Slow Sales at Montrose Green Means More Local Gardeners

The Montrose Green may have sold out its gardening plots much slower than last year, but surprisingly, the sluggish sales means there will be more local gardeners.

The Northcenter Neighborhood Association says they reserved half of the 137 plots at the garden at 1819 W. Montrose Ave. specifically for neighbors. Last year when the garden first opened, NNA gave full control to its partner, The Peterson Garden Project, and the plots sold out in less than 24 hours.

“It went fast last year, but the thing is, this year we were able to reserve spots for our members,” said NNA President Julie Hobert. “Last year we handed it over to Peterson Garden Project.

“This year will be much more local than before because last year we didn’t really know what we were doing,” Hobert continued. “We entered an agreement that we would have a certain amount of time, and if we didn’t fill them with our members, we’d give them back the rest. It worked well.”

Although Hobert admits they thought the plots would sell to neighbors quicker, she says it’s only the second year and people are warming up to what a community garden really is.

Hobert added that The Peterson Garden Project sold their plots in something like four minutes.

But the slower sales doesn’t mean there isn’t an interesting mix of owners. Along with The Common Pantry and the Tai Chi Center of Chicago, one local woman purchased two plots to use with children with autism.

Still, there’s one man Hobert says can still have a plot if he wants it.

“I’m still trying to figure out how to get the mayor involved,” Hobert laughed. “Last year he was sitting outside at Glenn’s Diner when we just opened, and we said, ‘Hey Mayor! Come get a gardening plot.’ He ended up buying one and donating it back to us. So we have one for the mayor if he wants one.”

The group says along with being in the annual ArtWalk, they might end the Northcenter Neighborhood Association’s Garden Walk event at the Green.

Residents still interested in trying to secure a space at the Montrose Green can email info@northcenterneighborhood.org to be put on the waiting list.