Celebrity tomato, golden zucchini and sweet pepper plants were nestled into organic soil outside a North Oak Park art gallery.

Muskmelon, honeydew and strawberry plants went into raised garden beds in a Tahoe Park backyard a little more than a mile away.

And brandywine tomato, red bell pepper and green zucchini plants as well as seeds for carrots and cilantro were planted a mile and a half back the other way, behind a central Oak Park home.

A total of six garden beds were constructed, filled and planted at four locations Saturday as part of Grow Together Sacramento, a coalition of community groups that hopes to inspire more – backyard, front yard, rooftop, school and community – gardens throughout the city.

"This is an important piece of a larger puzzle," said Councilman Jay Schenirer, whose office brought the various efforts together. "This is not a one-time shot. This is about changing a culture of what we do, how we eat and how we take care of ourselves."

The City Council is already considering rezoning vacant lots so community gardens can be planted on them. The owners of 22 lots have come forward to offer their properties, Schenirer said.

Mayor Kevin Johnson, who stopped by the day of planting although he dodged getting dirty himself, said he hopes Sacramento takes the national title of having the most trees per capita a step further – and someday can boast having the most community gardens as well.

Dominic Allamano, 34, of Carmichael, shoveled away a top layer of weeds and earth from a plot behind the Brickhouse Art Gallery, sweat dripping from his brow. He gave his Saturday to work outside and said he is willing to offer up more of them.

"It's not about the money economy, it's about the human economy," he said. "This is a great way for people to experience creating real value together."

Gardening is inherently contagious, said Charles Mason Jr., who noted that several of his neighbors planted gardens after they saw him put in seven garden boxes and one herb spiral.

Mason hopes to build 350 edible gardens by 2013 as part of the work of his nonprofit Ubuntu Green, and wants to document at least 1,000 new gardens throughout the city.

"Let's do the math: If 1,000 gardens go in during the next two years, you're looking at 5,000 if you consider the multiplier effect," he said. "Then look at what we've done."

Beyond the obvious benefits of creating sources of local, fresh and healthy food is the humanity that comes when people spend time outside of their homes – whether in their yards or communities, said Rafael Aguilera, of the edible landscape company Sacramento Yard Farmer.

"Where there are gardens, there are people and community," he said. "I like to get the older folks and younger folks together to build something."

Arthur Meastas, 55, of Tahoe Park, realized he needed to pay more attention to what he ate after testing high for blood pressure and cholesterol, he said.

As he drilled two planter boxes together for his backyard – donated by the Sacramento League of Urban Gardeners, which builds gardens for low-income residents in the Oak Park area – he had only one requirement.

The boxes had to be high enough so he can garden from his wheelchair, the result of a spinal cord injury.

"I'm retired, so I'll be out here all the time," said the former case manager for drug offenders.

LEARN MORE

To volunteer or to learn more about organizations that build garden boxes for low-income families, contact Councilman Jay Schenirer's office at (916) 808-7005.

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