Benefits of Community Gardens

Community gardening has become a popular pastime in Colorado during our warm summers. Plots throughout Boulder County boast bright green shoots, cherry red tomatoes, and towering stalks of corn. Community gardens give local residents the space to practice planting, sharing tips, and growing their own food so they can actively participate in the food system. 

What’s the Purpose of a Community Garden? 

Not only do community gardens provide space for individuals to plant their own crops, but they also offer a great benefit for humans and the environment. Gardening has been shown to increase well-being both physically and mentally. It gives people a reason to get outside, interact with their environment, and eat healthy foods, fresh from local soil. 

Additionally, community gardens involve people directly in the food system. Instead of shopping at a grocery store, where produce may have traveled long distances to arrive, harvesting your own crops minimizes the fossil fuel impact of each meal you eat. Produce doesn’t need to be picked early so that it ripens during shipping but can be left on the vine until ready. People get to identify what they need, plant it, and harvest it as needed. No refrigeration is necessary. 

Community Gardening Directly Impacts the Environment

Colorado’s climate is harsh. Winters can be tough, long, and windy. Summers are typically dry, hot, and harsh. This intense climate makes for beautiful surroundings like rugged mountains and craggy canyons, but is taxing on the local soil. Additionally, natural areas that were formerly construction zones are typically depleted of nutrients and minerals that make the soil so rich and fertile. 

Gardening actively restores soil back to a healthy baseline. Certain plants can inject nutrients like nitrogen and iron back into the soil while others work to sequester unwanted chemicals. Planting cover crops between seasons mitigates moisture depletion, UV damage, and wind erosion. With many people invested in a community garden, planting and caring for cover crops is more accessible and less time-consuming. 

Habitat Apartments outdoor community spaces foster a sense of kinship with the environment. We want our residents to enjoy Colorado’s natural wonders, large and small. This peaceful oasis just outside of Boulder provides the perfect mix of city and country. Contact us today to learn more. 

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