Community Garden Checklist

Grow fresh food in your neighborhood — from a few raised beds to a full urban farm.

Page 1 of 3

Phase 1: Setup

Find land, build your team, and prepare the ground.

Survey your neighborhood for unused land: vacant lots, church yards, school grounds, parks

Contact city land banks, parks departments, or private owners about available plots

Verify: minimum 6-8 hours direct sunlight, water access nearby, relatively flat

Get written permission or a lease agreement (minimum 3-5 years recommended)

Test the soil for lead and contaminants — send samples to your county extension lab ($15-30)

If soil is contaminated: plan raised beds with imported clean soil (8"+ deep)

Host a community meeting to gauge interest — post on Nextdoor, flyers at library

Form a steering committee of 5-9 people with clear roles

Decide: individual plots, communal growing, or hybrid with donation rows

Create simple bylaws: membership, plot assignment, fees ($10-50/yr), work requirements

Plan the layout: plot sizes, paths (wheelchair-wide), compost area, tool storage, gathering space

Budget your startup: small ($200-500), medium ($1K-3K), or large ($5K-15K)

Apply for grants: SeedMoney, USDA Community Food Projects, local foundations

Source free materials: ChipDrop for mulch, municipal compost, seed library seeds

freshfoodnetwork.orgYou can do this.

Community Garden Checklist

Grow fresh food in your neighborhood — from a few raised beds to a full urban farm.

Page 2 of 3

Phase 2: Plant & Grow

Break ground, plant crops, and build your growing community.

Organize a community build day: set up beds, fencing, paths, tool storage

Build or place raised beds (4×8 ft is standard; $30-100 each)

Fill beds with clean soil and compost — check municipal free compost programs

Install water access: hose hookup, drip irrigation, or rain barrel collection

Start with easy, high-yield crops: tomatoes, zucchini, bush beans, lettuce, kale, herbs

Plant calorie crops in 30% of space: potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, dry beans

Use companion planting: tomatoes + basil, "Three Sisters" (corn + beans + squash)

Practice succession planting: same crop every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest

Use vertical trellises to double growing space: pole beans, cucumbers, melons

Set up a composting system: food/garden waste → free soil amendment

Establish a watering schedule and volunteer rotation for shared maintenance

Host monthly work days for communal tasks: weeding paths, compost turning, repairs

Engage new gardeners with workshops: beginner planting, seed saving, pest management

Plant a "donation row" specifically for food bank donations

freshfoodnetwork.orgYou can do this.

Community Garden Checklist

Grow fresh food in your neighborhood — from a few raised beds to a full urban farm.

Page 3 of 3

Phase 3: Harvest & Sustain

Share the bounty, build for next season, and grow the community.

Harvest in the morning when produce is coolest — handle gently to avoid bruising

Donate surplus to local food banks via AmpleHarvest.org (8,386 pantries, all 50 states)

Join Plant a Row for the Hungry — dedicate one row per gardener to donation

Use Fresh Food Connect app to schedule produce donations to hunger relief orgs

Save seeds from open-pollinated varieties: tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, lettuce

In fall: plant garlic (for next year), cover crops (crimson clover, winter rye)

Mulch all beds before winter: leaves, straw, or cardboard sheet mulch

Consider season extension: row covers ($20), cold frames ($50-100), hoop houses (~$500)

Winter planning: order seeds, repair beds, build compost, plan crop rotation

Hold a year-end potluck — celebrate the season, recruit for next year

Track and share your impact: total pounds grown, pounds donated, families served

Apply for annual grants: SeedMoney, USDA People's Garden, local community foundations

Connect with your county cooperative extension for free Master Gardener support

freshfoodnetwork.orgYou can do this.