These community gardening tips will help you get growing while building connections in your neighborhood.
Why not take some cosmos home for the table?
There is a special satisfaction to growing, especially growing nutritious food yourself to enjoy and share.
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Kindra Clineff
How Do Community Gardens Work?
The American Community Gardening Association defines them loosely as community-managed open spaces.
Typically volunteer-powered, community gardens structures and rules vary based on the leadership and the land owner.
Credit:Kindra Clineff
The land may be privately owned or, most commonly, borrowed via a lease agreement with local government.
There, students and community members of all ages team up togrow organic producefor donation.
Having a vision keeps energy and momentum high, Johnson says.
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Heroic Gardenshelps veterans heal and find community through gardening.
The social aspect is really important as well.
They arent focusing on whats troubling them.
They are focusing on the garden.
She feels that giving ownership to the gardeners is a key to the success of the garden.
Then, she says, Come with an open mind, and be ready to learn.
The ACGA offers a handy guide on its website if you’d like to explore this option.
Tips for Growing a Thriving Plot
Lets say youve scored a space in a community garden.
Use these tips to guide you to a successful growing experience.
Cloveracts as a cover cropto boost nitrogen in the soil, and plantain can serve as an edible groundcover.
Do this quick soil test to check on the drainage: Dig a hole, fill with water.
If the water drains away in under a half an hour, you likely have sandy soil.
Grow what youll use.
I always tell people Grow what you love, Johnson says.
Joy says, I wouldnt pick plants that are fussy, delicate, or need too much attention.
She also recommends buying started plants over sowing seeds.
You may want to start with easier crops likepeasorlettuce, and attractive flowers likezinnias,dahlias, andsunflowers.
Using mulchor planting closely will reduce water loss at ground level (and reduce weeding).
When you do water, do so deeply but less frequently to encourage healthier roots.
Some plants have a brief harvest window, and close observation lets you catch pests early.
The old saying is, Good gardeners grow plants, great gardeners grow soil.
Feeding your soil with organic matter will benefit plants now and for years to come.
(Start a worm bin if your garden doesnt have one yet.)
Work together to make a difference.
