Community Garden Program

All community garden locations are within the Duluth city limits.

Each garden plot is approximately 20 X 20 and is leased to an individual, family or group.

Fees range from $5–$50.

The program provides tilling, information, encouragement, access to a vegetable gardening library, a tool loaning system, and compost for the gardens when funding is available.

The garden program holds a seed and transplant sale every spring to make high quality vegetable seeds and transplants that are suited to northern climates available to our members.

Locations of garden sites

To accomplish our mission, the program has four main objectives:

• Bring low and moderate-income people together with available garden space:
  • Provide at least 210 plots
  • Promote community gardening to other social service agencies
  • Include special needs groups
  • Facilitate landscaping at garden
• Remove barriers to vegetable gardening through special projects:
  • Till backyard gardens for seniors and gardeners with disabilities (30 people).
  • Sponsor the annual vegetable seed and transplant sale (1000 people).
  • Provide access to tools, soil amendments, and tilling at garden sites.
  • Educate children on care for living things, cooperation, and healthy eating.
• Educate public on gardening and community gardening:
• Publish three to four newsletters (500 copies each).
• Prepare and distribute informational handouts (2000+).
• Hold classes and workshops.
• Provide telephone consultation (1200+ calls)
• Promote organic gardening and composting in Duluth’s Community Gardens:
  • Educate gardeners on organic gardening techniques.
  • Educate gardeners on the use and care of on-site compost piles.

In 1997 we installed wheelchair-accessible garden beds at two of our garden sites as a joint project with Courage Duluth. The program has met much success. In addition, we do gardening and canning projects with many groups in need, such as Teen Parents, Early Childhood and Family Education, The Boys and Girls Club, and others. We are encouraging more groups to have gardens with us and to learn more about preserving foods.