Joining a community garden on Oahu
First glimpse of our community garden plot
Recently, my husband and I became proud participants in our local community garden, located about 5 minutes from our home on the island of Oahu. I decided to share our experiences and hope some of this info is useful in understanding just how simple it is to get a gardening plot!
I've included information about the application process and what you can expect along the way, as well as specific details about the Sgt. Smith Community Garden (where we're located), situated directly across from Wheeler Army Airfield between Wahiawa and Mililani on Kamehameha Hwy.
Using the side entrance to the Sgt. Smith Community Garden on Kamehameha Hwy. across from Wheeler Army Airfield
The community garden and application process
Our garden is part of the Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program, sponsored by the City and County of Honolulu. There are 11 locations on the island of Oahu. To participate is a very simple process and has a 2-part process. The first step is to sign up on their site to be placed on a waiting list (here’s the linkif you’re interested). Once you are placed on the waiting list, they are pretty good at keeping you updated. You’ll receive an email telling you your placement on the waitlist ie. #20, #10… and finally when your next on the list. This is the email you’ve been waiting ever so patiently for. Within this email you’ll receive a pdf application form to fill out which is different from the waitlist.
After sending in our application via email, we waited around 4 months to receive our welcome letter and the community meeting details.
I thought it might be helpful to also mention that the welcome letter is very different from the waitlist one. So please be sure to read your letter carefully. There was someone who attended the last meeting, and assumed their plot was ready, when it was only the waitlist letter they had received.
Additional application info: adding a Co-Gardener
On your application you are able to list down people in your household to garden with you. Although, we found out later at the meeting, that the “household” people you list down is very different from who you list down as Co-Gardener.
As a plot owner, you and/or your co-gardener are responsible to attend 4 mandatory quarterly meetings and 8 ( 2 per quarter) community garden clean-ups/year. If you find yourself unable to attend, only your co-gardener can attend these events and sign in. They are very strict about this.
Please be very mindful of who you add to your plot as a co-gardener because you will both be sharing in your garden’s responsibilities. Missing mandatory meetings and clean-ups will result in warnings and could eventually lead to the revocation of your plot.
Annual dues
There are two annual fees you must pay when you receive your plot. We paid $80 to the city for water usage and $45 to the community garden for new gardeners, then $50 every year after that.
Specific rules & regulations
Here’s a link to the rules and regulations that go along with plot rental.
Trees & woody plants
The city recently implemented a new rule that nothing in the plot can exceed 5 ft. in height with the exception of our plot fence which can be up to 6 ft. All trees or woody plants growing must come from an approved list, and any that are approved must be grown in a container with a cement base underneath to prevent roots from spreading beyond the container.
You have to email the city coordinator for a list of acceptable trees and woody plants, but I’ve put the link here 😉.
Helpful meeting info if you decide to get a plot at one of the community gardens here on Oahu. The following is specific to the Sgt. Smith location:
The garden holds monthly meetings at 8:30am, with the exception of December. You are required to attend at least one meeting per quarter, as well as the four mandatory quarterly clean-ups, held in March, June, September, and November.
HELPFUL TIP: Volunteering to help set up the tents for any of the monthly meetings, can earn you a clean-up credit. This is really helpful info to know just in case you have things scheduled throughout the year that may result in you missing a few meetings! I don’t know if this applies to all of the community gardens, but this is what was shared for our garden in Wahiawa.
Bulletin board with the meeting and clean-up schedule
Absolutely no cash is accepted. Payments must be made by check or money order only. They made sure everyone at the meeting heard that one loud and clear.
Working in the Sgt. Smith community garden:
Our garden is open from sunrise to sunset. Make sure to check what time the sun will be setting if you plan to stay late as they close the gates at sunset. Water is available all day on weekends, but goes off Monday through Friday from 10am to 2pm.
Learning what Frangible materials mean
Because the Wahiawa Sgt. Smith Community Garden sits right next to Wheeler Army Airfield, everything in the garden has to be frangible, meaning it has to be able to break down or collapse easily so it does not interfere with airfield operations. There should be no building with metal materials, so no galvanized planter boxes, also no concrete, and no PVC piping wider than 2".
What you can use: plastic and terra cotta pots, bamboo trellises and stakes, plastic fencing and lattice, fabric grow bags, wooden planter boxes and posts, and pavers. Having these limitations can be a bit of a challenge at first, but for myself and my husband's neurodivergent brains, it's a very welcomed one! 😅
This is all for now, but knowing me, there’s a few more things that will come to mind, so an edit will be done to update this post!
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you find yourself gardening at our community garden, come say hello!
With Aloha,
Terri
