As a community service project to the town, the club maintains the perennial gardens on the Town Common, COA and Paxton Public Safety Complex; as well as planting flower boxes : 8 Memorial Day boxes, 2 Town Hall boxes, Window box at the Stone Light Building and 2 planters at the Records Building.
We are actively looking for volunteers to join the 2025 watering/weeding crew! If interested sign up here: https://forms.gle/dcHEenwqP3LcKpfe8
Are you a Scout? Adopt the Public Safety Complex Fire Station Bed and earn a Gardening Fun patch for your uniform.
Each of the 3 large beds has a soaker hose system with a timer.
A bucket containing the hose, wand, wedding tools and watering can are tucked under the Christmas tree
Step 1
Starting with the Civil War Monument, Turn on the timer for 45 minutes then open the Y Connector valve to start the water flowing.
Step 2
Go to the Korean/Vietnam memorial. Turn on the timer for 30 minutes then open the Y Connector valve to start the water flowing.
Step 3
Now head over to the WWI Monument in front of the Church and connect the hose to the timer. The long green hose is located behind the bushes against the church wall.
Turn on the water supply and then follow the same procedure as at the Civil War Memorial, run on for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Connect a 50' hose (from the bucket labeled Maple trees) to the Y connector on the faucet and use the watering wand to hand water the first 3 tree beds. (The hose only reaches these beds.) It’s important here to apply water as low as possible around the base of the trees and the base of the plants so that the soil will just become damp and begin to soak up moisture (too much applied will cause a lot of run off and wastewater). Applying water over the top of the plants will increase the incidence of foliar diseases. When these beds have had their initial watering proceed to step 4.
Step 5
After watering the Maple Trees, hook up the hose to the open Y Connector on the Civil War and hand water where the soaker is not quite reaching
Step 6
Shut Down the Korean/Vietnam memorial
Put the hose and bucket away from the Maple Trees
Shut down and put the hose away at the WWI
Shut down the Civil War
Notes/Reminders
Any spare time can be spent weeding any of the beds where appropriate. Any weed debris should be placed in the black trash bag that you have brought with you. Please take the bag home and dispose of it appropriately.
The entire process takes just under 90 minutes On No Account should you leave the common area while the water is running. This is a safety measure and is requested by the Paxton DPW.
Thank you for your interest in being a Watering Crew Member and for taking the time to complete the job.
Areas to Water on the Common:
3 Maples around them in the northwest corner of Common by the spigot
Chief Mortell Monument
Civil War Monument in the center of the Common
Korean-Vietnam Monument southeast corner of the Common
WWI Monument in front of the Congregational Church.
Guidelines for Watering the Town Common:
Please try to water before 10 AM or after 4 PM. Watering between 10 AM and 4 PM aka the heat of the day shouldn't hurt the plants -- it actually cools them off -- but it's a far less efficient use of water as much of it will evaporate before reaching the roots.
Use the shower setting on hand watering gardens & planters. Any other settings will be too strong & damage plants and wash mulch away.
We have 100' feet of expandable hose that is stored in a black 5-gallon pail hidden under the Christmas tree on the Common.
The main watering spigot is located at the northwest corner of the Common. There are also two irrigation head spigots at the Civil War and Korean/Vietnam Memorials.
Please watch the weather on your assigned week, if we get a good rain you can shift your watering date.
Please try to find coverage if you need to switch your watering date otherwise contact the club at paxtongardenclub01612@gmail.com for assistance.
Make sure you are in the 2025 Watering Crew Group Chat setup by Julie Dubuque
Turn on the spigot
Turn the Y Connector knobs UP so the water flows into the hose
drag the black hose over to the Sign Bed and connect to the soaker hose input sitting on the slate rock
Turn the hose knob UP to let the water flow into the soaker system
Run for 60 minutes
Weed while water is running
Areas to Water at the COA:
Bed under the COA sign by the sidewalk
Bed to the right of the handicap ramp
Guidelines for Watering at the COA:
Please try to water before 9 AM or after 4 PM when the COA is not open so the hose does not get run over by traffic
The main watering spigot is located on the side of the building by the black chained off outdoor staircase
Please make sure when you put the hose away and turn off the spigot you turn the knobs on the Y Connector down
Please try to find coverage if you need to switch your watering date otherwise contact the club at paxtongardenclub01612@gmail.com for assistance.
Make sure you are in the 2025 Watering Crew Group Chat setup by Julie Dubuque
