WELCOME
The Larkspur California Community Garden provides Larkspur residents space in 73 small garden plots, a tool shed, a compost area and a communal orchard. This Organic garden,
located in Piper Park was established in 1982.
If you eat fresh and inexpensive organically-grown vegetables, and have only a small deck with little room for planter boxes, or redwood trees shade your yard leaving no sun to plant homegrown tomatoes, peppers, string beans, broccoli, or flowers; and live in Larkspur, Calif., the community garden may be your solution.
We "grow" in learning about mulching and watering, other gardeners' techniques, sharing harvests, and building community in an ongoing year-round opportunity. We participate in community garden projects, which keeps our garden looking nice. We share good old garden know-how and receive recreation and therapeutic hands-in-the-soil benefits. Sign up today - the wait is worth it.
If you are interested in joining the garden community and if you live in Larkspur or Greenbrae, contact and sign up with the Larkspur Recreation Department.
See the Contact Us page for details.
The Larkspur California Community Garden provides Larkspur residents space in 73 small garden plots, a tool shed, a compost area and a communal orchard. This Organic garden,
located in Piper Park was established in 1982.
If you eat fresh and inexpensive organically-grown vegetables, and have only a small deck with little room for planter boxes, or redwood trees shade your yard leaving no sun to plant homegrown tomatoes, peppers, string beans, broccoli, or flowers; and live in Larkspur, Calif., the community garden may be your solution.
We "grow" in learning about mulching and watering, other gardeners' techniques, sharing harvests, and building community in an ongoing year-round opportunity. We participate in community garden projects, which keeps our garden looking nice. We share good old garden know-how and receive recreation and therapeutic hands-in-the-soil benefits. Sign up today - the wait is worth it.
If you are interested in joining the garden community and if you live in Larkspur or Greenbrae, contact and sign up with the Larkspur Recreation Department.
See the Contact Us page for details.
Hello Gardeners,
Hurray!
We applied for a grant from the Larkspur Community Foundation to renew and make repairs to our garden infrastructure.
In the application we stated that our gardeners would help with this renewal. This was very favorable in their decision.
Below is their reply to our request for a grant:
Stephen:
On January 19, 2023, the Larkspur Community Foundation Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the grant application by the Larkspur Community Garden to renew and protect the garden infrastructure. Shortly you will receive a check from our Treasurer, Molly Wuthrich.
The Foundation is pleased to support the Community Garden which was established some forty years ago through your leadership and the hard work of the gardeners. We are proud of the gardens which add so much to Piper Park as a showcase for the gardening talents of our community. Please let us know when the project is complete so that we might come visit the garden. Also we encourage you to let the gardeners know of the grant from the Larkspur Community Foundation.
Best regards,
Joan Lundstrom, President
Larkspur Community Foundation
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Our infrastructure renewal includes
- Replacement of some of the side wood borders which have rotted away.
- Replacing the frayed wind screen on the West fence that blocks the wind and keeps our garden warmer.
- Remaking our older and fading front gate garden sign with better materials and updated pictures and information.
- Finishing the job of filling in the fence spaces where rabbits might enter the garden.
As a community, we trust everyone will work-together to help us get this done.
Later when Public Works has the time, in early fall, they will make the necessary connections to the front and back borders.
We have also asked Public Works to replace the front garden border at garden #65 and leaning railings at the ramp and upper gardens.
Meanwhile, our gardener Laura Lovette has voluntered to redo our front sign. She was instrumental in helping to fund and design our original garden sign.
Bridgette Lane, garden #1 and her dad have already begun helping us with the fence "rabbit proofing" project - attaching chicken chicken wire along the fence spaces and placing green tubing (to close any openings) at the posts where the gates close.
See you in the garden,
Stephen
Our Garden Coordinators and I are thankful for all of you in our garden and for all your enthusiasm and efforts which bring us together as community.
Special thanks!
To all those who generously provide food for others through our Food Bank.
Thanks to those who help grow in our Food Bank Gardens and deliver to those in need.
Thanks to those who help in our Orchard, turn and water the Compost, deliver wood chips and weed along our fence lines.
Thanks to those who put their leftover greens and vegetables into our compost instead of their home garbage.
Thanks to those who plant, harvest and tend well their gardens and help each other with watering and weeding.
Thanks to those who did rabbit proof our fence line, and weed, prune and trim in our Maple Tree Garden and at our West fence.
Thanks to those who care for our Roses and Color Gardens.
Thanks to those who, before our deadline, remove tomato plants, clean their gardens and aisles and complete their Garden Work Time tasks.
Thanks to those who keep in contact with us about their joys and concerns and needs.
Thanks to those who came out to join us as community for our meeting and potluck.
Thanks to those who donate toward our garden needs and supplies when we pass the hat.
Thanks to the earth who gave the increase and for the opportunity to have such a beautiful garden.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Stephen
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Our Orchard is for the enjoyment of all gardeners.
We appreciate the work of our interested team of loyal volunteers who care to learn how to grow fruit trees organically.
General rule of thumb:
Please take only a few, (1 or 2), (3 if quantity allows), pieces of fruit as you enjoy the harvest, (we share with 73 gardeners), - and please pick up any fallen fruit, pick and remove any mummified dry fruit or fruit with bird damage. This organic “strict sanitation” prevents diseases.- and help pull a weed as you pass through.
Thank you.
Q. When is the best time to harvest from our Orchard? A. When the fruit is ripe. Not before.
Please learn when each of our 23 trees ripens. Observe them and pick accordingly.
Dwarf Meyer Lemon - generally December- February, then some fruit all year.
Bearss Lime - ripen May through October, some fruit all year. For best taste,
pick when mostly green, before they turn yellow.
Mott Apple. - early August.
Dwarf Navel Orange - December thru February.
Pound Sweet Apple. - September.
Seckel Pear - September.
Comice Pear. - mid October to mid November, (they turn slightly yellow), then ripen at home 5-7 days.
Nectarine. - mid July.
Mandarin Orange. - on tree a few months before ripening from November to March
2 - Liberty Apples - late August
6 - Peach Trees. - late July to mid August - depending on variety.
Sugar Prune Plum - late August.
3 - Colonnade Spire Apple trees -(along back fence) - mid August.
Plucot (Plum/Apricot) - mostly August to September.
Fuyu Persimmon - September
2 - Pineapple Quava - (outside West fence) - The edible flowers bloom in May, followed in late summer or fall by sweet, fragrant fruit that drops to the ground when ripe.
Orchard questions: Contact Coordinator Katherine Jones.
See you in the garden,
Stephen
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We miss you when you leave, and we want to remember you fondly for your care in keeping our garden looking so nice 😇 and for being an excellent part of our community even when you need to go and grow in other ways.
A reminder: Our garden rule #3 j.
"When leaving, all gardeners are expected to completely clean their plot of everything, all weeds, all plants, stepping stones, tomato cages, wood, debris, etc... You may either accomplish this yourself or pay someone to complete it before you leave. Do not leave anything in the tool shed. “
We try hard to start new gardeners with a clean garden palette for the gardener to plant without the unwelcome imposing remnants of the last garden.
Please don’t leave us having to re-clean gardens which were only partially cleaned or not cleaned at all.
We trust you will return the garden to us in the same way you received it, even better, with aisles and a garden in near pristine condition.
Please remember to notify Larkspur Recreation of your decision.
See you in the garden,
Stephen
In April 2020, Larkspur Recreation implemented some Covid guidelines to keep everyone safe and comfortable in the garden. Those guidelines are now lifted as we’re outdoors and have learned so much in the past couple years. We still encourage you to use your best judgement and treat others with respect.
Organic gardeners feed the soil and not the plant.
The soil serves as the reservoir for water and the vital nutrients that the plant requires for growth.
In an Organic garden the soil is the foundation of a healthy eco system.
The soil serves as the reservoir for water and the vital nutrients that the plant requires for growth.
In an Organic garden the soil is the foundation of a healthy eco system.
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"BARE- BONES-MINIMUM" OF GARDEN PARTICIPATION
The Larkspur Community garden is a community of gardeners who grow organically.
Good stewardship is a requirement for every single garden.
The following is a list of the bare-bone minimum of garden participation.
: should not reseed or spread
The Larkspur Community garden is a community of gardeners who grow organically.
Good stewardship is a requirement for every single garden.
The following is a list of the bare-bone minimum of garden participation.
- Every gardener has the responsibility of preparing their garden plot for Spring planting and again for Winter clean-up; and the weeding of their aisles prior to our March and October workday gathering.
- As a gardener you need to show that you are making some sort of an effort to be present at your garden and cultivate and care for your plants."Failure to care for your plot will result in termination of your lease."
- A garden plot: needs to be developed and used.
- Regular garden maintenance is necessary.
- Weeds need to be kept in check.
- Weeds : should not choke other plants
: should not reseed or spread
- Invasive plants require vigilant maintenance
- Unchecked plants are offensive, dangerous and a nuisance to everyone else.
- You need to be concerned about everyone else.
- You don't own your garden plot, you just lease it with the understanding that it will be gardened, used, weeded, pruned as necessary, watered and cared for, (hopefully with loving hearts, hands and enthusiasm). The appearance of your garden effects the community.
- It is not fair not to use it. We have a waiting list of hopeful gardeners who want your plot.
- We strive together to grow as community as we continue to enjoy our garden as much as we can. We all can creatively grow organically, therapeutically reduce stress and renew ourselves through recreation in the soil. We endeavor to do this more easily together than alone and share more abundantly as community than as individuals.
