Plant with neighbors in your community

If you don’t feel like digging up a garden plot in your backyard, there may still be opportunities to grow your own veggies.

There are several community gardens in the Nashua area, although the rules and costs are different at each. Here are some details on a few local community growing spots:

Hudson

Residents are on track to have a new community garden this year.

UNH Cooperative Extension, in partnership with Alvirne High School, was awarded a $4,800 grant this spring to start the “4-H Community Garden” behind the school, said Mike Koski, an extension educator who focuses on youth development.

The funding was provided by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Koski said, and the money will buy fencing, tools and extend water to the area. High school students are expected to put up the fencing and plow, and the extension plans to offer gardening expertise, coordination and community outreach.

Koski said plans for plot size and user fees were still being ironed out, but the plan was to offer an area for Hudson residents to provide fresh produce for new immigrant families to the Nashua area. Those involved hope the garden will be open mid-May.

Nashua

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department sponsors a 50-plot community garden at Greeley Park, which has been harvested since the Great Depression.

These days, the department tills the earth and supplies water, but growers are responsible for the rest, including the $20 fee. The garden has become so popular that there’s a long waiting list. If you want to add your name, contact the department at 589-3360.

Wilton

The Wilton Community Garden is in its second year, and has grown by several plots, said coordinator Nicole Colvin-Griffin.

Located on a portion of the Carnival Hill conservation land, the garden had 21 spots in 2008, but will have 27 this spring. There is also a growing area dedicated to the Open Cupboard food pantry.

A $10 fee covers soil and water testing, Colvin-Griffin said. Members are also asked to contribute to overall weeding, composting and other small projects.

For more information, call Colvin-Griffin at 654-6201.