Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program
Toolkit for Gardeners
The comprehensive City and County Rules and Regulations for HRCGP. See the FAQs and Code of Conduct below for a more succinct but less exhaustive explanation of our rules and regulations.
The most frequently asked questions from both the community gardeners and members of the public about the program.
This code of conduct for gardeners and helpers supplements the HRCGP Rules and regulations.
Did you just acquire a plot? This resource list for beginning gardeners can help new members get started.
Welcome to the Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program! Now that you have a plot, what’s next? Whether a new or experienced gardener, there’s a lot to learn about this program. This document provides new members with handy steps for getting acquainted with their community garden.
This handbook was created many years ago and last revised in 2011 to provide gardening guidance. Gardeners can still receive the paper version of this handbook by asking their officers or the Community Garden Coordinator. The Rules & Regulations in the back of the handbook are no longer applicable.
The rules require that all woody plants in the garden be grown in pots with a barrier underneath. This rule addresses the problems woody plants can create in an allotment-style community garden, however, some woody plants pose minimal risk. For these, a list of pre-approved species for in ground planting is provided.
This checklist guides the gardener on how to monitor their own plot, to make sure it complies with the 2025 Community Garden Rules & Regulations.
Pesticides and herbicides are not allowed in the gardens. Learn more about safe and reliable ways to manage pests and weeds.
The Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) is hurting our island’s coconut palms. As a gardener, there are ways you can help, through reporting CRB, reducing CRB habitat in your garden, or setting up a trap. Click the link to be directed to the CRB Response Team’s website.
Soil amendments help build up your soil for ideal growing conditions in your community garden plot. Use this resource list to know what amendments are allowed.
In the City & County of Honolulu Community Gardens, trees can be grown in the allocated plots as long as the rules and by-laws are followed. This resource describes how to do that.
Safety is of utmost importance in the community garden. This resource list covers tips for food safety, garden safety, sun protection and more.
Have too much produce to eat yourself? Here is a list of places to donate your extra fruits and vegetables so that someone may enjoy them and they don’t go to waste!
Learn simple tips and tricks on how to conserve water in the garden.
The Wahiawā / Sgt. Smith Community Garden has a unique rule regarding prohibiting non frangible items due to the proximity to the U.S. Army Wheeler Air Field.
The Department of Parks and Recreation’s E Alu Pū Kākou initiative promotes a number of ways that people can get involved with parks, through volunteering and giving. Some of these opportunities include caring for plants and trees, such as Adopt A Park and Community Forestry.
The UH Master Gardener program is an official Volunteer program of the University of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension Service. They are dedicated to disseminating local, research based information. Explore their website for workshops, classes, and events, and to find the Hawai’i Master Gardener application.