Gardening: How to create a community garden with your neighbors

by Pierre C. Rumpf 09/04/2023

Community gardens can be a great way to increase urban farming and maintain the native species of the area. They’re excellent ways to help maintain fresh food while creating green space for folks to enjoy. These gardens can be started by anyone, though you should ensure everyone participating in the project is legally allowed to garden on the property being used.

Here’s a quick guide to creating a community garden that you and your neighbors can enjoy:

Get the area cleaned up

The most important starting point is getting the space cleaned up. If there are large or industrial bouts of cement or other materials, be sure to have a certified professional help break up and dispose of those pieces before you get started.

For land with only weeds, dead brush and other organic plant matter, an afternoon of yard work should be all it takes to clean up the area. Once cleaned, you can design your community garden with your neighbors.

Create the garden boxes and replace the soil

After cleaning the area and designing your plots, it’s time to build the containers you’re going to plant in. These containers can be floating garden boxes for smaller items such as herbs or small greenery. For deeper planters, try creating boundaries of concrete or wood.

Once you have your planters created and set up, it’s time to replace the soil. Most home improvement and garden stores will have soil with specific nutrients to help your garden thrive.

Plan & plant your garden

With the containers set up, now it’s time to plant your garden. Some plots may be large enough for seed balls, especially if the area is frequented by small creatures or harsh weather. For areas that may not need as much protection, plant seeds evenly and with enough room to start rooting.

Be sure to incorporate some native plants into your community garden to ensure the ecosystem stays intact.

Now you and your community can sit back and watch your garden grow as you all continue to cultivate it together. Anything that isn’t immediately used by neighbors in the community can be donated to local shelters, while the non-edible plants can be used as decoration for your homes and the rest of the neighborhood.

About the Author
Author

Pierre C. Rumpf

Broker Profile: Pierre comes from a diverse background. His adolescent and early adult years found him working for his father, a renowned structural engineer, and his brother, an architectural designer and general contractor. His knowledge of construction design (architectural & structural) and practices is significant. He coupled his construction background with his considerable sales experience, by becoming licensed to sell real estate in Massachusetts in 1986.

Pierre is also a licensed Attorney in the Commonwealth, who formerly worked for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office as a litigator in the Victim & Witness Assistance Division of the Family & Community Crimes Bureau, litigating cases involving victims of violent crime, and since then has had his own legal practice.

For decades, Pierre has excelled in helping buyers of real estate find that condo, single-family, multi-family, lot of lands, or commercial property they desire to buy, or by effectively marketing his clients’ properties to sell their property for the most amount of money possible. His professional background embodies the ideal combination of construction, sales, negotiating, and contract drafting, which is essential to actualizing his clients’ goals and/or dreams. He does all of this with attention to detail, integrity, and success.

Since 1995, PCR Realty has helped buyers and sellers make their transactions as successful as possible. Using a consultative approach, PCR Realty approaches each experience as a unique opportunity for its clients. As a full-service real estate brokerage firm, PCR Realty provides leading-edge services for buyers & sellers.

When it comes to successfully navigating today’s complex real estate market, you need to work with someone who has the experience and commitment to see it done right. PCR Realty excels at matching buyers to sellers. From state-of-the-art marketing to an experienced broker, PCR Realty works diligently to far exceed your expectations. PCR Realty invites you to learn more.