P-PATCH COMMUNITY GARDENING PROGRAM

HOW DO P-PATCHES WORK?
The P-Patch Program is the community gardening program of the City of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods and is open to Seattle residents.  Staff partner with volunteers, the P-Patch Trust, Seattle Housing Authority, and other agencies to support, develop and manage community gardening in Seattle. Gardeners like you volunteer to coordinate the tasks and activities in the garden.

P-Patches are an open space resource for all members of the community, not just gardeners, and are places to share love of gardening, cultivate friendships, strengthen neighborhoods, increase self-reliance, wildlife habitat, foster environmental awareness, relieve hunger, improve nutrition, and enjoy recreational and therapeutic opportunities.

In 2009, an evaluation of the P-Patch Program was conducted. This evaluation was conducted to provide Department of Neighborhoods with information, analyses and recommendations to incorporate P-Patches into the City’s on-going planning and community building efforts. You can view a summary or full text at the following locations:

PPatchEvaluation2009 Full Text (1,346KB)
P-Patch evaluation Executive Summary 2009 Executive Summary

WHAT ARE THE RULES?
Click here for the full Rules for P-Patch Participants in gardens with individual plots
Click here for the full Rules for P-Patch Collective Members in gardens without individual plots
Click here for the full Code of Conduct

HOW ARE PLOTS ASSIGNED? HOW DO YOU BECOME A MEMBER AT A COLLECTIVE?
Potential participants can get plots or join collectives in new and existing P-Patch community gardens. The adopted Plot Assignment Guidelinesexplain the strategies the program use to assign plots to potential participants. All potential participants should get on the wait list (existing garden) or interest list (in the case of a garden in development). Last year's participants have priority to renew their plots.

Sign-up Here: P-Patch Community Garden Wait and Interest List
Click here to learn how the lists work: How the Wait and Interest lists Work

WHAT SIZE ARE THE PLOTS?
Plot sizes are based on the overall garden size, the wait list length, the population density of neighborhoods, and other programmatic goals. Plot sizes vary from garden to garden, typically they range between 40 and 2500 sq. ft..

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Everyone can garden no matter their ability to pay.  There are yearly plot fees owed when you fill out the new/renewal application.  If you can not afford to pay, but want to grow, there is plot fee assistance available.

2011 ANNUAL PARTICIPANT FEES

Plot Rental fees
$25 application fee
$12 for each 100sf gardened
examples:
10 x 10 (100 square feet) - $37 annual fee
10 x 20 (200 square feet) - $49 annual fee
10 x 40 (400 square feet) - $73 annual fee
Alternative annual fees
$10 Accessible raised bed
$10 Collective garden

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
There are some specific rules that apply to gardening in P-Patch community garden. You should read over the rules for P-Patch participants. provide seeds, soil, tools, and labor. Garden organically (NO synthetic chemicals including; pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, weed-killers, and fertilizers). Care for your plot and pathways year-round and contribute 8 hours for the whole garden (not inside your plot) each year, four of those hours must be at your garden.

CAN I VOLUNTEER?
If you are a P-Patch gardener you are required to volunteer 8 hours annually to the common good of the garden. If you are waiting to become a P-Patch member or interested in just helping out, there are ways to help out. Please refer to the following Volunteer Interest Sheet, to see different ways you can help out. Check with the
P-Patch office or P-Patch Trust if you are a non-member and want to volunteer.

WHAT CAN I GROW?
Any vegetables, small fruits, flowers or herbs you choose. Just remember if something grows fast and spreads you must contain it. Some sites have plant restrictions for those plants that are invasive in the garden, you should check with the specific garden to see what those might be.

HOW LONG IS THE GARDEN SEASON?
You are responsible for maintaining your garden all year long.  You must start gardening within 2 weeks of being assigned your plot.  Active gardening reflects seasonality (i.e. winterization, spring weeding and planting, fall cleanup, summer maintenance, harvesting, etc).

Fall and Winter Gardening options: Please remove all non-organic material (tomato cages, trellises, etc.) and choose one or a combination of these options to help with weed suppression and protect your soil from the winter rains. Tending the soil in the cool season pays you back in the warm!
Option #1: Grow winter crops such as garlic, onions, kale, etc.
Option #2: Plant cover crops: Cover crops are also called green manure because in the spring you dig them into your soil and they feed nitrogen and provide organic material as they decompose.
Option #3: Mulch /Sheet Compost to protect and build bare soil.

CAN I GIVE THE PLOT TO SOMEONE ELSE?
You CANNOT give your plot to anyone else; the plots are only assigned by P-Patch staff.  Please notify the P-Patch program staff if and when you will no longer be caring for your assigned space.

CAN SOMEONE GARDEN WITH ME?
YES, you must let P-Patch staff know, but more than one person can garden a plot.

CAN I SELL PRODUCE GROWN?
The sale of produce is only permitted though the P-Patch Market Garden Program, but sharing is always welcomed.

WHAT IS FOOD BANK OR GIVING GARDENING?
Most P-Patches have a food bank or “giving garden” program to provide fresh produce for those in need. In all P-Patches, individual gardeners can grow food in their own plots to donate to local food banks. Please think about planting an extra row to donate. Many P-Patches also have plots designated as “food bank plots” that are communally or individually gardened specifically to grow food for donation. Lettuce Link coordinates with food bank gardening leaders at each garden and will connect you to your nearest food bank.

WHAT IS THE P-PATCH TRUST?
The P-Patch Trust is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that partners with P-Patch Program to acquire, build, preserve, and protect community gardens in Seattle’s neighborhoods.    To get involved, contact the Trust at their voice mail 425-329-1601 or web site—www.pptrust.org.

WHAT ELSE DO I RECEIVE?

• Festive events: Harvest Banquet
• Connection to other P-Patch Community Gardeners around the city
• Organic fertilizer or cover crop, water, use of hoses, tools at most sites.
• Organic gardening educational opportunities (to be announced).
• Quarterly newsletter, the P-Patch Post, published by the P-Patch Trust.
• P-Patch Listserv: a moderated tool for gardeners and staff to share ideas, horticulture information, and events. New gardeners will be automatically added to the listserv and can expect zero to five e-mails a day. You may opt out by checking the “Do not add” box on the application page.