How to Start Your Oyster Garden
1- A good way to learn the basics is to click on the images to the right and download 1)How to be an Oyster Gardener by Jackie Partin, TOGA Founder and 2) TOGA Display Posters. You may also want to Join TOGA.
2- Review all other pages under "Oyster Gardening" in the menu above.
3- Contact us with your questions.
4- Attend our Events and talk to a Master Oyster Gardener.
5- Apply for a free VMRC Oyster Gardening Permit.
6- Purchase oyster cages and spat bags or tubes. TOGA holds occasional sales which are rescheduled annually, prices subject to change. Vendors sell cages as well.
7- Purchase oyster seed (spat). TOGA invites spat vendors to our float sales.
8- Keep your spat cool and get them in your waters as soon as possible. Place them in a spat bag or spat tube with appropriate size mesh to contain your spat. Place the bag or tube in a float or cage and deploy them.
9- Maintain your cages by spraying off thick algae fouling to allow adequate flow through cage. As they grow, move to larger mesh containers until they are about 1.5 inch long. Then release them to the cage without bags or spat tubes.
10- Enjoy eating your oysters, donate or plant along banks in intertidal zones. Recycle your shell by planting or donating. See Contact Us or CBF Drop Off Points.
