The garden law
The Federal Allotment Garden Act protects allotments — and requires that roughly a third of the area grows fruit and vegetables. A pure ornamental garden is not allowed.
BKleingG · the one-third ruleFor garden seekers
Your patch of earth — closer than you think.
Find allotment gardens near you and understand how applying works — from the first click to the lease.
17,033 gardens on recordNationwideSearch & map free
In five steps
The path to your own garden.
An allotment garden is not bought but leased — through a club. Here is how it works, from the search to the first spade in the ground.
- 1
Find a garden
Search the map and by postcode for a garden near you. Look at location, size and free plots.
- 2
Apply & waiting list
Get in touch with the club and ask to join the waiting list. In some places it is quick, in big cities it takes a while.
- 3
Take a look
When a plot comes free, you go and see it. Check the hut, trees, soil and the state of the beds.
- 4
Buyout & lease
For the hut and plants you pay a buyout to the previous tenant. Then you sign the lease.
- 5
Get growing
Join the club, pick up the key, plan your beds with Gartenkern. Welcome to your plot.
Good to know
What makes an allotment special.
An allotment garden is more than a patch of grass — it is regulated by law, affordable and shared. The six things you should know before you apply.
Low rent
The rent is capped by law. For a 300 m² plot you often pay just 100–250 € a year, plus the club fee, water and insurance.
approx. 200–500 € / yearThe garden hut
A hut may be at most 24 m², including a covered seating area. It is for spending time — living there permanently is not permitted.
max. 24 m²Community
You become a member of the club and pitch in: a few mandatory hours a year for paths, hedges and festivals are part of it. That builds good neighbourhood.
Working hours & meetingsWaiting times
In rural areas a plot is often free right away, in big cities you wait months to years. Asking several gardens at once clearly improves your chances.
varies a lot by regionThe buyout
When taking over, you pay the previous tenant a buyout for the hut, trees and tools. A neutral valuation prevents inflated demands.
one-off · by valuationTransparent costs
What does an allotment cost?
Cheaper than most people think.
Because the rent is capped by law, an allotment garden stays affordable. The only larger, one-off item is the buyout when you move in — and that depends heavily on the hut and the planting.
The example below shows typical annual costs for an average 300 m² plot. Each club sets the exact amounts itself.
Protected by law: the rent may be at most four times the local rent for commercial fruit and vegetable growing.
Example · 300 m²per year
- Rent
- capped, 0.15–0.40 € / m² depending on the state
- Club fee
- membership in the allotment club
- Water & power
- usage-based, apportioned per plot
- Insurance & levies
- hut, liability, shared costs
Running costsplus a one-off buyout when you move in
~ 330 € / yearStart with Gartenkern
Well advised from your very first bed.
An allotment garden takes learning — the one-third rule, the right sowing time, good neighbours in the bed. Gartenkern gives you the know-how and the tools so beginners get started right away and get better over the years.
12,000+
plant varieties
7
climate zones
1/3
growing area in view
Lay out & plan your plot
Plan your plot — and meet the one-third rule
Draw beds, hut and paths to scale on the aerial map and place plants where they belong. Gartenkern works out automatically how much of your area is used for growing — so you keep the legally required third in view along the way.
Aerial mapLive growing areaBeds, hut & paths
Sowing & planting calendar
When to sow, when to harvest
Dynamic dates based on your climate zone and the weather. As a beginner you stop missing windows — Gartenkern tells you what is due this week.
Companion planting & crop rotation
Good neighbours, healthy soil
Which plants get along and what should go in the bed next year. Gartenkern remembers what grew where — so the soil does not wear out over the years.
AI advisor & plant library
Know-how that knows your garden
Over 12,000 variety profiles and an AI advisor that answers questions with reference to your location and your plot — clearly and always with a source.
12,000+ varietiesAI advisorVariety passport
Reminders
Never miss a thing again
Watering, pinching out, frost warning — Gartenkern reaches out exactly when it matters. So your first garden gets through every season well.
Knowledge & guides
From the garden magazine.
Nothing growing here yet. Soon you will find guides about your allotment garden in this spot.
Common questions
Before you get started.
Can I buy an allotment garden?
No. An allotment is leased, not bought. The land belongs to the city, a railway or a federation, and the club leases the plots to its members. When you move in you only acquire the existing hut and planting via the buyout.
How long do I have to wait for a garden?
It is very regional. In rural regions and smaller towns a plot is often free right away. In sought-after big cities like Berlin, Hamburg or München the waiting list can be several months to years long. Tip: apply to several gardens at once, that clearly improves your chances.
Do I really have to grow vegetables?
Yes, at least in part. The Federal Allotment Garden Act requires allotment-style use — as a rule of thumb the one-third rule applies: about a third for growing fruit and vegetables, a third for recreation, a third for paths and the hut. A pure ornamental or lawn garden is not permitted.
Can I live in or stay overnight at the allotment?
Living there permanently is not allowed — the hut may be at most 24 m² and is not meant as living space. Many clubs tolerate the occasional overnight stay in the warm season, but the individual garden rules decide that.
What happens with the buyout?
When taking over a plot you pay the previous tenant a buyout for the hut, woody plants, paths and tools. To keep the amount fair, the club or a neutral assessor draws up a valuation. Always ask for that report before you agree.
Can I share the garden with my family?
As a rule the lease runs in the name of one person or a couple. Family and friends may of course use the garden too. Subletting, however, is not allowed.
Found a garden?
Connect it with Gartenkern.
Plan your beds, keep sowing and harvest dates in view and find rules that fit your garden — all in one place.
See featuresStill searching?
Browse every garden.
In the club finder you will find every recorded allotment garden in Germany — with location, size and the responsible federation.
Open the club finder