Recruit people for your community garden

Pick 4 to 10 planning leaders.

Your garden leaders, also called a coordinating committee, plan the community garden. This group explains the need for a new community garden, such as few nearby gardens, long waiting lists at current gardens, or gardens are too far away. Your coordinating committee should have at least four dedicated people.

Create a generic e-mail for your garden (such as gardenname@gmail.com).

This helps you stay organized and makes things easier for future garden leaders.

Create a Facebook page.

Share the Facebook page with your contacts. Ask neighborhood groups and community members to “like” your page and update it often.

Advertise in neighborhood newspapers, community council newsletters, or bulletin boards. Put a sign on the lot announcing the future garden, and put up flyers in community centers or public places.

Talk to neighbors, business owners and civic groups such as:

These groups assist large projects, new construction, or weeding. Consider providing lunch, water, gloves, tools, and a first-aid kit when a community group volunteers. Always send a thank-you note afterward.

Invite people of different ages and cultures. People get involved at different times for different reasons.

Decide garden roles.

To make sure the garden lasts, and it keeps getting support on City land, it must have leadership roles. The garden permit application requires a list of garden leadership team members.

The coordinating committee plans the community garden, and a leadership committee sustains it. The leadership committee includes a site coordinator, treasurer, tool coordinator, and compost coordinator. A person can be on both committees.