Rancho Carlsbad Community Garden

Location: 5200 El Camino Real

Ownership:Private – Rancho Carlsbad Homeowners Association

Garden Type: Allotment, 100 plots, approximately 20 ft. x 20 ft. each

Use Fee: Use of a garden plot is a requirement of joining the Rancho Carlsbad Garden Club. Club membership is currently $20 per year. Additional plots are available for $7 annually. Garden club rules dictate that you must plant at least one crop per year or you lose the plot and your club membership.

Eligilibility: Available only to residents of Rancho Carlsbad

Waiting List: None

Irrigation: Main irrigation lines and lines within each plot installed by homeowners’ association; individual plot holders are responsible for maintaining existing irrigation lines within their plot; water is provided by private well.

Plants: Vegetables, fruits, flowers

Organic: Not required, left to the discretion of individual gardeners

Contact: Larry Brem, Director of Rancho Carlsbad Garden Club @ (760) 448-5343

The Rancho Carlsbad Garden and Garden Club

The Rancho Carlsbad Garden Club was established in 1975 and was one of the first clubs set-up for the residents of the 55 and older Rancho Carlsbad residential community. The garden area has about 100, 20 ft. x 20 ft. plots. The Rancho Carlsbad Garden Club and garden are directly related. According to the rules, if you join the Garden Club, you are required to plant at least one crop a year. If you don’t utilize your plot, you lose it as well as your membership in the club. Joining the club currently costs $20 a year. In addition to a garden plot, club members enjoy a potluck dinner, an annual dinner and other social events. Approximately 130 individuals belong to the garden club.  Since many members are couples, only around 65 individuals maintain garden plots. Additional plots can be purchased by members for $7 a year.

 

Future Plans for a New Garden

Future plans for the College Blvd connector between El Camino Real and Cannon Road, will require that the Rancho Carlsbad garden be relocated. When development funds are acquired to complete this road segment, the current garden space will be lost. The city of Carlsbad, however, has promised new land for the Rancho gardeners to the west of what will be the future road right of way. The new site will maintain a location that is adjacent to the residential community.

 

Rancho Carlsbad Garden Mentoring Program

In addition to their personal gardening efforts, many of the Rancho Carlsbad gardeners have developed a mentoring program with the children at our local Boys and Girls Clubs. Every week on Thursday afternoons, children from the Carlsbad Village Boys and Girls Club come to garden with the experienced seniors. Every Friday, those from the La Costa (soon to be Bressi Ranch) Club come to work in the garden. This garden mentoring program was started in 2006 and is still going strong. It is an activity which is a great experience for all involved.

Watch the video below and learn more about the Rancho Carlsbad garden mentoring program…