How to Start a Community Garden

So you want to start a community garden!  That's great!

Here are some things to keep in mind as you get started:

  1. **Read the Community Garden Start-Up Basics for more insight into the process** For more in-depth reading, download the Community Garden Start-Up Guide which is a step-by-step guide that will help get the garden started on a solid foundation.
  2. Let us know that you're starting -- the earlier the better! We can let you know of upcoming workshops and opportunities that can help the garden get started! Or set one up for the garden group!
  3. Looking for land? Download this handout! It was written with residents of Minneapolis in mind,but most of the information is the same no matter where you live!
    • When we hear about land available for community gardens, we keep a record of it at our office, and encourage the land owner to post it on Yards to Gardens.
  4. Starting a garden can not be a one-person show. Work towards a group of ten people who are committed to establishing the garden. In this way, no one person is being tapped out.
  5. Take time to plan. Give it about a year before breaking ground. The time spent planning is essential…the more planning, the more successful will be the garden. Involve neighbors
  6. Learn from other community gardeners and visit their gardens. See the Garden Directory for gardens you'd like to contact.

OK, ready to dig in??

Attend an Upcoming How to Start a Community Garden Workshop!

There are no upcoming start up workshops scheduled at this time. All How to Start workshops will be posted here and they are open to everyone

OR Schedule a FREE Community Garden Start-Up Workshop for your garden group!

Do you have a group of at least 6-8 people interested in starting a community garden? Let us know if your group is interested in our signature two-hour workshop! Participants do not have to be working on the same garden. If you have a smaller group (less than 8) and are interested in a workshop, call us and we will work with you to get into an existing workshop or assist with recruitment. We offer this workshop for free for community groups.

Workshops are interactive and participatory, with a focus on exercises that garden groups can replicate in their own communities. We can tailor workshops to specific audiences, depending on the group’s needs.

The How-To-Start-A-Community-Garden workshop is designed for groups who are planning a new garden, or who are within their first year of a garden start up.

Participants will explore their visions for their gardens, learn consensus-building and outreach principles, and walk through planning exercises. Everyone should leave with concrete next steps for getting their garden off the ground.

Call or email to talk to Nadja about your workshop needs and schedule!
(612-821-2358 or nadja@gardeningmatters.org)

Last but not least...

Download the Community Garden Start-Up Guide which is a step-by-step guide that will help get the garden started on a solid foundation.

And by all means, pick up the phone or send an email There's no need to go it alone. We're here to help and we can connect you to others interested in starting a garden too!

Join COMGAR, the community gardeners listserv and tap into the experience and insight of hundreds of community gardeners! Get timely information on resources and educational opportunities.

Visit the Resource Pages, our virtual library, on this website for factsheets and tips. (Additions are announced on COMGAR)

We're looking forward to hearing from you!