Meteorological spring is approaching soon, and Woodbury’s gardeners will soon turn their dreams of planting new fruits and vegetables into reality.
The City of Woodbury and Woodbury Thrives (a program through the Woodbury Community Foundation) share excitement for their fast-growing Community Garden and the upcoming season.
The project started in 2021 with local master gardeners, including Ed Myatt and Anna Barker, and Woodbury’s Parks and Recreation staff all coming together to start a community garden.
Located on Dale Road, adjacent to Andy’s Bark Park, the Community Garden started with 16 plots and a SHIP grant from Washington County. Sandy Peterson, a Woodbury-based volunteer, is the project manager for the garden.
In 2025, thanks to a Minnesota Department of Agriculture grant and another one from AARP Minnesota, the garden has become more accessible and grown to 96 plots. Thirty-five raised beds for those with mobility issues were added, as well as 12 ADA-compliant beds raised high enough to allow for a wheelchair to slide underneath.
Raised beds in the Community Garden.
Myatt built the raised bed panels in his garage, and they were later assembled at the garden.
“Woodbury has a lottery each year for plots in the community garden. One entry per household is allowed,” said Reed Schmidt, recreation operations manager for Woodbury Parks and Rec. “We evaluate all entries, ensuring there is only one per household.”
Reed continued, “In the 2025 lottery, 50% were returning households. This year the return rate is 70 percent.”
There are separate enrollment dates for returning plot holders and new ones. The effort between community groups, citizens and city staff is visible in the Community Garden’s success.
Master gardeners are available at the site, especially in the early weeks during planting season, to answer questions and provide help to the plot holders. Tools provided by the city or donated by the master gardeners are also available.
Plot holders can reach out to the master gardeners with questions like: Do my plants need more fertilizer? How close should I plant the seedlings/starter plants? What should I do about the bugs that are eating the leaves?
Many solutions are offered, including those from Bruce Montgomery, a soil scientist who tests regular soil samples.
The Community Garden has been influential enough to attract inquiries from other communities looking to start their own community gardens. Last year, the Community Garden donated over 200 pounds of food produced in the garden to Open Cupboard. The non-profit has a plot growing produce exclusively to donate.
Comments are closed.