Community Gardens
Grow Healthy, Affordable Food
Since 1972, KNOX has transformed acres of vacant lots into edible, productive gardens to combat food insecurity in Hartford.
KNOX oversees 21 community gardens throughout the City of Hartford. Gardens are a direct reflection of the city’s cultural diversity and provide a place for residents to cultivate healthy, affordable and culturally relevant food.
Each season, gardeners apply for space to grow and pay a small fee. When you join a KNOX Community Garden, you receive free seeds, water, and access to compost. You’re also welcome to attend any workshops KNOX hosts, which cover topics such as crop planning and companion planting. We consider other community gardeners the best resource of all and encourage you to learn from the experts around you!
We know gardens naturally foster community, and self-resilience. They also play a vital role in preserving green space and providing outdoor classrooms/volunteer hubs. You may see our horticulture team teaching apprentices how to maintain the properties, or experience a garden clean up with volunteers. KNOX staff and programs work hard to support our community gardeners!
If you’re interested in signing up for a community garden plot, please complete this form, and we will contact you regarding plot availability. If you are a returning gardener, your renewal application will come in the mail at the start of each new year!
Sharing Excess Produce
Excess produce from our community gardens should not be wasted—especially when it can directly impact our community.
We encourage you to donate excess produce to local food pantries, including our partner, Hands On Hartford, which collects fresh produce, processes it for their food pantry, and distributes it to families in the Hartford community.
Excess produce can be dropped off to:
Hands on Hartford
55 Bartholomew Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
