How can I start a community garden?

Bernadette Roel: your township buiding shuold have all the answers post at your local libary and local garden centersgood luck

Wilburn Denice: Maybe the poor should start planting food to take care of themselves. Maybe it is not the job of the city. Besides, do you think the poor are actually going to care for the gardens? Have you ever tried to get an entitled person to volunteer? Aint gonna happen.

Barrett Alosa: How to Start a Community Garden on a Vacant LotA vacant lot can be an asset instead of an eyesore.Many people move to the suburbs because there is lots of open space for children to play, for people to plant gardens of flowers and vegetables and enjoy a healthy, beautiful environment as well as improved property values. Chicago has open space, too, but the problem is that much of it is neglected. Open space in Chicago can be every bit as beautiful and useful as open space in the suburbs. In addition to the vacant lots, there are parkways, school yar! ds, commercial and industrial strips, and even parking lots. All of these areas can be improved with plantings and maintenance making Chicago a more beautiful, and even safer, place to live, work and raise children.Here is a brief outline of what is involved when people are trying to decide how to improve a piece of land for open space.Step 1. OrganizeOrganize a meeting with people who can or should care about a garden. Help them to understand what work is involved in starting and caring for a garden and start right away to work to gain their commitment to the project.Step 2. Decide on the Garden GoalsA. Should it be a park for active recreation like a playlot or basketball court? Do neighbors prefer a sitting garden, a vegetable garden? Raised beds or plantings directly in the ground, if possible? Individually maintained plots or cooperatively managed garden? If there is a great need for parking, consider how to include plantings into a parking lot design. Does this seem l! ike a spot for permanent open space or just a temporary beauti! fication until something is built there?B. Does the group want to own or lease the land to insure that it is protected as the desired open space? Ownership (or tenancy) is necessary in order to secure funding for improvements, which can be another goal..C. Does the group want to seek funding and donations to work on the property? And are they willing to assume the long term responsibility for planting, maintenance and even potential liability for the site?Step 3. Survey the SiteA. Is this the right place for a garden or other kind of development?B. Does it have sun, access to water from a hydrant or neighboring building. Are the nearest neighbors interested? Will they help?C. How is the site currently used? (a shortcut, sports, etc.) Will this project build on that current use, or interfere with that use. Which use does the group want to incorporate in the garden design?Step 4. Research and Gather the ResourcesDetermine what resources are needed and available in and out of ! the community:A. Create a list of items needed for the garden based on the design (ideas below) that includes tools, supplies, materials and services like tilling if necessary, fencing, water lines, lumber for beds and signs. Come up with a budget for these things and then see what you can get donated or funded. Survey your neighbors - you will be surprised what they can provide!B. Seek cooperation from community groups and other organizations in the area.C. Call the Alderman, Ward Office, Park Advisory Groups, Park Superintendents, business groups, schools. See what they can offer in terms of labor, money, materials. Don't leave out Chicago Department of the Environment, University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service, Morton Arboretum and Chicago Botanic Garden. They have extensive information on growing things and may even have materials or money.D. Plant and gardening information and funding sources:1. Chicago Botanic Gardens has plant and community gardening infor! mation and education services.2. Chicago Department of the the Environm! ent has a comprehensive community garden assistance program called Greencorps Chicago. The program includes materials and training sessions in the spring and fall. They also provide free plant distribution days.3. University of Illinois' Extension Master Gardener Program and plant information.4. Openlands organizes and provides general technical assistance including help ordering mulch from the city, Great Perennial Divide (free plants for community gardeners), GreenChicago mini-grants distribution and the TreeKeeper Program. Call 312-427-6256 for more information.Step 5. Design the GardenA. Draw a diagram of where each element should beB. Research the kinds of plants and trees that do well in the city with low maintenance and add to diagramC. Consider structures like benches, arbors, tables and art work like statues and muralsD. Be sure to include a compost area to collect plant refuse and to create your own garden fertilizer.Step 6. Plan the Work to get the Project Starte! dCreate a list of tasks and a schedule or time line and work out a system so that garden volunteers can do a share of the work. Look ahead a few years and think about how to phase in planting and building projects. Don't try to do everything the first year, but start with the "skeleton" of lot clearing, bed and soil installing, and a few plants in year one and build up from there. Be prepared to at least:WINTER- Plan and hold several meetings to plan garden and assign work (TIME: one or two meetings a month)SPRING - Clean, prepare soil or build and fill beds, spread mulch, purchase seeds and plants, plant and water. (TIME: several long work days and then at least once-a-week care to water, weed. Time depends on size of lot and number of volunteers!)SUMMER - Weeding and watering as necessary, general plant maintenance such as "deadheading", fertilizing, mulching and composting (TIME: at least two times a week for two hour shifts)FALL - harvest, remove plants and add to compo! st pile, fertilize, plan winter meetings, update garden journal and gar! den diagram to help when planning for next spring. (TIME: two or three times and week in two hour sessionsOne or two hours of volunteer work a week can accomplish a lot of planting and weeding and of course harvesting at the end of the summer and fun all season long!Step 7. Dig In!A. If an abandoned building is still on the property, work with the Alderman and the ward superintendent to make sure that what is good about the site is protected, such as the lawn, parkway and back yard and any plantings like trees and shrubs. Make sure that demolition is followed by clearing rubble, spreading top soil and mulch from the Bureau of Forestry.B. If the lot is empty, and needs clearing, ask for the ward office's help to do this. Organize neighbors to work along side the crews to make sure care is taken.Starting a Community Garden1Eva C. Worden, Adrian Hunsberger, and John McLaughlin2A community garden is a collaborative greenspace in which the participants share in both the maintena! nce and the rewards. There is a long tradition of community gardening in various parts of the United States and around the world. This publication has been developed to assist those who wish to form a community garden in Florida.Why Get Involved with Community Gardening?Reasons abound for involvement in community gardening, including the chance to: * Increase self-esteem, bolster confidence and encourage learning in children * Create beauty * Provide positive work experiences for at-risk youth * Grow fresh produce * Improve nutrition and fitness * Share the joys and wonders of gardening * Promote healthier communities * Be neighborly * Reduce stress * Reduce crime * Have funWho Gets Involved in Community Gardening?Many different groups are involved in community gardening, including: * Homeowner associations * Neighborhood block groups * Religious organizations * Primary and secondary schools * Colleges and universities * So! cial service agencies * Health care facilities * Correctional ins! titutions * Corporations * Gardening clubsManagement ApproachesManagement approaches to community gardens can be classified into two major categories: 1) individual plots, and 2) common greenspace.In the individual plot approach, the garden is subdivided for personal use, as in the "allotment" system common in the United Kingdom. Individual plots can be chosen, randomly selected, or assigned. Individual plot management often is used for vegetable gardening.In the common greenspace approach, garden members cooperate in managing one area. Often, each member is responsible for a set of tasks within the shared area. Common greenspace management is used for a variety of garden types. Some examples include: * Ornamental landscapes: pocket parks, community beautification; clean-up of degraded urban landscapes * Educational gardens: used for job training, horticultural demonstrations, outdoor classrooms * Entrepreneurial gardens: profits from the sales of garden prod! ucts are shared among membersGetting StartedPlanning and communication at the outset of a community garden project often helps to avoid problems in the future. Some key questions to be considered early on in garden development include:Is there sufficient interest? The interest must come from the individuals who actually will be using the garden - not just from well-meaning supporters.What are the group's purposes and goals? To provide a source of fresh food crops? To beautify the location? To foster a greater sense of community and cooperation? Have a group brainstorming session where all dreams are welcome - then sort out the priorities and practical alternatives.Where will the garden be located? One of the first practical tasks will be to secure a usable plot of land. This could be leased from or donated by a private individual or organization. Another option is to use city- or county-owned land. The area to be used as...Show more