Summer is here, discover a GreenThumb community garden near you
July Monthly Newsletter
A group of people standing and sitting by a table in a community garden on a sunny day with blue skies.

Community gardeners, the NYC Plover Project, and visitors at The Garden by the Bay in Edgemere, Queens during Open Garden NYC after a bird walk through the Arverne East Nature Preserve as part of Black Birders Week. Photo by Harold Paynter, GreenThumb

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A group of people dancing in the middle of a block during a street fair with tables and tents on each side.

Bombazo Dance Company performed Bomba, a traditional and musical style of dance from Puerto Rico, at the 2022 Harvest Fair in the Bronx at Friends of Brook Park Community Garden in the Bronx. Photo by Malcolm Pinckney, NYC Parks 

Save the date for the 44th Annual GreenThumb Harvest Fair

Mark your calendars for the 44th Annual GreenThumb Harvest Fair on Saturday, September 28, 2024 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at El Jardin del Paraiso at 710 E 5th St. in Manhattan. Join us and GreenThumb community gardeners in celebrating the start of fall with workshops, live entertainment, healthy cooking, and more! Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for more information.

Rain date:
In case of severe weather, a smaller scale event will take place at El Jardin del Paraiso on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

A grid of three photos of gardeners with their harvest in community gardens. On the left, a man stands in front of sunflowers, in the middle a man crouches in front of cabbage, and on the right a woman is bending over to pick a cucumber.

Some of last year's winning harvest in the GreenThumb Harvest Fair Competition. (L-R)
Third place winning sunflowers grown by gardener Campbell Pool at TLC Sculpture Park Garden in Brooklyn. Photo by Elena Dubas-Ruiz, GreenThumb.
Second place winning cabbage grown at Smiling Hogshead Ranch in Queens. Photo courtesy of garden group.
First place winning cucumbers grown by gardeners Iraida De Jesús and Balbina Vasquez at Jardín de la Familia in the Bronx. Photo courtesy of garden group.

2024 GreenThumb Harvest Fair Competition

Do you think you've harvested an award winner? Show off your abundance by sending us your photos of veggies, herbs, flowers, and fruit growing in the garden. Photos of what you grew earlier in the season are eligible to be entered into the competition as well. 

Are you a Home Gardener?

This year, the competition now has a herb and produce category for all New Yorkers who have a green thumb and grow in their windowsills, backyards, front yards, rooftops, etc.!

For guidelines and categories, visit our website at bit.ly/GTHarvestFairCompetition24. Email submissions to greenthumbinfo@parks.nyc.gov by the deadline: Friday, August 14, 2024 with the subject: Harvest Fair Competition Submission. 

If you need help with submitting your photos for the competition or have related questions, please reach out to your GreenThumb Community Engagement Coordinator or email greenthumbinfo@parks.nyc.gov. 

A panel of experienced growers will decide the winners in advance and they will be announced during our 44th Annual GreenThumb Harvest Fair on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at El Jardin del Paraiso at 710 E. 5th Street in Manhattan. Gardeners who enter the competition are encouraged to bring their submissions, if possible, to our Harvest Fair on September 28th. We will have a place to display your entries during the day.

We look forward to seeing your submissions! 
Gardeners and volunteers work together to build a metal raised bed in a community garden.
Community gardeners and volunteers building raised beds at a recent volunteer workday at Humacao Community Garden in East Harlem. Photo by Kyleen Sanchez, GreenThumb

Volunteer at a Community Garden

If you are new to community gardening, this is a great opportunity to get to know community gardeners at these gardens and learn how to become a garden member. Volunteers will work alongside gardeners and GreenThumb staff to assist in different activities such as planting, mulching, and building raised beds.

To sign up for a group of 10 or more, please contact Volunteer Program Coordinator Kyleen.Sanchez@parks.nyc.gov.

Workshops & Events

Please visit the Garden Events page for new additions, latest updates and to see upcoming workshops, activities, and public programs from GreenThumb, our partners, and garden groups. All free and open to the public!
You may request translation services for any GreenThumb workshop for any language at least three weeks in advance at greenthumbinfo@parks.nyc.gov.

Three people perform on a stage in a community garden in front of a mural on a building with bright colorful lines in black, green, blue, white, and red.
A public performance on Success Garden's stage in East New York, Brooklyn during 2022. Photo by Bill Pape, GreenThumb

Highlight of the Month:

Making Community Theater with Roundabout Theater Company (Part 1 of 6)

Tuesday, July 9, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Success Garden - East New York, Brooklyn
449-461 Williams Ave.

In these inter-generational workshops, participants will engage in theater games and collaborate to create their own stories. Essay, monologue, play, song, poem, speech, and/or theatrical performance will culminate in communal sharing at the end of each workshop. They will explore primary sources from their community garden and the production, Home at Roundabout Theater Company, as well as various social justice and art movements, as inspirational spark points.

More workshops in this series:

About Roundabout Theater Company
Roundabout celebrates the power of theatre by spotlighting classics from the past, cultivating new works of the present, and educating minds for the future.

Facilitated by Roundabout Theater Company and NYC Parks GreenThumb

Register on our website

GreenThumb Workshops

Find out about all of our upcoming programming in our Summer Program Guide.
More Workshops and Events
The life cycle stages of the Spotted Lantern Fly from nymph to adult.

The life cycle stages of the Spotted Lanternfly from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's website.

Did you know the Spotted Lanternfly returns with warmer weather?

The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive pest and a significant threat to agricultural crops, including walnuts, grapes, apples, blueberries, and stone fruits. They were first discovered in the city in July 2020 and unfortunately return with warmer weather. We now need your help to slow the spread!

How You Can Help:

  • Learn how to identify SLF.
  • Inspect outdoor items such as firewood, vehicles, and furniture for egg masses.
  • If you visit other states with SLF, be sure to check all equipment and gear before leaving. Scrape off any egg masses.
  • Destroy egg masses by scraping them into a bucket of hot, soapy water or a baggie/jar of hand sanitizer, or by stomping/smushing or freezing them.
  • Take pictures of the insect, egg masses and/or infestation signs as described above (include something for scale such as a coin or ruler) and email spottedlanternfly@agriculture.ny.gov. Note the location (address, intersecting roads, landmarks or GPS coordinates).

Please note harming NYC wildlife is prohibited, but if you see a spotted lanternfly, please squish and dispose of this pest in order to help slow the spread. To learn more about the spotted lanternfly infestation, visit the NYC Parks' website.

Besides Spotted Lanternflies, the summer months also bring mosquitos!

Mosquitoes are active in New York City from April through October. During this time, mosquitoes look for standing water to lay their eggs. 

Here are some important reminders: 

  • Eliminate Standing Water: Search the garden for standing water including plant saucers, uncovered rain barrels, tarps, and bird baths. Place a fine net over any water barrel with a missing lid. 
  • Proper Storage: Store items like wheelbarrows and gardening supplies indoors or upside down to avoid water collection. 

For tips on how to protect yourself and your garden from mosquitoes, visit the NYC DOHMH website.

Grants & Opportunities

Resources & Grants for Artists

Looking for funding to bring art events and cultural programs to your community garden? Visit your local arts council to find out what grants they have available for local artists: Brooklyn Arts Council; Bronx Council on the Arts; Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance; Staten Island Arts. The New York Foundation for the Arts currently administers the Queens Arts Fund, providing grants to artists and arts organizations within Queens.
 

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