Ready to get your hands dirty, meet your neighbors and have fun outside? A community garden could be right for you.

"Community gardens can be life-changing. They help people save money on fruits and vegetables, provide an opportunity for exercise outside, and encourage socialization and community building," says Dr. John La Puma, a New York Times bestselling author of "Refuel," who runs an urban organic educational farm.

*Benefits

The American Community Gardening Association, a grassroots nonprofit advocacy organization focused on community gardening, highlights the benefits of community gardens: social interaction, hands-on learning for all ages, leadership, shared decision-making and neighborhood cohesion.

The association says community gardens can be a catalyst for "environmental justice with equitable community development and improvement without gentrification, through reducing crime, creating green infrastructure, preserving open space, and beautifying neighborhoods."

La Puma says that, in Japan, "Community gardeners have been shown to sit less, eat more vegetables, burn significantly more calories and have much better neighborhood cohesion than non-gardeners."

The gardens can help communities improve their nutrition and reduce food costs for families, too. Research from the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources shows community gardens growing veggies -- tomatoes, squash, green beans, peppers, onions, eggplants and cucumbers -- produced, on average, 2.55 pounds of food per plant over four months from spring to summer. Buying the same vegetables would cost $435 more at a grocery store.

*Getting Started

Gauge interest in your community about who's interested in starting and maintaining the garden. Consider hanging up signs in your neighborhood or creating an online group followed by an in-person meeting.

Next, establish a planning committee. Make sure you select community leaders with specific skill sets, including experienced gardeners, people who are good at do-it-yourself projects and experts at budgeting and organization.

Establish a budget. Determine how much local sponsors are willing to donate, as well as how much participants can invest. Figure out your expenses, such as rent for the site, soil, water, tools, etc. Consider whether you'll plant from seeds or seedlings and how much it'll cost.

La Puma advises growing plants based on your growing zone, accounting for your area's typical light/shade, moisture and the weather patterns. Check the yield, too, since some plants, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, grow quickly.

*Gardening Tips

When choosing a community garden site, be sure you'll have to close access to water, as well as good drainage. According to the American Community Gardening Association, you'll need a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. With proper watering, drainage and sunlight, vegetables can grow their best.

The association recommends avoiding areas that have previously been sprayed with pesticides. Instead, choose a spot that has good weed growth -- a good sign that plants will be able to grow in that soil.

Organize the garden by plots, and assign them to specific community members to grow specific plants. Create a schedule for watering, pruning, harvesting and maintenance.

Don't forget to plan ahead for spaces to store tools and compost, as well as areas to enjoy the garden, such as benches for sitting and pathways for walking.

Plant some flowers in your vegetable garden, too. They'll pretty up the space and help attract helpful insects, including ladybugs and butterflies.

Maintain weeding and mulching in the spring, summer and fall. Track what works and what doesn't. La Puma recommends taking pictures and keeping a garden journal. Write down weather patterns, which plants grew, how they grew and information on pests and pest control. The record-keeping helps the community gardeners celebrate their successes and plan ahead for the next season.