Sustainable gardening practices for shared plots
Shared gardens work best when everyone follows the same low-waste, low-toxicity habits. These practices draw on guidance from the EPA and the U.S. Forest Service and suit plots of any size.
Build soil with compost
The EPA describes composting as the managed, aerobic breakdown of organic materials, producing a stable soil amendment that builds soil health and provides nutrients to plants.[1] A good pile balances nitrogen-rich “greens” with carbon-rich “browns”, plus water and air.
| Greens (nitrogen) | Browns (carbon) | Keep out of a backyard pile |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds and paper filters, paper tea bags, crushed eggshells | Dry leaves, plant stalks and twigs, shredded plain paper and cardboard, untreated wood chips | Meat, fish, bones, dairy, fats and oils, herbicide-treated plants, weeds with seeds, diseased plants, treated wood, pet waste |
List adapted from the EPA.[1] In a shared garden, post the list on the compost bin and name a volunteer to turn the pile.
Water wisely
According to the EPA’s WaterSense program, residential outdoor water use in the U.S. accounts for nearly 8 billion gallons a day, mainly for landscape irrigation.[2] WaterSense stresses watering at the right time and in the right amount to avoid wasteful runoff. In practice that means watering the soil rather than the leaves, mulching bare ground, grouping plants with similar needs and using drip lines or soaker hoses on shared beds.
Garden for pollinators
The U.S. Forest Service recommends:[3]
- a wide variety of plants that bloom from early spring into late fall, planted in clumps;
- plants native to your region, which are adapted to local climate, soil and pollinators;
- avoiding modern hybrid “double” flowers that may lack pollen and nectar;
- eliminating pesticides where possible, or using the least-toxic option, applied at night when pollinators are inactive;
- larval host plants for butterflies, and nesting sites for native bees.
Keep chemicals to a minimum
In a shared space, one plot’s spray can drift onto a neighbor’s food. Many community gardens set a garden-wide rule on pesticides and herbicides. Hand-picking pests, using row covers, rotating crops between seasons and keeping plants healthy with good soil all reduce the need for chemicals.
Protect gardeners from soil contaminants
Sustainability includes gardener health. On urban sites, the EPA suggests testing soil, using raised beds with clean soil and covering paths to cut down on dust and splashback.[4]
Reuse and share
A shared tool shed, seed swaps and reused materials such as untreated pallets or salvaged bricks for paths cut costs and waste. Record what works in each bed so next season’s gardeners can learn from it.
Related
- How to start a community garden, step by step
- Urban agriculture: how cities grow food
- Benefits of community gardening: what the evidence says
Sources
- U.S. EPA, "Composting At Home." epa.gov
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, "Outdoors." epa.gov
- U.S. Forest Service, "Gardening for Pollinators." fs.usda.gov
- U.S. EPA, "Steps to Creating a Community Garden or Expand Urban Agriculture at a Brownfields Site." epa.gov