Community gardens

District of Columbia DPR community gardens

Washington, D.C., serving District of Columbia. Listed as a reference, not an endorsement.

Overview

The District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation publishes community garden locations and contact guidance for residents seeking plots or volunteer opportunities. This listing is provided for reference, not as an endorsement, certification, ranking, or guarantee of current availability.

Services and programs

  • Community garden list
  • Interactive map
  • Plot information

What to verify before you go

Contact the organization or review its official source before making a trip, placing an order, joining a garden, or applying for funding. Details that commonly change include:

  • Waitlist status
  • Plot rules and fees
  • Garden manager contact

Related directory resources

Browse all community gardens or return to the directory hub.

Sources and last verified

Source: DC Department of Parks and Recreation. Last checked 2026-10-04.

The District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation publishes community garden locations and contact guidance for residents seeking plots or volunteer opportunities.

What this listing covers

The source provides a garden list, map access, and instructions for contacting garden managers or the department. Plot availability is managed locally.

Before joining

Ask about waitlists, plot rules, fees, water, tools, and the current garden manager contact before planting or harvesting.

More tools

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Calculate

Compost mix calculator

Balance greens and browns for a healthy pile.

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Plan

Planting calendar

Build a schedule from your median last freeze date.

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Plan

Moon-phase planting calendar

Plan traditional garden tasks around the lunar phases.

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Plan

Seed starting calculator

Find the right time to start seeds indoors.

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Garden guides

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Greenhouse growing

Greenhouse temperature guide for seeds and seedlings

Use crop-specific greenhouse temperatures for seed germination, seedlings, frost protection, and ventilation, with practical day and night ranges.

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Diagram of a raised bed cross section showing timber walls, a layer of existing soil or coarse fill, and the measured depth of new soil being added.

Materials

How much soil does a raised bed need?

How to measure a raised bed and turn the volume into bags or bulk cubic yards, with a worked example for a common 8 by 4 bed.

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October calendar diagram showing planting windows for garlic, spring bulbs, hardy greens, and cover crops closing as the first fall frost approaches.

Seasonal

What can I plant right now in my garden?

In early October, most US gardeners can still plant garlic, spring bulbs, hardy greens, and cover crops. Here is what is still open and what has closed.

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Diagram of a tulip bulb in a soil cross section planted at about three times its own height, pointed end up, with a depth marker of 6 to 8 inches.

Fall planting

When should I plant tulip bulbs?

Plant tulip bulbs in fall, about 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes. Here is how the window shifts by region and how deep to plant.

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Plant library

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Illustration of a basil stem with paired oval leaves

Herb

Basil

A simple basil guide covering warmth, pinching, watering, and repeated harvests.

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Illustration of a parsley plant with fine divided leaves

Herb

Parsley

A slow-starting biennial herb grown as an annual, with leaves ready about three months after sowing.

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Illustration of a clump of thin chive blades

Herb

Chives

A hardy perennial onion herb that returns each spring and asks for little beyond occasional dividing.

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Illustration of a cilantro plant with fine divided leaves

Herb

Cilantro

A fast cool-season herb for fresh leaves, best grown in short repeated sowings before it bolts.

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Glossary terms

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pests and diseases

Integrated pest management

Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a decision process that combines monitoring, prevention, identification, and targeted controls to manage pests.

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plant biology

Internode

An internode is the section of stem between two nodes. Its length affects plant shape, spacing between leaves, and whether growth looks compact or stretched.

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plant labels

Landrace

A landrace is a locally adapted population shaped by long-term selection and environmental conditions rather than one uniform breeding standard.

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timing

Last frost date

A last frost date is a probability-based estimate of when a location is likely to experience its final spring freeze. It is a planning date, not a guarantee.

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Gardening directories

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Native plant resources

Florida Native Plant Society database

The Florida Native Plant Society database supports searches by plant name, growing conditions, and Florida county.

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Native plant resources

Indiana Native Plant Finder

The Indiana Native Plant Finder helps users choose garden-worthy Indiana native plants using site and pollinator-related filters.

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Garden grants and school garden programs

Whole Foods Market Foundation Garden Grant

The Whole Foods Market Foundation Garden Grant supports edible educational gardens at eligible K to 12 schools in the United States and Canada.

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Garden grants and school garden programs

District of Columbia School Garden Program

The D.C. School Garden Program supports school gardens through training, technical assistance, and competitive grant funding.

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