Resources

Clicking a link will scroll the page to the relevant section.

Program Guides

Click on the links below to download the appropriate guide.

Workshops & Materials

Community garden groups access their materials through small workshops held throughout the year across the city. Our quarterly Program Guide contains information on each season’s workshops, supply pick-ups, and other events and services. By knowing what materials will be available and when, the Program Guide allows community garden groups to plan in advance and attempts to give all community gardens equal access to materials, services, and educational instruction.

Your garden group has the choice of coming to workshops that are closest to your garden, or picking from the variety of interesting topics. You are not limited to only the workshops in your borough. Each workshop will include a brief educational presentation and the distribution of supplies. For materials too large to pick-up, such as soil or lumber, your group can apply for the materials to be delivered. A member of your garden group must attend a workshop and sign in to receive supplies. GreenThumb no longer distributes materials through requests to Borough Outreach Coordinators.

In the past, community garden groups would contact an Outreach Coordinator to get materials, and it was often impossible to serve so many gardens in a timely manner. By consolidating and streamlining the way materials are distributed, GreenThumb is able to provide more groups with the basic materials they need to manage a public garden. GreenThumb also knows how concerned its garden groups are about the health of our urban environment; therefore we will strive to provide environmentally appropriate materials whenever possible.

The events scheduled in the quarterly Program Guide also provide valuable opportunities for community gardeners to network with each other and with experts from various greening organizations. These fun events are perfect for recruiting new members to your garden and for cultivating the next generation of garden leaders.

GreenThumb has developed this model to better serve New York City's community gardens. Thanks to the labor of garden advocates, NYC now has more permanent community gardens than ever before. Permanent gardens are made even more precious by the knowledge that there is limited opportunity for new ones to be established. Along with this historic victory has come increased maintenance and operation expectations. In this new landscape, GreenThumb must continually think about how to help community gardens be sustainable neighborhood institutions now and for many years to come.

Many thanks to the community garden groups and greening organizations that have partnered with GreenThumb to make these programs possible.

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Tutorials

Click on the links below to download tutorials.
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Signs

GreenThumb policy requires all registered GreenThumb community gardens to have a GreenThumb sign and open hours posted. In addition, GreenThumb provides other signs to our gardeners by request.

To obtain any of the signs listed below, you must fill out the Sign Request Form and mail or fax it to our office. You may pick up Sign Request Forms from our office, have them mailed to you, or download them.
Sign Request Form (PDF, 86.2 KB)

The following is a list and description of available signs:

GreenThumb Signs

All registered GreenThumb gardens must have a GreenThumb sign on their fence.
We are proud of your greening efforts, and we want you to be proud that you are a GreenThumb garden. If your GreenThumb sign has been damaged, let us know so you can get a new one.

Routed Parks Signs

All Parks Gardens are to display a Parks Department sign with the name of the garden group along with the GreenThumb sign in front of the garden. Signs are 2x2 ft. or 2x4 ft. Signs must be ordered, and some information of the genesis of the name may be required. All gardens that were recently transferred into the Parks Department by the settlement will receive a GREEN sign. Gardens under all other jurisdictions will receive a WHITE routed Parks sign.

Open Hours

Open hours signs must be posted to inform the community and visitors when the garden is open. All GreenThumb gardens are required to be open a minimum of twenty (20) hours a week. Open hours may be changed every new gardening season to fit the schedule of the gardeners. Open hours signs are 8.5 x 11 in. and can be sent to you by mail.

“No Dumping”

The "No Dumping" signs are provided by the generosity of The Department of Sanitation to help keep your garden green and clean. If you have a problem with dumpers in your community, let them know with this sign that dumping on your garden is illegal, and they will be fined. The sign may be picked up at the GreenThumb office by appointment.

“Curb Your Dog”

The "Curb Your Dog" signs are made available by the Department of Parks & Recreation. They are bright red and demonstrate that NOT cleaning up after your dog is illegal and subject to a fine. The sign may be picked up at the GreenThumb office by appointment.

Special Custom-made Laminated Signs

A special laminated sign is a sign that GreenThumb does not have on hand but can be created for you with information you provide. If your garden is trying to promote membership or is having an event, you might want a special laminated sign. Signs range from 8.5 x 11 in. or 11x17 in. Signs may be picked up at the GreenThumb office by appointment.

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Links

NYC/Local

Added Value
A nonprofit organization promoting the sustainable development of Red Hook by nurturing a new generation of young leaders. They work towards this goal by creating opportunities for the youth of South Brooklyn to expand their knowledge base, develop new skills, and positively engage with their community through the operation of a socially responsible urban farming enterprise.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Tips, tours, resources, and workshops.

Citizens Committee for New York City
Technical assistance and training sessions available to help make your community group work better. Cash awards up to $350 for local beautification projects provided through Mollie Parnis "Dress Up Your Neighborhood" contest. Also provides grants through Neighborhood Environmental Action Program and Building Block Awards.

Council on the Environment of New York City
This organization reaches out to the public with environmental education, waste prevention and recycling, Open Space Greening, Greenmarket, and other programs.

Earth Celebrations
An artists' collective from the Lower East Side working to support and preserve gardens through art and community action. Includes nice section highlighting Lower East Side gardens.

East Village Parks Conservancy
The East Village Parks Conservancy is a not-for-profit, community-based organization of volunteers who are committed to the care, restoration and expansion of East Village public parkland.

Farming Concrete
A project to measure how much food is grown in New York City's community gardens and community-oriented urban farms and to assign the total volume a monetary value.

Flatbush Gardener
Adventures in Neo-Victorian, Wild, Shade, Organic and Native Plant Gardening, Garden Design, and Garden Restoration.

Green Bytes
The Journal of The Horticultural Society of New York.

Green Guerillas
New York City organization promoting and protecting community gardens. Interesting links, facts, and figures.

Greenbelt Native Plant Nursery
Division of the Department of Parks & Recreation, they provide locally appropriate seed and plants, offer guidance in planning projects, and invite you to explore their services and resources.

Just Food
Fosters urban agriculture and provides food access to those most in need. Check out their market-gardening initiative, the City Farms project.

La Familia Verde
La Familia Verde is a coalition of community gardens in the Crotona, East Tremont, and West Farms neighborhoods in the Bronx. Formed in 1998, its mission is to sustain the environment and culture of our neighborhood through education, community service, and horticulture.

New York Botanical Garden
Education, events, workshops, and more.

New York Restoration Project
Good land trust resource. See their timely, informative newsletter.

The NYC Compost Project
The NYC Department of Sanitation's site has info about compost givebacks and compost deliveries. Also a good composting resource.

NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
The official website of the Parks Department. Apply for permits online, find out about events, get the latest news, see interactive maps, read histories of your local park, and more.

NYC Environmental Justice Alliance
Citywide network that links grassroots organizations, low-income neighborhoods, and communities of color in the struggle against environmental racism.

NYCLeaves
NYCLeaves is a volunteer-run, neighborhood-based coalition of gardeners and greening partners who are harvesting residential leaves.

Partnerships for Parks
Encourages community support and involvement in New York City's Parks. Helps to strengthen, support, and start neighborhood park groups.

Trees New York
Trees New York (TNY) is an environmental and urban forestry nonprofit organization. Our mission is to plant, preserve and protect New York City's neighborhood trees through education, active citizen participation and advocacy.

Treebranch Network
Neighborhood Open Space Coalition's Hub for the NYC Urban Environment.

Trust For Public Land
This national organization works to protect open spaces via land trusts. Some GreenThumb gardens are under their jurisdiction, so see what they're all about.

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Garden Websites

6/15 Green
6BC Botanical Garden
6th & B Garden
9th Street Community Garden (Email)
11 BC Community Garden
Brooklyn Bears Community Gardens
Clifton Place Memorial Garden & Park
Clinton Community Garden
Creative Little Garden
El Sitio Feliz/ Union Settlement Assoc.
Greene Acres Community Garden
Hattie Carthan Community Garden
Hollenback Community Garden
JFK High School - Enchanted Garden
La Familia Verde
La Plaza Cultural
LaGuardia Corner Gardens
Liz Christy Garden
M'finda Kalunga Garden
Red Shed Garden
The Riverside-Inwood Neighborhood Garden (RING)
Summit Street Garden
Temple of David Community Garden
Two Coves Community Garden
West 104th Street Community Garden
Woodbine Street Block Association Garden

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Community Gardening

American Community Garden Association
This national network's site has info about starting a community garden, resources, and more. Their listserve allows you to contact community gardeners all over the country.

City Farmer
Canadian resource with articles about community gardening worldwide. See their articles on casitas and horticulture.

FarmGarden UK
Check out the British community gardening scene with this site. See Links for profiles and photos of community gardens across the big pond.

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Other Resources

Botanique
National listing of gardens, arboretums, and various other nature sites. Links to botanical organizations, gardening publications, and other resources for gardeners.

Collected Seed
Collected Seed Farm was established in response to the need for secure and affordable access to fresh, sustainably-grown food in the Mid-Hudson Valley/Catskill region.

Organic Gardening
The online version of the magazine—everything you need to know about growing a great garden!

Gardens Alive!
Online catalog for ordering natural pest controls, garden supplies, and more.

Victor Pest Control
Nontoxic pest control resource. Research your pest and disease problems on this site. Solve your pest problems without poison!

Seeds of Change
Quality, non-genetically modified seeds.

Victory Seeds
Heirloom seed resource. Check out these flavorful, tried-and-true varieties.

Johnny's Seeds
Johnny's prides itself on its superior seeds, research, technical information, and service, as well as its commitment to completely organic gardening techniques.

Plant a Row for the Hungry
Campaign developed by the Garden Writer's Association of America (GWAA) to encourage gardeners to grow a little extra and donate the produce to local programs that serve the homeless and hungry.

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