Field Guide to Starting a Community Garden

(Updated January 2013)

Now is a great time to start a community garden! Watch a video about starting a garden, get ideas and tips on how to begin and find out how a garden can beautify your neighborhood. (D. McCormick, Operations Analyst)


Considerations when thinking about starting a community garden

  • Define the purpose of the garden
  • Organize the garden committee
  • Search for a site
  • Take care of legal permits and regulations
  • Create the garden

Source: Starting a Community Garden: How to, (gardening.about.com, 2011). 


Community Gardening Basics

Community gardens sprout up in East Valley cities, (East Valley Tribune.com, July 8, 2011).

Let's Move to Grow More Community Gardens, (USDA, Apr. 28, 2011).

Starting a community garden, (Seattle Times, Jan. 28, 2011).

Protect the Environment: At Home and in the Garden, (epa.gov, 2011).

How to Start a Community Garden, (bonnieplants.com, 2011).

Starting a Community Garden, (feeds.uwex.com, 2011).

Starting a Community Garden, (friendsofwater.com, 2011).

Start a Community Garden, (urbanharvest.org, 2011).

P-Patch Community Gardens, (Seattle.gov, 2011).

Root of It All: The costs of starting a community garden, (journaltimes.com, Dec. 19, 2010).

Green Your Town: Community Gardening, (sierraclub.com, Apr. 8, 2010).

Building a Rooftop Community Garden, (HouseLogic.com, Feb. 9, 2010).

Five Tips for Starting a Community Garden, (timesfreepress.com, Jan. 23, 2010).

Gardening Matters Start-Up Guide, (gardeningmatters.org, Sept. 2009).

Start a Community Garden: Find and Design a Site, (HouseLogic.com, Aug. 28, 2009).

Start a Community Garden: Get the Community Involved, (HouseLogic.com, Aug. 28, 2009).

Guide to Starting a Community Garden to Share Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs, (associatedcontent.com, July 23, 2009).

How to Start a Community Garden, (thegreenestdollar.com, Mar. 25, 2009).

How to Start a Community Garden, (abcnews.com, Aug. 6, 2008).

How to Start a Community Garden, (tlc.howstuffworks.com, Apr. 30, 2008).


University and College Community Gardening

The College Community Garden: 6 Schools Growing' Their Own, (blog.sustainablog.org, Feb. 17, 2010).

Community Garden Toolkit, (University of Missouri, Apr. 2009).

Starting a Community Vegetable Garden, (New Mexico State University, May 2008).

How to Start a Community Garden, (University of Illinois, Feb. 11, 2007).

Eagle Heights Community Gardens, (University of Wisconsin).

Duke University Community Garden, (Duke University, Durham, NC).

Community Garden, (Anderson University, Anderson, IN).

Garden for the Community, (University of Delaware).

Gardener's Welcome Packet, (University of Missouri).


Websites

American Community Gardening Association—The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is a bi-national nonprofit membership organization of professionals, volunteers and supporters of community greening in urban and rural communities.

Urban Harvest—Urban Harvest is a local charitable organization supporting a network of urban gardens, farms and orchards that inspire and empower people of diverse backgrounds to grow food in the city. These gardens and farms are located at schools, youth centers, parks, housing projects, places of worship, vacant lots and therapy centers, and serve to educate, strengthen community spirit, create therapeutic environments and provide food and income.

Ashoka's Community Greens—Ashoka's Community Greens, an initiative of Ashoka, restores community to neighborhoods across the country, enhances the environment, and empowers citizens by integrating citizen-managed shared green spaces into places where people live and work.


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