Registration

2026 South Suburban Cook County - Community Garden Assistance

University of Illinois Extension regularly assists community gardening projects by providing unbiased, research-driven information. Remote consultation via email and phone is provided year-round.

Priority will be given to those organizations that attend our virtual training sessions in March 2026. Please contact Nancy Kreith at kreith@illinois.edu for further information on the School and Community Garden Training.

When considering a community garden, University of Illinois Extension recommends educating yourself on local resources, securing/preparing your sponsors, and recruiting the community to participate in nurturing the garden.

There are many benefits to community gardening, and University of Illinois Extension is here to help! Please complete the following form to help us understand the scope of the project and make proper recommendations for the site. We can then attempt to recruit Master Gardener volunteers to guide your specific garden project.

Requestors for community garden assistance must have and produce written permission from the site owner to locate the garden on their premises.

If you have any questions or need a reasonable accommodation to participate, contact Margaret Burns Westmeyer, the Master Gardener Program Coordinator in South Suburban Cook County. Email: mburnswe@illinois.edu and Phone: (217) 300-2828. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs. University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. United States Department of Agriculture. Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

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Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Street Address

Street Address 2

City

State

ZIP

Daytime Phone

Evening Phone

E-mail Address

Community Garden Name:

Community Garden Address:

How many leaders are involved in this project?

1 - 3

4 - 6

7 - 10

10+

How many community members are involved in this project?

1 - 5

6 - 10

15+

Average level of gardening experience among the members - 1 thru 10 1 being new to gardening 10 being advanced

Is this an existing garden? If existing, how old?

Yes, less than 1 year

Yes, 1-2 years

Yes, 3-5 years

Yes, 6-8 years

Yes, 8+ years

Estimated installation date?

What type of garden do you have or are you considering? May choose more than one option.

Planting in soil

Raised beds

Containers

Edibles (like vegetables and herbs)

Ornamentals (like flowers)

Native garden

Greenhouse

What is your goal or purpose for this project? Learning, edibles, ornamental, production, conservation, etc.

Is there vegetation on site? Are there weeds or plants that should be removed?

Yes

What are the dimensions of the growing area in sq. ft.? This can include garden pathways in the estimate. Please exclude peripheral space such as grassy areas or sidewalks.

What is the available sunlight?

2 to 4 hours per day

3 to 6 hours per day

6+ hours per day

How far is your water source from the garden? Example - within the garden or 20 feet away

Is the garden enclosed by a fence or structure?

Yes

Is this a shared communal garden with the produce donated or is it allotment style where members maintain individual plots? May choose both if applicable.

Communal

Allotment

If communal, where is your produce donated? Please be specific.

Who will fund the garden? Select all that apply.

Garden Members

Grants

Other

If "other" please describe sources of funding.

Who will install and maintain the garden?

If you intend to grow edibles directly in soil, have you had the soil tested?

Yes

Do you have written permission from the property owner to locate the garden on the site?

What type of guidance do you need? Select all that apply.

Getting started - making a plan

General gardening knowledge

Resources

Plant and insect identification

On Site Assistance

In partnership with Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois Extension offers a Conservation@Home certification program in which Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists provide mentorship and certification for school and community gardens. If interested in mentorship on native vegetation, water and wildlife conservation and environmental curriculum, or if you are ready to certify, please click 'yes' below. Visit go.illinois.edu/CH for more information.

Yes

Are there other specific needs that we could help with?

Please share any additional notes or comments about the project or worksite.

If you attended our school garden training, please list the date: (If not, type "none")

How did you hear about our programming?

Civil Rights Compliance - Participant Info

As part of our commitment to providing equal opportunities in our programming, University of Illinois Extension is required to collect and report overall statistics about the race, ethnicity, and gender of program participants. Your responses are voluntary and appreciated.

Gender

Ethnicity

Race

Illinois Extension

Registration

101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)

1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Phone: 217-333-5900