Printed Materials

As a program of Forsyth County’s Cooperative Extension Service, Forsyth Community Gardening has access to a number of publications on a wide variety of horticultural and community organizing topics. In addition to being posted in their electronic form on this page, many of these materials are also available in hard copy form at the Forsyth County Agricultural Building. Don’t see the topic you were looking for? Contact Megan Gregory with any questions or for more information. Explore our resources on the topics listed below:

Community Gardens

How to Start a Community Garden: Organizing, Fundraising, and Administration
Legal and Safety Considerations
Building Healthy Soil
Garden Plantings: Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, and Herbs
Managing Pests: Insects, Weeds, and Diseases
Container and Raised Bed Gardening
Youth & School Gardens
Harvesting, Preparing, and Preserving Vegetables
Why Community Gardens?
Publicaciones en Español

How to Start a Community Garden: Organizing, Fundraising, and Administration

Organizing a Garden

Growing Community in Community Gardens: Getting (and Keeping) Neighbors Involved Concise, two-page summary of tips for engaging garden members, creating organizational structures that promote shared leadership, and other strategies to build community support for your garden.
Accessible and Inclusive Gardens (from Building a Community Garden in Your Park) has information on designing garden paths, beds, and facilities to include people of all physical abilities in your garden.
Building Community Gardens
Collard Greens and Common Ground: A North Carolina Community Food Gardening Handbook
Community Garden Best Practices Toolkit
Community Garden Resource Guide
Community Garden Start-Up Guide (LA)
Community Gardening Toolkit
Developing Community Garden Governance
Example Community Garden Manual
Growing Communities through Gardens
Making a Site Map
Starting a Community Garden
The Garden City Handbook
Ten Tools Every Community Gardener & Garden Needs

Fundraising

Administering Plot (Allotment) Gardens

Community Gardens

Legal and Safety Considerations

Community Garden Policy Reference Guide
Dig, Eat, and Be Healthy
Establishing Protections for Community Gardens
Example Land Use Agreement
Example Release of All Claims
Food Safety Basics: A 2-page factsheet summarizing food safety practices in the garden, including considerations for site selection, irrigation water, soil amendments, composting, handwashing, and excluding animals from the garden.
Food Safety for School and Community Gardens
Ground Rules: A Legal Toolkit for Community Gardens
Toxic Plant List for Childcare Centers
Safety Guidelines for Youth Working in Gardens
Soil Safety Resource Guide for Urban Food Growers
The Role of Local Government in Community Gardens
Zoning Codes

Building Healthy Soil

General Soil Management

Soil Test Interpretation & Soil Management: A guide from Forsyth Community Gardening on reading your NCDA&CS soil test report, and on good soil management and fertilization practices.
Soil Test Interpretation Worksheet: Use this worksheet with your NCDA soil test report. The worksheet will help you interpret your soil pH, nutrient, and organic matter results and choose appropriate amendments.
Building Soils for Better Crops: Sustainable Soil Management: A complete guide to soils and ecological soil management. Available for free as a PDF or online text version, or for purchase in hard copy.
Converting Fertilizer Recommendations: Instructions on converting a synthetic fertilizer recommendation (such as those give on NCDA&CS reports) to an organic one. This publication will help you select organic amendments to match your nutrient needs, and calculate how much to apply.
Managing Soils: Comprehensive overview of soil management from Penn State’s ‘Start Farming’ series. Includes strategies for increasing organic matter and managing nutrients based on soil tests.
Soil Acidity & Liming: Basic Information for Farmers & Gardeners
Soil Sampling for Home Lawns and Gardens
Understanding the Soil Test Report: Full Version
Understanding the Soil Test Report: Lawn and Garden Specifics

Cover Crops

Cover Crop Basics for Vegetable Gardeners: Two-page handout with an overview of cover crops, potential benefits, how to plant them, and promising options for gardeners in USDA Zone 7
Cover Crop Planting and Management: Two-page handout with tips for establishing cover crops successfully, and cutting down over-wintering cover crops in the Spring to prepare plots for planting vegetables.
Building Healthy Soil in Vegetable Gardens: Cover Crops Have Got it Covered: A collection of four online articles with in-depth information about using cover crops in vegetable gardens. The series covers: definition and benefits of cover cropping; types of cover crops; selecting cover crops for specific rotations, management goals, and environmental conditions; and planting and managing cover crops.
Using Cover Crops in the Garden

Composting

fork

Backyard Composting: Publication from VA Cooperative Extension on what to compost (and not compost) and how to build, maintain, and cure a backyard or community garden compost pile.
Backyard Composting of Yard, Garden, and Food Discards: Publication from NC State on what to compost (and not compost), the composting process, troubleshooting backyard compost piles, and using compost.
Composting Portal from NC Cooperative Extension: Extensive list of links to information on home and backyard composting, as well as large-scale composting.
Composting Chapter of the Extension Gardener Handbook
Guide to Community Composting
Solid Waste Composting Guidelines for Urban Farms & Community Gardens in NC: Guidance from the NC Department of Environmental Quality.

Managing Soil Contaminants

NC Community Gardens - Soil Contaminants and Pesticides: This website, a project of the Community Engagement Core of the Duke University Superfund Research Center, provides information and resources for community gardeners in North Carolina on the sources and health impacts of soil contaminants and pesticides, simple ways to reduce your exposure, and how to get your soil tested for contaminants.
Healthy Gardening Practices: Resources from the Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities project on best practices for reducing exposure to soil contaminants, types of soil contaminants and how to interpret test results for contaminants in soils and vegetables.
Heavy Metals in NC Soil
Soil Contaminants in Community Gardens
Soil Safety Resource Guide for Urban Food Growers

Garden Plantings: Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, and Herbs

Fruits

Vegetables

A Piedmont Garden Calendar: Veggies and Cover Crops for all Seasons:This two-page handout is a guide for planning vegetable crop rotations. It contains approximate planting dates for Spring, Summer, and Fall Vegetables, as well as summer and winter cover crops. Finally, it includes sample rotation plans.
Central North Carolina Planting Calendar
Fall Vegetable Gardens with Season Extension: Two-page handout with recommended crops for fall planting, planting dates, and instructions on how to build a simple low tunnel to protect crops from frost.
Home Vegetable Gardening
Tips for Healthy Tomatoes: A summary of cultural practices to prevent tomato diseases and disorders by promoting healthy and resistant crops, reducing the amount of disease inoculum in the garden, and keeping the leaves clean and dry.
Trellising & Pruning Tomatoes
Vegetable Planting Guide for the Piedmont: Comprehensive list of vegetables with suggested planting dates and spacing
Veggie Fact Sheets and Recipes

Flowers and Herbs

Managing Pests: Insects, Weeds, and Diseases

Supporting Beneficial Insects

Paper wasp, a predator of many insect pests, on yarrow. Photo: M. Gregory, Forsyth CES.

Many insect pests have ‘natural enemies’ – beneficial predators and parasitoids that keep pests under control. Other beneficial insects help pollinate crops like tomatoes and cucumbers. The following resources will help you identify beneficial insects, and create habitat in your garden to ensure they can thrive year-round.

General Insect Pest Management References

Insect Management Overview: Two-page summary of key insect management strategies: providing habitat for beneficial insects, good cultural practices to prevent pest buildup, and recommendations for specific pests.
Floating Row Cover
Insect Management in the Home Vegetable Garden
Insect Management in Organic Farming Systems
Insecticides for Organic Backyard Vegetable Production
NC State Gardening Portal: Insects
Organic Pest Management: Resources from the Growing Small Farms program, including photos of pest and beneficial insects and a compilation of Web resources on organic pest management
Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management: An excellent reference book with research-based recommendations by crop, photos of pests and diseases, materials fact sheets, and information on habitats for beneficial insects.

Specific Vegetable Pest Profiles

Weed Management

Summer weeds don’t stand a chance beneath this dense cover crop of millet and cowpea! Photo: M. Gregory, Forsyth CES.

Managing Weeds in Community Gardens: Overview of practices for preventing and managing weeds, plus a photo guide to common annual and perennial weeds in NC community gardens.
12 Steps Toward Ecological Weed Management in Organic Vegetables: A comprehensive introduction to designing an organic weed management strategy, with links to detailed articles on each technique. These more detailed articles may be particularly useful for gardeners:
- Design the Cropping System to Minimize Niches for Weed Growth
- Keep the Weeds Guessing with Crop Rotations
- Put the Weeds out of Work: Grow Cover Crops! Also, see our resources on cover crops under Building Healthy Soil for suggestions on using cover crops in a gardening setting.
- Keeping New Weedy Invaders Out of the Field
- Knock Weeds Out at Critical Times
- Bring Existing Weeds Under Control Before Planting Weed-Sensitive Crops

Bermudagrass_Control_Workshop Background on solarization and mulching techniques for suppressing Bermudagrass and other perennial weeds in community gardens.
NC State Gardening Portal: Weeds

Weeds Chapter of the Extension Gardener Handbook

Diseases

Community Gardens

Container and Raised Bed Gardening

Community Gardens

Youth and School Gardens

General Resources on School & Children’s Gardens

School & Children's Gardens: Steps to Success: Two-page handout on creating or revitalizing gardens at schools and child development centers. Includes information and links to resources on forming a planning committee, organizing volunteers, choosing the garden site, developing the site, and integrating the garden in the school curriculum.
Cornell Garden-Based Learning: Lessons, program tools, citizen science opportunities, gardening guidance, and networking opportunities for educators. The Program Tools include excellent resources on planning and organizing a school or children’s garden, fundraising and promotion, and evaluation. Use the Before Going Further Checklist to ensure you’re building a team capable of sustaining the garden project.
Getting Started with Garden-Based Learning
Growing Minds: School Gardens: How-to guides and links to weekly activity sheets attuned to the gardening season
Natural Learning Initiative: Excellent resources from NC State on outdoor learning environments, including: the Childcare Center Production Gardens publication series, the The Green Desk (collection of activities and resources by category), and information sheets on design and programming for children’s outdoor learning environment.
Safety Guidelines for Youth Working in Gardens

Garden Based Curricula

Cornell Garden-Based Learning: Lessons page: Activities and curricula for grades 2-8
Environmental Education in the Community Garden: A project of the American Community Gardening Association with lessons on soil nutrients, soil, nutrients, beneficial insects, pollinators, composting, crop rotation, and other aspects of environmentally-friendly gardening.
Garden Mosaics: A garden-based education program that combines intergenerational mentoring, community action, and understanding different cultures. The manual contains Science Pages and inquiry-based learning activities for children and youth. Science pages are available in English and Spanish.
Growing Minds: Lesson Plans: Garden-based lesson plans organized by grade level, from preschool through grade 12.
National Farm to School Network Resource Database: Extensive database of garden-based lessons grouped by setting (preschool, K-12, after-school, etc.) and topic.
School Garden Resources: Garden-based lesson plans from the University of Georgia for grades K-8. Lessons are aligned with earth science, life science, and physical science standards.

Youth Program Resources

The Food Project Toolbox: Free manuals, activities, and curricula used in The Food Project’s ground-breaking youth programs, including their Summer and Academic Year Youth Programs, Rural and Urban Agriculture programs, and Farmer’s Markets.
Growing Young Leaders: Youth Program Guide: Manual from East New York Farms! in Brooklyn, NY, on how to create an urban agriculture internship for high school youth that builds leadership, life skills, and farming and food systems knowledge.

Harvesting, Preparing, and Preserving Vegetables

Harvesting Vegetables: Detailed tips on harvesting vegetables at peak eating quality.
Harvesting and Storing Vegetables: Tips on when to harvest vegetables, how to store them, and how long they can be stored before using.
Veggie Fact Sheets and Recipes: Information on harvesting, storing, and preparing many different vegetables, including simple recipes.
National Center for Home Food Preservation: Quick links to practical, research-based information about how to preserve food safely using canning, freezing, drying, and other methods.
Freezing Vegetables: Factsheet on how to blanch and freeze vegetables, including a table of recommended preparation and blanching times for different vegetables.

Why Commuity Gardens?

Scholarly Articles: Benefits of Community Gardening

Community Gardens

The Local Food System

Publicaciones en Español

Cultivando Comunidad en los Huertos Comunitarios: Consejos para Involucrar a sus Vecinos Resumen de dos páginas con estrategias para involucrar a los miembros del huerto, crear estructuras organizativas que promuevan el liderazgo compartido, y otros consejos para conseguir apoyo de la comunidad para su huerto.
Guía de Horticultura para Principiantes: Guía básico al cultivo de hortalizas en Carolina del Norte, incluso la selección del sitio, planificación, preparación de la tierra, siembra, mantenimiento del huerto, control de plagas y enfermedades, y cómo cosechar.
Guía para Desarrollo de un Huerto/Jardín Comunitario: Este recurso le guía, paso a paso, a organizar su huerto/jardín comunitario. Hay información sobre cómo reunir sus vecinos, obtener un terreno adecuado y permiso para usarlo, establecer el reglamento del huerto, y diseñar e instalar el huerto.
El Compostaje es bueno para su jardín y el medio ambiente: Aprenda qué materias usar en su compostaje, cómo manejar su montón de compost y cómo utilizar el producto final.
El Calendario del Huerto en NC: Vegetales y Cultivos de Cobertura para Todas las Estaciones Este folleto de dos páginas es una guía para planear rotaciones de hortalizas. Contiene los intervalos en que se debe sembrar hortalizas de Primavera, Verano, y Otoño, y los cultivos de cobertura del verano y los que permanecen durante el invierno. Finalmente, incluye un ejemplo de un plan de rotación de cultivos.
Cultivar Hortalizas del Otoño con Extensión de la Temporada: Este folleto de dos páginas contiene información sobre cultivos recomendados para sembrar en otoño, fechas de siembra, e instrucciones sobre cómo construir un túnel bajo sencillo para proteger los cultivos de las heladas.
Cultivos de Cobertura: Información Básica para los Horticultores: Folleto de dos páginas; contiene información básica sobre los cultivos de cobertura, sus beneficios, y opciones buenas para los horticultores en USDA Zona 7
Esquina de Horticultura: Varios recursos en español sobre la horticultura de la Universidad de Illinois, incluso.

Vea su Jardín Crecer: una guía al cultivo de hortalizas.
Cosechando Vegetales: una guía al cultivo de hortalizas.
Jardines con Plantas Perennes: una guía para establecer un jardín con plantas perennes, los cuales pueden atraer y albergar insectos benéficos (tales como polinizadores y depredadores) que ayudan a sus hortalizas también.
Guías a los insectos plagas: y las enfermendades de plantas

Garden-Based Education Resources in Spanish: (Recursos para la Educación en el Huerto/Jardín en Español): Una colección de LifeLab con recursos para educadores trabajando con los huertos escolares y huertos para niños y jóvenes, incluso:

Comenzando: Una guía para empezar un huerto/jardín escolar como salón de clases en el aire libre.
Manual para el Desarrollo de un Programa de Jardinería Escolar: una Una guía de 5 páginas.

Garden Mosaics “Páginas de Ciencia": Este currículo tiene “Páginas de Ciencia” relacionadas al cultivo de hortalizas, incluso el compostaje, el agua y riego en su huerto, control de plagas, las malezas o malas hierbas, y los suelos y su cuido.

A Garden of Words/Un Jardín de Palabras: Un diccionario bilingüe de jardinería para escuelas primarias y programas de jardinería extraescolares.
Hojas Informatives de Verduras: Información sobre varias vegetales y cómo cosechar, embodegar, y prepararlas para comer. Haz clic en ‘Hojas Informativas de Verduras’ para información en español.
La Seguridad Alimentaria en su Huerto Familiar: Aprenda a cultivar frutas y verduras seguras-libres de bacterias u otros gérmenes que se les puede enfermar.
Variedades de Hortalizas Resistentes a las Enfermedades.