Airport

The Garden

Airport Garden is a perennial garden with 36 full 25’x30’ plots. The site is located within the grounds of the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport. You enter the garden through a locked gate and via a 0.4 mile gravel road.

You will be able to park close to your plot. Some gardeners are able to drive right up to their plot.

This garden is in a very natural setting. Occupied buildings are over a half mile away. Some gardeners choose this site because of this ambiance, others do not choose this site because they feel too isolated.

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Perennial Full Plots

Site Information

Plot Size

Full plots are 25’x30’. A full plot may be divided in half, the half-size plots are labeled N, S, E, W (e.g., 9W & 9E).

View Map of Garden Plots

Animals/Pests

Deer and rabbits will visit this garden. However, they have not been a serious problem, so that few of the gardeners put up fencing. If you do fence, we recommend black or green plastic or wire fencing. Fencing a small area so that a deer would have trouble jumping into it seems to work best. (They can easily jump over a 6-ft fence otherwise.)

Considerations

The Airport garden is low-lying, making it susceptible to spring soaks and late frosts which can delay planting if weather conditions are not cooperative (we recommend planting warm season crops like tomatoes and peppers after June 1).

Other drawbacks include that this site can have swarms of mosquitoes at times and about one year in five has rainfall causing temporary flooding that can kill plants.

Care needs to be taken to rid the garden of comfrey, a great source of nitrogen when composted, but an invasive menace otherwise.

Advantages are loose soil, secluded natural location, and often being able to pull your vehicle right up to your plot to make deliveries of bulk and heavy materials. This is also one of our sites that usually gets loads of leaves dumped in the fall for gardeners to use for mulch and compost.

Composting

Organic material can go on the pile at the far west end of the site and the pile on the south side of the yellow shed. However, diseased plants should always be removed from the site, to minimize the presence of pathogens in the gardens.

Soil

The soil at Airport is organic muck. It is black, 2 feet deep, and fairly loose and rock-free. While it looks like compost, it’s not as nutrient rich. The soil tends to dry out quickly, so a thick layer of mulch is recommended.

Tilling

This is a perennial garden which means it is not routinely tilled. If you feel your weeds have gotten out of control contact the site coordinator (see below) who may be able to help you.

Fencing

Most plots are fenced but the plot you receive may not be effectively fenced. Look at the other plots to get an idea of how other gardeners are fencing their plots. Whether and how you fence depends a lot on what you plan to grow. Contact the site coordinator (see below) if you need help deciding. This site does not allow orange plastic fence like snow fence.

Water

An underground plastic pipe from a city-metered hydrant carries water to faucets on the central pathway. Hoses are provided and you are generally within a few plots if a spigot. As at all sites, unattended watering of gardens is prohibited.

Tools

A supply of tools is kept in the brown shed. Always return tools to the shed after use. Wheelbarrows are available and kept near the shed.

There is a lawnmower in the brown shed you can use to keep the grass mowed around your plot. We all share mowing responsibilities for common areas but only mow if you feel comfortable doing so.

To report broken items, to request items you would like, and to donate items please contact the site coordinator (see below).

Communication

You may email your site coordinator listed below. The Project Grow monthly newsletter includes important information, dates and events.

Location

Ann Arbor Airport

801 Airport Dr
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Monday - Sunday
Dawn to Dusk

Maintenance

Garden Maintenance

Please take home all paper, plastic, and other non bio-degradable material. Help make the gardens beautiful this summer by maintaining your own plot and keeping the gardens free from debris, etc. If you would like to help with path mowing, please contact the site coordinator

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 or for more information about mulching, contact your site coordinator. Contact the site coordinator if your plot has gotten too weedy and you would like all or part of it tilled.

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 or solarized. Contact your site coordinator or the office if you are having problems getting started or if you have to abandon your plot.

Fall cleanup

Your plot must be cleared by dusk on the third Saturday in October.

Even though the Airport garden is perennial, your plot should be prepared for the winter. You may leave fall crops standing to harvest through the fall, but otherwise please clean up your plot according to the guidelines set forth in the Member Handbook or contact the site coordinator to make other arrangements. 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. .

Site Coordinator

Eric Meves

For more information contact Project Grow's Managing Director at [email protected]

Leslie Science and Nature Center

Catholic Charities of Washtenaw County (CCWC)