How to Organize a Community Garden
There are many benefits to organizing and participating in a community garden. Community gardens can be made in any setting--rural, suburban or urban--virtually anywhere that people can find to plant their own flowers and vegetables. Reducing time from garden to table will help make your family healthier. Community gardening allows you to have organic food, get good exercise and lets you see the power of your community in action. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Get The Word Out
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Getting the word out Call your friends and neighbors to see who would be interested in participating in a community garden.
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Developing a strategy Set up a meeting and develop a strategy for approaching your local government or community representatives about designating an area for local gardeners. Write letters to the city council or make calls to the mayor or local parks department.
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No dogs in the garden Research how other communities have set up gardens. Ask about rules like DOGS NOT PERMITTED or ORGANIC ITEMS ONLY. Discuss the goals of the garden and everyone's individual responsibility toward meeting those goals. Solicit information about known areas that would be adaptable and if water can be supplied.
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Tiller Gather your resources. Find out if the local parks department will provide mulch from tree chippers, or a porta-potty for the gardeners. Sometimes they will even till and mark off the plots for community members. Find out if additional insurance will be necessary and ask if they can provide fencing to keep out garden pests or strangers. Ask the county Cooperative Extension where you can obtain a soil testing kit to evaluate organic needs for a good growing environment.
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Master gardener for continuing education If you have a master gardener in your county or a cooperative extension agent, ask them to visit your garden for continuing tips and ideas. Make sure everyone is aware of the work responsibilities for after the harvest, like removing screens, netting, trellises, etc.
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Tips & Warnings
Express gratitude to the people who supported your project. Set up a winter meeting to discuss the new ideas for planting, the latest heirloom varieties of plants available, etc. This will go a long way to maintaining interest and excitement for the coming year.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit tomatoes and onions for salad image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com lovely girl on telephone image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com Stand out from the crowd - Figures of Smilies image by Elnur from Fotolia.com a ""no dogs allowed"" sign. image by ann triling from Fotolia.com tracteur ancien image by thierry planche from Fotolia.com Young woman planting out fuchsia sprouts in a garden image by GeoM from Fotolia.com
