Rooted Together Series: How to Start a Mutual Aid Garden
SERIES: Rooted Together: Building Sustainable Communities
SERIES: Rooted Together: Building Sustainable Communities
(As referenced in our post, Reimagining Community)
How to Start a Mutual Aid Garden
Dear Literary Allies,
Let’s turn unused spaces into community gardens that feed and connect your neighborhood.
Community gardens are more than just places to grow food, they’re spaces where neighbors can come together, share resources, and build relationships rooted in mutual aid and sustainability. By transforming underused spaces like lawns, rooftops, or even balconies into thriving gardens, we can create systems of care that feed our communities and strengthen our collective values.
We aren’t talking about the community garden structure of renting a raised bed in a community garden - this is about coming together as a community and growing food to feed each other.
Here’s how you can start a mutual aid community garden in your neighborhood without spending money or relying on bureaucracy:
Step-by-Step Instructions for Starting a Mutual Aid Community Garden
Here’s a detailed guide to get you from planning to harvesting:
Step 1: Planning
Gather People
Gather a small group of neighbors or friends who are interested in helping. From newbie to experienced! It takes all levels of knowledge.
Find a Space
Decide on a space and garden format that works for your group, start small by using spaces that are already accessible to you:
Your own lawn: Dedicate a portion of your yard to growing food.
Friends’ lawns: Ask friends or neighbors if they’d like to share their space.
Rooftops: If you have access to a flat rooftop, use it for container gardening.
Balconies, porches, or patios: Even small spaces can grow herbs, greens, or tomatoes.
Choose a Garden Format
Different garden styles suit different spaces and goals, and you can mix and match! Here are a few ideas:
Keyhole gardens: A circular raised bed with a compost basket in the center for easy access and nutrient-rich soil.
Victory gardens: Focus on growing nutrient-dense foods like beans, greens, and root vegetables.
Container gardens: Perfect for small spaces like balconies, patios, or even inside.
Raised bed gardens: Ideal for lawns or rooftops, with soil contained in wooden or cinderblock frames.
Ideas: Natural Material Beds & Inexpensive Beds
Greenhouses: Build your own using free materials like old windows, PVC pipes, or plastic sheeting.
Decide on Plants
Research and create a simple plan for what to grow and how to maintain the garden
For St. Louis, Missouri & nearby areas, here’s helpful info from the Missouri Botanical Garden
TIPS: Include native species to encourage pollination & consider varying accommodations for disabled community members.
Step 2: Gather Free Materials
You don’t need to buy new materials to start a garden. We aren’t looking to be featured on the cover of a magazine, we are digging into sustainable community. Get creative with what’s already available to you:
Raised beds: Use reclaimed wood, pallets, or cinderblocks.
Containers: Repurpose items like:
Big tires
Reusable shopping bags
Plastic totes or buckets
Old dresser drawers (will need to be waterproofed & ensure chemicals from paint or stain is stripped/sanded before sealing)
Bathtubs or sinks
Plastic Bottles & Jugs
Egg Cartons
Old Shoes & Boots
Broken Teacups & Mugs
Wine Barrels or Half Barrels
Gutters: Mount on walls or fences for shallow-rooted greens (lettuce, spinach).
Laundry Baskets
Pallets
Colanders & Sieves
Mason Jars & Glass Containers: Use for hydroponic herbs (like basil or mint).
Tin Cans
Old Tote Bags or Reusable Grocery Bags
Plastic Milk Crates
Old Fish Tanks or Terrariums: Use as mini-greenhouses for seedlings.
PVC Pipes: Cut horizontally or drill holes for vertical gardens.
5-Gallon Buckets
Soil: Ask neighbors for compost or check local gardening groups for free soil.
Seeds: Save seeds from store-bought produce, swap with neighbors, or find local seed libraries.
TIPS: To find free materials post in local Buy Nothing groups or community forums, ask neighbors or local businesses, take a walk or drive in alleys (or behind stores) to find treasures to repurpose and rescue from the landfill. Get creative - find some more ideas here!
Step 3: Build Your Garden
Organize a workday with your small group to set up the garden:
Prepare the space: Clear the area and lay down cardboard or newspaper to suppress weeds.
Build beds or containers: Assemble raised beds, fill containers with soil, or create a keyhole garden.
Set up a watering system: Use rain barrels or repurposed containers to collect water and/or diy an olla watering system.
Tip: Make it fun! Bring snacks, music, and kids to create a welcoming atmosphere.
Step 4: Plant & Maintain Garden
Seed Starting
Save seeds from store-bought produce or swap with neighbors.
Plant seeds indoors using egg cartons, yogurt cups, or other repurposed containers.
Transplant seedlings: Harden plants before planting outdoors so they’re strong enough to survive outside.
Planting/Transplanting
Prepare the soil by adding compost or organic matter.
Plant seeds or seedlings according to their spacing and sunlight needs.
Label plants to keep track of what’s growing.
4. Maintaining
Water regularly, using rain barrels, diy ollas, or repurposed containers.
Weed and mulch to keep the garden healthy.
Rotate tasks among group members to share the workload.
Step 5: Share the Harvest
Ensure everyone benefits from the garden’s bounty:
Free farm stand: Set up a stand where anyone can take fresh produce, similar to a Little Free Library.
Community meals: Host potlucks or cooking events using ingredients from the garden.
Direct donations: Share harvests with neighbors, especially those who may not have time or resources to garden.
Harvesting:
Pick produce when it’s ripe and ready to eat.
Share the harvest through a free farm stand, community meals, or direct donations.
Save seeds for next year’s garden.
Tip: Create a schedule for harvesting and maintaining the stand to share responsibilities.
Extras!!
Real-World Examples
Here are some inspiring mutual aid community garden projects:
The Food is Free Project is a worldwide movement of people growing and sharing food freely. We encourage connecting with your neighbors by planting a front yard garden or sharing your harvest with a #foodisfree table.
Ron Finley is a rebel with a green thumb. In 2010 Ron set out to fix a problem in his South Central neighborhood parkways; those often neglected dirt patches next to our streets. He planted some vegetables there. Soon after he was cited for gardening without a permit by the apparent owners of those dirt patches: the City of Los Angeles. Queue the beginning of a horticulture revolution.
A community-driven farm in Louisville, Kentucky, that grows food for local residents.
Mutual Aid Gardens (Independent Projects)
Many mutual aid gardens operate independently, without nonprofit status. Search for local groups in your area or start your own!
Overcoming Challenges
Starting a mutual aid garden isn’t always easy, but these tips can help:
Community Buy-In: Host a meeting to share your vision and listen to neighbors’ ideas.
Sustainability: Create a plan for long-term maintenance, like a volunteer schedule or rotating responsibilities.
Weather: Use row covers, greenhouses, or cold frames to extend the growing season.
Make it fun: archway with vines, create space for firepit and social area, game areas, terrariums, decorate plant pots, bird feeder and houses, picnics, wind chimes, mosaics, pressed plants/flowers, involve kiddos!
Call to Action
Ready to grow food and community? Start small:
Gather a few neighbors and scout for potential garden spaces.
Use free or repurposed materials to build your garden.
Share your progress on social media to inspire others!
Next Up: Water!
Stay tuned for a future post where we’ll dive into collecting and using water sustainably!
With Literary Affection,
jack