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GARDEN SITES

Clague Middle School

The Garden

Clague Garden is located at Bluett and Nixon Roads, on the property of Clague Middle School. It has 8 plots.  Garden plots can be accessed between March 1 and November 30 of each year.

Apply for a plot
Clague Middle School
8

Perennial Plots

Plot Information

Soil

The soil is considered clay loam, which is common in Ann Arbor. It 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 and a little phosphorus throughout the season. Clay soils hold moisture but don't give it up to plant roots. The soil structure will benefit from the regular addition of organic material such as compost, peat moss, oak leaf mold, grass clippings and leaves, etc. Clague's soil is slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7.4. Most vegetable crops prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil. Sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and peat moss, will lower the soil pH slightly. Application of 15# elemental sulfur is recommended for a full plot to lower pH to about 6.5

Plot Size

Plot sizes are full-size (25’ x 30’) unless designated with an asterisk(*) to denote half-size plot. If a full-size plot needs to be divided in half, the half-size plots are labeled N, S, E, W (e.g., 9W & 9E).
View Map of Garden Plots

Water

The water comes from a metered hyrdant across Bluett. Water is stored in barrels around the edges of the garden. The hoses are used to fill the barrels. Water access at this site is developing and may change as the season progresses.

Compost

Any organic waste generated during the growing season may be turned into the plot soil 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. There are no composting facilities at this site. Do not dispose of weeds or compostable material outside of your garden plot.

Tools

Most gardeners bring their own tools to the garden. There isn't a shed to store gardener tools or materials.

Communication

Watch for postings on site regarding garden business. Project Grow monthly newsletters will also contain important information about upcoming projects and events.

Gardener Comments and Suggestions

Watering is a challenge at Clague

Location

Clague Middle School

2616 Nixon Rd
Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Monday - Sunday
Dawn to Dusk

Maintenance

Garden Maintenance

We are guests on this property. Do not place sticks, rocks, or other debris into the mowed areas or under/around the trees. Keep all organic waste material inside of your plot, or take it home to compost. Take all non-organic waste (plastic, fencing, etc.) home with you when you leave the site.  Help make the gardens beautiful this summer by maintaining your plot, mulching, and keeping the gardens free from weeds and debris.

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.

Individual Plot Maintenance

Mulching your plot pathways and borders, inside and outside your plot with newsprint (soy ink) and leaf mulch will greatly deter weeds and hold in moisture, simplifying your gardening tasks. All gardeners are responsible for keeping weeds down in their plots and along the adjacent pathways. Bring bags to collect weeds going to seed. Do NOT dump weeds outside of your plot. Instead, use them as a mulch within your garden! Mulches inhibit weed growth, conserve water, and promote a hospitable microclimate for plants and worms. 

Fall cleanup

Your plot must be cleared and tidy by dusk on the last day of November.

We seek to have the garden appear well-kept during the off-season, so gardeners in perennial plots must close their plots as well. Pull out dead annuals and weeds or cut them to the ground. Cut non-infected plant materials into 12-inch pieces and compost in your plot. 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. Failure to clean up your plot according to the guidelines set forth in the Member Handbook may result in expulsion from the garden. 

Site Coordinator

Jacob Kitzman

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