Gardening in the city

There are many different places in Helsinki where people can grow crops. The urban farming, food plant and allotment garden farming, and summer lodge areas are recreation areas open to everyone. You are allowed to walk on the routes and other public areas in these places.
Auringonkukkaviljelmä lämpimässä valossa. Etualalla näkyy iso auringonkukka ja kuvan taka-alalla kaupunkimiljöö.
Sunflower farm Photo: Maria Nordlund, Dodo ry

Food plant allotments, garden allotments and summer lodges

The city rents out areas to associations for use as food plant allotments, garden allotments and summer lodges. Associations rent individual plots, allotments or summer lodges to Helsinki residents. Enquire about available plots, allotments or summer lodges directly from the associations.

The urban farming, food plant and allotment garden farming and summer lodge areas are recreation areas open to everyone. You are allowed to walk on the routes and other public areas in these places. However, plots and cottages with yard areas are the tenants' private area, so their privacy must be respected. You can also walk outside the routes in the summer lodge areas. The summer lodges do not have their own larger yard area, and the area is not intended for cultivation.

Vehreä viljelypalsta-alue, jossa näkyy puita, pensaita ja nurmikkoa.
Korppaanpuisto allotment. Photo: Hemmo Rättyä

The city rents out allotment areas for the care of district or allotment farmers' associations. You can enquire about available allotments directly from the associations. Further information on the use of allotments can also be found in the instructions for the use and management of the City of Helsinki’s allotments.

Food plant allotments on a map

Instructions for the use and management of the City of Helsinki’s allotments (pdf)

Instructions for the use and management of the City of Helsinki’s allotments (pdf, Russian)

Instructions on combating harmful invasive alien species (pdf)

Instructions on combating harmful invasive alien species (Russian, pdf)

Instructions on combating harmful invasive alien species (Arabic, pdf)

Associations renting out allotments

Ilmakuva Ruskeasuon siirtolapuutarhasta.
Ruskeasuo Allotment Garden. Photo: Sami Saastamoinen

Allotment gardens

Associations rent allotment garden areas from the city. You can enquire about available allotment garden spots directly from the associations. Contact details can be found on the website of the Federation of Finnish Allotment Gardens.

Federation of Finnish Allotment Gardens

The City has leased its allotment gardens to associations until the end of 2026. The Urban Environment Committee is expected to decide on new leases in autumn 2025. The new lease levels would come into force from 2027 onwards on a staggered basis. Associations and regional organisations were provided with a draft of the future land lease agreement and answers to frequently asked questions (PDF, in Finnish) in June.

A cream-coloured summer lodge in a lush landscape.
Summer lodge in Länsiulapanniemi. Photo: Hemmo Rättyä

Summer lodges

The city has rented out the land plots to associations responsible for summer lodge operations. 

Kaupunkiviljelypalsta Malminkartanossa
Pop-up community farming in Malmikartano in 2023. Photo: Tuomas Ilander

The city offers its residents the opportunity to participate in temporary community farming, which is open to all and includes a gardener who guides residents in urban farming. The community garden confirmed for summer 2024:

Urban plant farming areas

Associations and communities can rent land from the city for small-scale urban farming. In urban farming, plants are grown in containers, pallets, sacks or small plots. Individual citizens can directly contact farming associations or establish their own community for urban farming.

A small plot area refers to an area where individuals cultivate their own plot of land of a few square metres. A community farm, on the other hand, is a larger unified area that is managed and harvested by a group of people together.

Stages of setting up a small plot or community farm in brief

  1. Assemble a group of farmers. Who would like to be involved in farming?
  2. Define the responsible organisation. Contracts for land owned by the city are concluded only with associations, not with private individuals.
  3. Designating the contact person. A contact person is needed between the farmers' responsible organisation and the city.
  4. Choosing how to organise the farm. Ground rules and communication.
  5. Selection of the location of the plot, either from the urban farming areas designated by the city, or from a location proposed by the organisation (requires a suitability check and approval by the city).
  6. Rental agreement for the farm. Renting land or water areas for short-term operations
  7. Establishment and management of the farm.

In the Viljellään kaupungissa guide (2022, in Finnish), you will find more detailed instructions and tips for establishing community and small plot farms in Helsinki. In addition, the guide contains urban farming areas defined by the city, from which it is possible to rent planting sites.

Viljellään kaupungissa guide (in Finnish)

Urban farm with a rock-lined planters and growing bags in a grassy area established in an asphalt area.
Urban farming area Photo: Pinja Sipari, Dodo ry

Community eco gardens are part of Helsinki's participatory budgeting, OmaStadi 2020-2021. In Omastadi residents can suggest and vote on projects concerning Helsinki.

In the summer of 2023, gardening boxes will be brought to 12 different playgrounds. Gardening boxes can be reserved for free by city residents (reservation and additional information directly from the playgrounds).

Community eco gardens' web page