Starting a community garden is hard work. You can't do it alone. Get your friends and neighbors involved. Survey your neighbors to see if they would be interested. Schedule a regular meeting to develop plans for the garden. Do you want all veggies in the garden or a combination of flowers and vegetables? Do you want a section of the garden for kids?

Check around your neighborhood for a vacant lot that gets at least 6-8 hours of light. Choose a lot that is fairly level. Be prepared to schedule a series of workdays to remove any debris. The potential site should be within walking distance of all the gardeners. Have the soil tested for lead and heavy metals.

Look for a source for water. In Chicago the water department can loan you a key and an adapter for a hose for a water hydrant. Try to choose a lot where the hydrant is on the same side of the street as the lot.

Get permission to use the land. You have to have permission from the owner to garden on the property. It is often very difficult to find the owner of privately owned land. If the property is owned by the City of Chicago, you can get permission to garden on the land. Give your alderman the address of the lot and they can check and see if it is city-owned.

Make plans for the garden. All gardeners should be involved in the design of the garden. Draw up a simple plan with pictures from gardening catalogs designating the different areas of the garden...veggie beds, flowerbeds, compost area, garden paths, children's plots, etc. The pictures can be moved around until the group comes up with a final plan.

Community gardens should have some basic components. Ideally all gardeners should have their own plot. You may want to designate a few communal plots where the veggies are given to a local food pantry.

There should be a picnic table or bench preferably under a tree where gardeners can sit and relax. The area could also be used as an outdoor class space or meeting place. Set up a few bales of hay for people to sit on.

A sign should be one of the first structures that go up in the garden. The sign should have the garden's name, sponsors and a contact number. A sign says, " Something is happening here. Come and join us".

A composting area is a necessity. Through the City of Chicago's Home Composting program, Chicago residents can purchase, at a reduced price, the Earth Machine for their composting needs.

Involve kids in the garden. Set aside an area for kid's plots. Getting kids into gardening can help to reduce vandalism.

Set up a garden bulletin board where garden rules, classes, meetings and other information can be posted.

Finally plant something right away to let people know that a garden will be growing on the lot. Start planting at the front of the garden where people walking by can observe your progress. Don't be discouraged if you don't finish your plans for the garden in your first year. Cover unused areas with a layer of woodchips to reduce weeding. In Chicago, you can get free truckloads of chips for the garden from the Chicago Park District.

Vandalism is going to happen. A fence will not keep out all vandals. Replant immediately after any vandalism. Involving community members and children in all phases of garden development will give everyone a sense of ownership, thereby reducing instances of vandalism.

Organizations like the University of Illinois Extension, Openlands, the Chicago Botanic GardensGreennet-Chicago's Greening Network, Neighborspace , the City of Chicago and the American Community Gardening Association can help support your community garden. For example, in Chicago, Greennet offers mini- garden grants for community gardens. Contact these organizations for information on their gardening programs and resources.