Ready to flex your green thumb? Here’s how to join a community garden in Kansas City

Whether you are starting tomato seeds on your porch or searching for some starter plants at a nursery, spring time is almost here. It’s time to make gardening plans.

For those who don’t have ample outdoor space at home or would like to join a community of gardeners, it may be a good idea to rent a garden plot for the season. Here’s a look at different ways you can get involved with Kansas City’s gardening community this spring.

Get a membership with Kansas City Community Gardens

Kansas City Community Gardens is a local organization aimed at helping low income families access food and start their own gardens. KCCG also supports a network of 310 gardens across the Kansas City metro area.

Community members can become KCCG members for a small yearly fee based on your family’s income. That membership will grant you access to free and heavily discounted seeds, tilling supplies, soil, fertilizer and more.

KCCG also sells supplies for gardening members at its retail space at Swope Park.

“We’re kind of like the Costco of garden centers,” said Jennifer Meyer, KCCG’s director of development.

Rent a garden plot and grow at your leisure

Once a member, you can also participate in one of KCCG’s nine staffed community gardens, where you can rent a plot for as low as $8 a year. Gardeners can choose from raised beds or ground plots. Membership will also include access to water, a shelter and picnic table space, a compost area and access to a portable toilet.

“Spring is here,” Meyer said adding that KCCG offers a number of workshops and lessons on gardening that people can access on its website.

“Folks can be putting things in the ground after this latest round of snow and ice clear off this week. So it’s definitely time to get going,” she said.

The best way to find out which one of KCCG’s rent-a-plot gardens has a plot available is to call the headquarters at 816-931-3877 or to visit the center at 6917 Kensington Ave. Meyer said there are some waitlists, so it’s best to put in your inquiry as soon as possible.

Volunteer and help larger gardens produce food for the community

If you are less interested in managing your own garden plot but still want to get your hands in the soil, there are other options.

You could volunteer at a garden run by a local organization like a neighborhood association or nonprofit. Unlike tending to your own plot, you can work with others on a small farm or urban garden to grow food for the surrounding community.

One of KCCG community partners, Mitzvah Garden KC in Overland Park, produces nearly 10,000 pounds in food to distribute to the community. Mitzvah also uses a number of sustainable techniques and practices, including irrigation and solar panels, that volunteers can come and learn more about.

“Volunteers help with every aspect of the garden,” said Mitzvah Garden KC founder Ken Sonnenschein. “All we really need is their energy and loving spirit, and we’ll teach them everything they need to do and give them all the equipment and tools they need to have a great time and address hunger in our community.”

People interested in volunteering at Mitzvah Garden KC this season are encouraged to show up at the 12320 Nall Ave. in Overland Park, every Sunday morning from 8 a.m. to noon. People can also contact farm coordinator Brenda Ruppel bcruppel@aol.com.

Tend to a community orchard

KCCG also welcomes volunteers to help with its wide range of programming, including its Giving Grove Orchards. The Giving Grove Orchard program started in 2013, after a group suggested that the community try to build orchards instead of gardens, according to Meyer.

“So we tried it and kind of found the right formula to work in Kansas City. So we have a library of trees and berries that are adapted to live here,” Meyers said.

Since that suggestion, KCCG has now 210 orchard sites and has planted more than 3,000 trees in the Kansas City area. The food from the various fruit trees support schools, pantries and sometimes are just for the surrounding community to enjoy.

For people who are interested in volunteering with an orchard, KCCG has a volunteer form to help place volunteers with the right site.

“Almost all our sites welcome volunteer help. So we can connect you with someone right in your neighborhood and you can spend your Saturday out there volunteering,” Meyer said.

What other community gardens do you love around KC? Let us know at kcq@kcstar.com.

This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 5:00 AM.