Bathrooms
      • A portable bathroom is available at the Cook Organic Garden at all times.
      • At the Esperanza Community Garden, the portable bathroom is only accessible during market hours or when the garden manager is present.
13. Use Of Community Garden Equipment
    • Some community tools are provided for shared use and stored on site; please return these to their designated areas when you are finished using them.
    • Gardeners are responsible for bringing their own tools to tend to their plots, as some tools may not always be available in the community shed.
    • No personal items may be stored in the community garden sheds.
    • Hydrants are located around the garden. Hosesare provided.
      • Hoses should be neatly wrapped after every use.
    • Wood chips and leaves are provided at all times. Manure is only provided when available from the animal farm.
14. Security and Theft
    • Garden gates are locked to prevent access by non-members. The access code will be emailed to you yearly; please do not share it. Keep the gates closed at all times to prevent theft and wildlife entry.
    • Report broken gate locks or suspicious activity to the staff via email/text message.
    • Call RUPD at 732-932-7211 for any emergencies.
15. FALL CLEANUP
    • A thoroughly cleaned garden bed is required in order to be invited to return as a gardener each season.
    • During fall cleanup, all plants and weeds must be removed and disposed of properly in the garden compost pile. All stakes, trellis, netting, fencing, tomato cages, watering cans, plant materials and other personal items must be removed by November 15th .
      • Gardeners may store personal items during the off season, but it should be kept at a minimum and should be neatly placed in a corner of their plot/raised bed.
        • Please note that we are not responsible for any items that may go missing during the off-season.  
      • If a gardener wishes to garden outside the official garden season, they must request approval from the Garden manager.
16. ANNUAL RENEWALS
    • Gardeners who want to renew their garden beds for the following season should notify the Community Garden Coordinator by November 1st.
    • Renewals are based on fees being paid in full each spring and keeping their garden beds properly maintained.

Important Contacts

Anahi Nicolas, Urban Farm Coordinator
848-932-7000
avn26@sebs.rutgers.edu

Meagan Terry, Assistant Director: Sustainable Agriculture & Urban Farms 
848-932-7000
met108@sebs.rutgers.edu