How to start and keep interest in a community garden

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Permalink Reply by ken hargesheimer on October 14, 2009 at 1:05pm

Use organic, no-till in permanent beds. Will help some as no work.

Ken Hargesheimer, minifarms@gmail.com

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Permalink Reply by Maggie on October 14, 2009 at 4:06pm

I think if you start to build a "community" the rest will follow.
I would start having afternoon teas or a lunch once a month at the garden.
Encourage people to bring some food to share and ideas for what they would like to grow and as a group share your knowledge.
At our gardening group meetings we just go round in a circle and everyone has a turn to ask questions or talk about what they have been doing.
Visiting other gardens is a great motivator, even public gardens or another community garden.
Running a short free course on veggie gardening usually gets people motivated.
Everyone has there own ideas about gardening and usually everyone wants to tell someone.
Happy Gardening have fun.

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Permalink Reply by Carefully Constructed Chaos on October 14, 2009 at 7:12pm

This is a great question!

And two great solutions...
...designing gardens to minimize work.
...developing community with social events.

My community garden is in a student town. Graduate students may get a job or graduate and leave mid-season. By time you figure it out... there's nothing left to glean and give to the hunger kitchens.

Better communication and "buddy system" is helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Invicta on October 15, 2009 at 7:52am

Ken, Maggie & Chaos,
Thank you for taking the time to reply with these ideas.
I will use all three and let you know how we get on>
It's a bit of a pity it's comming towards the colder/wetter seasons but with a bit of lateral thinking I reckon we can adapt - e.g. Soup (as well as of tea/coffee) mornings using produce from the garden
Many thanks,
Bernard.

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Permalink Reply by ken hargesheimer on October 15, 2009 at 9:55am

Cold season is no problem. Use hoophouses over the beds and keep gardening. Cheap using only PVC pipe and plastic.

Ken

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Permalink Reply by Invicta on October 15, 2009 at 10:11am

Ken,
I like this.
I understand that you make hoops with the pipe but how do you keep the plastic sheeting in place
e.g. Screws & car upholstery sunken washers from the scrapyard?
Bernard

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Permalink Reply by ken hargesheimer on October 15, 2009 at 11:31am

Put soil or rocks, etc to hold it down along the edge of the bed. In trhe paths.
Ken

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Permalink Reply by Invicta on October 19, 2009 at 8:28am

Thanks ken - I'm with you.
Many thanks,
Bernard

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