Agriculture can reduce stress and anxiety, increase vitamin D, and help improve nutrition. But living in the dense forest can make it difficult to cultivate these skills while developing your green thumb. Community gardens can help, and Philly is home to about 400 of them.
For Ben Miller, garden program manager at People’s Kitchen, community gardening can be defined in one word: nurture. “Gardens give us hope, life, feed us healthy things, and teach each other,” Miller said. “Plants are sources of stability, growth, and patience,” many community gardeners need as they continue to fight for green spaces.
Although some gardens have reached a time of crisis – resulting in waiting lists of up to six years – many are accepting new members. Some, like the People’s Kitchen, grow fruits and vegetables to feed the needy. Others, like the Emily Street Growing Home Garden, specialize in giving the African American community a place to grow “culturally appropriate food,” according to garden coordinator Sabia Afroz.
As spring approaches, finding the perfect community garden shouldn’t be difficult. If you don’t have the space, equipment, or farming experience, check out these free or low-cost, new membership hosting options. Check out organizations like Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and the Neighborhood Gardens Trust for community gardens in the city.
Find a community garden near you
A good place to start your search is within your community. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation has a map of 18 community gardens in the city, where people can learn about gardening, how to compost, advice, growing food, and building. neighborhood.
In most Parks and Rec areas, gardens are provided with a fence. There are also options for those looking for a community experience. According to the speaker Maita Soukup, some farms are responsible for fruit trees, vegetables, or large crops, such as corn. Email farmphilly@phila.gov to find out if you live near a farm with open space.
People’s Kitchen Garden
This garden focuses on growing produce to help feed the needy through the People’s Kitchen. But you can take the plants you grow. The crops planted are: heirloom watermelons, beans, okra, greens, herbs, tomatoes, goji, rice, purslane, dandelion, molokhia, benne, mustard, and edible sunflowers. You can register regardless of your gardening skill level. Lessons and tools are provided by the garden. Fill out your information online at peopleskitchenphilly.com. You can visit the garden when you sign up.
📍6171 Reinhard St., 📧 peopleskitchenphilly@gmail.com, 📞 215-469-1614, open Tuesday and Saturday, 9 am to 3 pm
Kensington Corridor Trust
All gardening skill levels are welcome at this Kensington garden, and tools are provided. If you don’t know, the garden members will teach you. This year, the garden does not produce food, but gardeners can expect to plant and help protect pollinator flowers. Email info@kctphilly.org to learn about garden clubs. You can join them for community events on Saturdays.
📍3235-56 Kensington Ave., 📧 info@kctphilly.org, 📞 267-428-6299, open Tuesday; subject to change, check reliability Instagram account for new things.
In this garden, people can register to plant fruits and vegetables and take care of them. Operations related to weeding, planting, and maintenance of crops; Members meet on the second Tuesday of each month from April to October.
📍1801 W. Glenwood Ave., 📧 1801glenwoodgreenacres@gmail.com
Growing a Home Community Garden
Specializing in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables traditional to Asian countries, this garden is open to all skill levels. You must be a resident of South Philadelphia and pay the $25 fee. To register, email afroz@seamaac.org. Upon approval, you will receive one of the 18 plots available to plant your own crops. According to plant editor Sabia Afroz, when you sign up it’s “important to show your nationality, so [they] can provide information in your language.” Activities include gardening, outdoor movies, and community produce sharing days. Tools and gardening lessons are provided.
📍 728-42 Emily St., 📧 safroz@seamaac.org📞 215-467-0690
Community gardens of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
PHS has a map with 100 affiliated community gardens. Some are just opening their enrollment, while others — like the Summer Winter Community Garden and the Hansberry Garden and Nature Center — are already full for the spring and summer seasons.
Your best bet for finding a spot is probably going straight to a nearby garden. “At this time of year, the gardeners don’t respond as much to their emails, so that’s why [it’s] “It’s better for people to relax, make an introduction, and lend a hand,” a PHS spokesperson said.
What is the cost of entry?
The gardens are often operated by independent voluntary community groups. Each has its own benefits, facilities, procedures, and fees. For parks and playgrounds, you can expect to pay an average of $25 in park fees for your park.
Other costs (such as seeds, fertilizers, and tools) may be covered by the city or the gardens themselves.
Parks and Recreation provides free compost, mulch, and wood chips, while community gardens often offer free tools on site. Due to demand, tools may not always be available, so Soukup prefers to purchase your own supplies, such as shovels, garden gloves, knee pads, etc. the trowels. These extras can add $25-$50 to your gardening enjoyment.
Are there waiting lists to get a part?
Each community garden has its own registration process and many gardens have waiting lists.
Gardeners book early with their members, during the winter, to see many re-registering for the spring and summer. Due to the large number of vacant plots, the garden guides work their way through the waiting list to distribute the available plots.