Garden characteristics and types of program involvement associated with sustained garden membership in an urban gardening support program

The ability of urban and community gardens to enhance health social connections is dependent on the continued availability places garden continuation gardening by individuals. Gardener support organizations offer resources success gardens, such as providing free or low-cost material resources, education, technical support. They can also nurture local networks gardeners that share support, experiences, knowledge. In order for programs be effective, need participate avail themselves provided. Few studies have looked at factors are associated with sustaining participation in programs, including characteristics gardeners’ involvement specific types programming services. This study worked data program obtained from Keep Growing Detroit, a gardener organization Michigan. Associations between characteristics, various offered through program, likelihood membership following year were examined using multilevel logistic regression mediation analysis. From 2012 2014, 1189 1335 participated each year. Garden components included land ownership, attending educational classes volunteering, number years receiving seeds plants. Number adults participating garden, size, site visit, city-wide events not significantly membership. may able increase retention within their network encouraging increased programming.