Growing our social capital, by connecting people and building community

The Community Garden program provides gardening opportunities for the physical and social benefit of the people and neighborhoods of Tacoma. Opportunities include meeting your neighbors, becoming more self-reliant, beautifying your neighborhood, producing nutritious food, reducing your family food budget, conserving resources and getting outdoors for some healthy exercise.

Since September 2012, Pierce Conservation District (PCD) has been working with gardeners to oversee general operations at 66 gardens throughout the county, approximately half of which are located in Tacoma. The partnership agreement includes Parks Tacoma, City of Tacoma, Pierce County Public Works and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. For questions about a specific garden please contact the site coordinator.

Other City of Tacoma/Pierce County Community Gardens

• Contact: Kristen McIvor (253) 845-9770 with Pierce Conservation District
• Facebook: Harvest Pierce County

Theft

Parks Tacoma understands that theft of produce is an ongoing challenge in Community Gardens. Some methods to deter theft which have worked in other Community Gardens are:

• Plant thorny plants around the perimeter of the garden.
• Keep a presence in the garden. More people in the gardens more often means less opportunity for theft.
• Harvest ripe fruits and vegetables immediately to give thieves nothing to take.
• Plant less popular items on the outside of the garden, i.e. potatoes instead of tomatoes
• Plant different items that will throw off thieves such as purple cauliflower or white eggplant.