de Tuinders

De Tuinders is a cooperative in Utrecht that runs shared vegetable gardens, where groups of 20 members grow their own vegetables and herbs together on a plot of 500 square metres under the guidance of an experienced grower.

In Utrecht the gardens are at Stadstuin Plutodreef in Overvecht, Stadstuin Zuilen and the Tuin van Croese near the central station, with others in Zeist, Amerongen, Dreumel and Almere Oosterwold. They describe the vegetables as organic, although the cooperative holds no organic certificate; no chemical pesticides are used, organic seed and plants are supplied, and they don't grow Bintje potatoes because that variety needs spraying. Alongside the familiar crops, the gardens grow Jerusalem artichokes, rainbow carrots, chard, parsnips, cavolo nero, kohlrabi and radicchio.

A season runs from March to November, with a two-hour guided session each week and access to the garden every day from sunrise to sunset, and each member takes home a weekly share of the harvest for at least 30 weeks. Registration for 2026 is closed; places for 2027 open at the end of 2026, by email.

Because the whole group is responsible for the garden, members can go on holiday without the plot drying out or running wild.