Get the Most Out of Your Community Garden Plot this Season

Tending a community garden plot is a fantastic way to not only grow some of your own healthy food, but also meet your neighbors and build strong communities. Madison has a robust community gardens network supported by the City of Madison, Community GroundWorks and the UW-Extension. There are more than 50 in the Madison area alone (half of them on city-owned land), and even more if we look to all of Dane County. To find a garden near you, check out the Dane County Community Garden Directory, which also has useful resources for gardeners, such as a Horticulture Hotline, information on gardening to fight hunger in our neighborhoods, and the Dane County Seed Library.

Have you made the leap to reserve a plot and are trying to decide what to plant? It’s tempting to plant a little of everything, but Madison’s Creative Vegetable Gardener, Megan Cain, recommends thinking strategically. How often will you realistically be able to visit your garden plot? What crops will give you the biggest payback with the least effort? What foods do you know you eat a lot of? For tips on making your community garden plot a productive and enjoyable experience, check out Megan’s tips on our website.