Buhr

Buhr Park Garden is a perennial garden site with 8 plots. The best access is through the parking lot at Allen Elementary School, at 2560 Towner. Simple directions to it are: Packard to Easy Street to Towner. The property is loaned to Project Grow by Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation. The Buhr Park community garden was created by a grass roots group from the local community and is intended to give people in proximity to the park a beautiful location to garden and to offer a place for neighbors to garden together. 

MAP OF GARDEN:  Buhr Map

SITE COORDINATOR: Leigh Helvie ()

SOIL: Soil testing done in 2010 showed Buhr's soil to be alkaline, with a pH of 7.7. Most vegetable crops prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil. Sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and especially peat moss, will lower the soil pH. 15# sulfur is the recommended application for a full plot to lower pH to 6.5 The soil is considered clay loam, has average nutrient holding capacity, 3# nitrogen and 2.5# phosphorous are prescribed for a full plot at the beginning of the season with regular applications of nitrogen throughout.

FENCING: The Buhr Park Project Grow gardeners built one perimeter fence for the entire garden, which stays up year round. All gardeners contributed to the construction of this fence. If future maintenance is required, gardeners will be required to contribute to upkeep. At this point (January 2011) no major maintenance is required but gardeners should control weeds on both sides of the fence adjacent to their plot.

INDIVIDUAL PLOT MAINTENANCE:  All gardeners are responsible for keeping weeds down in their plots and along the adjacent pathways. Various mulches may be used in a garden to inhibit weed growth, conserve water, and promote a hospitable micro-climate for plants and worms. Any non-organic mulch (black plastic, etc.) should be covered with an organic mulch.

GARDEN-WIDE MAINTENANCE: The major perimeters of the garden will be mowed by the Ann Arbor Parks Department only if the gardeners keep the area free from organic refuse and other debris and stones.  Like many of the Project Grow gardens, the Buhr Park site has its own unique character. This site is located in the park and has close proximity to Allen School. It is a very visible location. To achieve a garden site that fits well into the existing park surroundings, efforts are to be made to achieve an aesthetically pleasing garden site. Please help make the gardens beautiful this summer by maintaining your own plot and keeping the gardens free of debris, etc.

HAY, WOODCHIPS, TOPSOIL OR COMPOST:  Any materials brought or delivered to the site should be spread on the garden plots within a reasonable amount of time. Gardeners have coordinated an annual delivery of hay and compost, which may be continued, based on gardener interest.

PLANT SUPPORTING STRUCTURES:  Structures that support plants are welcome. Other structures are limited to 4 feet in height. Use of plastic items in garden is discouraged. 

WATER:  Water comes from nearby Allen School. Project Grow will supply hoses for watering. Please try to conserve water by mulching well and watering only when necessary. Hoses attach to a spigot on the side of the building near the garden. Please be considerate and coil up the hoses after every use. Do not leave hoses on the grass, as they can be seriously damaged by mower blades. If you spot a leak in the hose lines, either make the repairs yourself or notify the site-coordinator.

Watering of gardens is never to be unattended; hose timers are prohibited.

TOOLS:  On-site storage is not available. Gardeners should take their gardening supplies, fertilizers and tools away from the site every day.

COMPOST:  Any organic waste generated during the growing season may be composted in your plot or taken home for composting by the city.  However, diseased plants should always be removed from the site, to minimize the presence of pathogens in the gardens. 

DISPOSAL OF TRASH:  Gardeners are responsible for removing trash from the site.  

ROCKS:  Gardeners should place rocks and other debris uncovered during gardening in the designated on-site rock pile.

COMMUNICATION:  Watch the bulletin board on the Project Grow sign and feel free to use it to make announcements regarding garden business. Expect a few e-mails asking you to help out with volunteer tasks. In recent years, Project Grow has also used the garden group email list to make important announcements.  If you have not already notified us of your email address, let us know right away! Finally, newsletters will also contain important information about upcoming projects and events.

ABANDONED PLOTS: Plots that have not been seriously worked by June 1st or are overgrown with weeds taller than 18" at any point in the season, will be considered abandoned and will be reassigned. Contact your site coordinator or the Project Grow office if you are having problems getting started or if you need to abandon your plot.

FALL CLEAN-UP: This is a no plow garden. We seek to have the garden appear well-kept during the off season, so it takes some end of year work to make that happen. Even though the Buhr Park garden is perennial, your plot must be cleared in the fall. You will be notified of the date of official closing day. Pull out dead annuals and weeds or cut them to the ground. Cut non-infected plant materials into 12 inch pieces, compost in your plot or spread on your garden. Remove all tomatoes and diseased or once infected materials from your plot and discard at home. Remove stakes, trellises, tomato cages, etc. that are not in use and take them with you. Take home all inorganic material (i.e. watering jugs, plastic bags, fences, etc. ) Clean up and weed pathways within and around your plot. The site will be free of all Project Grow items at the end of October. Failure to clean up your plot according to the guidelines set forth in the Member Handbook may result in expulsion from the garden.