A bed map is located on the kiosk at the side entrance to the garden. Garden rows are numbered 1-15, lettered A-F. Row 1 is at the front of the garden, closest to the road. Letters A-C are on the south side of the garden, D-F are in the north side.

To water your plants you may use the water spigots located along the center pathway. When you are finished watering, and no one else is around that will need the water, turn off the water at the hydrant. Water is paid for at the end of the season from our garden budget through Penfield Recreation.

Compost is used to enrich your garden soil. About 1x per year a pile of compost will be harvested from the bins. That pile will be left near the bins. You may take some and turn it into your garden.

In general you can put any organic matter into the bins. Compost guidelines are posted near the compost bins.

Organic gardening means that we try to minimize the amount of "chemicals" in our garden. Many popular garden products have organic alternatives. If you are unsure, ask at your local garden center for organic soil, bug spray, and plant food.

You may plant vegetables, flowers, and even perennials in your bed. Remember, if you intend to leave the garden community perennials will be granted to the next gardener who rents that bed. We have many amateur and experienced gardeners. Ask for help if you need it when deciding what to plant.

The best way to know what is going on is to be on the email list. If you do not give an email address at the time you register you will not be on the list. Contact Penfield Recreation to get on the list. The Sprout Newsletter, written by PCVG volunteers, comes out 1x per month via email. It is also posted on www.penfieldrec.org and on the kiosk at the garden. Sometimes special emails are sent out if an important bit of information must be shared immediately.

The garden is mowed by volunteers. Our mowers mow the inside pathways and around the exterior of the fence. We also mow around the tree up front. The town mows in front of the sidewalk. Mowing volunteers are always needed. You can sign up to mow a week by contacting the recreation department - (585) 340-8651, or srenner@penfield.org.

Safety is very important. Clearing the pathways of rocks is one way to be sure our volunteer mowers are safe. If you pick rocks from your garden deposit them on the south side of the parking lot. Also, do not leave piles of weeds in the pathways; this can spread plant disease and encourage unwanted bugs. Leave lengths of hoses on the gravel pathway and set it to the side.

There is a first aid kit in the shed at the back of the garden. The town asks that we fill out an injury report, located in the kit, if there is any injury at the garden.

Garden work days are scheduled about 3 times in the season between April and October. A work day is used to work on common garden areas; these are all the areas outside of personal beds. Common areas are all maintained by garden members who volunteer their time. All garden members are encouraged to spend some time maintaining common areas.

A cooler is available at the kiosk once the harvest begins. The donated produce is brought to the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf to be distributed to needy families in our community. Garden volunteers provide this service.

The PCVG project team committee, under the direction of the Penfield Recreation department guides and plans for the garden. All decisions about the garden are made through this committee with the approval of the Recreation department.

Contact the Recreation department to express your interest in joining the PCVG planning committee - (585) 340-8651, srenner@penfield.org.

Fundraisers are done so that equipment can be maintained and special projects can be completed.