Wines 

Wines School Garden is a 5 plot perennial site located on the property of Wines Elementary School, 1701 Newport Road.

MAP OF GARDEN:  Wines Map

SITE COORDINATOR: Keith Soucy (knsoucy@gmail.com)

SOIL: Soil has a pH of 7.4 ( 6.0 to 7.5 is fine for most plants). Wines garden soil has 4.8% organic matter; 5.0 is considered ideal.

IMPORTANT SCHOOL REQUEST: The school can not provide phone or restroom facilities.

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 your garden to inhibit weed growth, conserve water, and promote a hospitable micro-climate for plants and worms. Marsh hay is usually available in the spring, delivered to the garden from a local grower for a reasonable fee. If interested in learning more about marsh hay deliveries contact your site coordinator.

GARDEN MAINTENANCE: The major perimeters of the garden are mowed by the Ann Arbor school district only if we keep the area free from organic refuse and other debris and stones. Compost your own organic material within your own plot or take it home to be composted by the city. Please pile rocks in designated areas only....rocks break mower blades! Please take all non-organic materials home with you when you leave the site. Please help make the gardens beautiful this summer by maintaining your own plot and keeping the garden free from debris, etc.

WATER:  Water comes from a spigot.  Please try to conserve water by mulching well and watering only when necessary. If you spot a leak in the hose lines, either make the repairs yourself or notify the site-coordinator.

COMMUNICATION:  We use a 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 the office if you are having problems getting started or if you have to abandon your plot. Perennial garden plots are in high demand.

FENCING: Beginning in 2021, our gardens at Food Gatherers, Hunt, Scio and Wines will charge a $15 / half plot, $30 / full plot surcharge to pay for fencing. Project Grow has historically never paid for fencing. However, increasing deer pressure at Hunt and Wines required a deer fence and permanent deer fences are expensive.
 
For the past couple years the Wines garden began to suffer from significant deer damage. In 2020 the gardeners decided they needed a deer fence. The gardeners created a design for the fence and received clearance from the Wines administration as well as Ann Arbor Public Schools to build it. They also volunteered to put up the fence. However, the estimated cost was $1000 and the garden is small with only five plots. The gardeners asked Project Grow for help paying for the fence.
 
FALL CLEAN UP: Perennial plots must be put to rest for the winter. The school has rigid expectations about the state of our perennial gardens over the winter (see Member Handbook Addendum Wines). In the fall, non-organic trash, along with diseased plants, should be disposed of. Dead organic material should be removed or chopped up to compost in your plot. Perennial plants or annual plants that have not been killed by frost may remain. Failure to clean your plot according to the guidelines set forth in the Member Handbook may result in expulsion from the garden. If you know you will not be returning, take away your personal belongings and clear out your entire plot. It is helpful to notify the director also, as perennial plots are always in great demand.