Applications open for community garden

It’s not too early to start thinking about your summer garden.

Join the Sisters Community Garden and reserve a place to grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Applications for new and existing members are available through March 1. 

Returning gardeners have until that date to reserve the same raised bed they used last year. After March 1, new applicants will be assigned a space depending on availability.

Garden plots measure four feet by 20, 15, and 10 feet, are surrounded with wood siding, and have a water spigot. Two waist-high beds are available for those who are unable to work on the ground. Compost, aged manure, and soil are available to gardeners.

Fees, which include water throughout the season as well as some soil amendments, are $35 for the larger beds, $25 for middle sized, and $20 for the smaller beds.

An added bonus for members is the use of the greenhouse, where most gardeners plant their beloved tomatoes and other certain warmth-loving vegetables.

Greenhouse raised beds and large pot spaces are granted by lottery at the group’s April 6 work party. The fee for use of greenhouse beds is an additional $15. Other greenhouse space is available for starting plants.

Garden members are expected to participate in two of three work parties to help maintain the garden’s shared flower and herb beds, blueberry and raspberry patches, and apple trees, plus weed the surrounding garden. Members can also participate in maintaining the butterfly garden, which last year attracted monarch butterflies for the first time, beehives and compost beds that members are welcome to use for their home vegetable and fruit scraps.

The garden hosts several events for members, as well as special events for non-members. Members have access to workshops focusing on seed starting, caring for tomatoes, growing vegetables in our challenging climate, plot irrigation, succession planting, and frost protection.

The popular Lunch in the Garden, which is open to the public, takes place during the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and showcases the garden and features hand-made quilts.

The application, release of liability form, garden rules, and further are located on the group’s website at sisterscommunitygarden.org, under the “members” section. Fees and donation checks should be made payable to SCG and mailed to P.O. Box 434, Sisters, OR 97759. For more information email SistersCommunityGarden@gmail.com.