Garden & Farm Infrastructure

When developing a garden or farm site there are many considerations for infrastructure. Access to water, seating, season extension (hoop houses), beautification are just a few. Keep Growing Detroit provides technical assistance and in some cases resources to support gardens developing their infrastructure.

Garden additions

WATER WISE APPLICATION: Rainwater Collections Systems for Community, School and Market Gardens

In an effort to help growers conserve and protect fresh water, Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) is seeking applications from established community, school, or market gardens in the Garden Resource Program that are interested in installing rainwater collection systems to help irrigate their established gardens and farms. This program is application based. Successful applications will receive support designing and installing a customized water collection system. Priority will be given to sites that have NO access to city water.
Applications due by April 29

Apply Here
The Irrigation Station
Keep Growing Detroit’s Irrigation Station is a simple 8’ by 12’ freestanding structure designed to capture rainwater for use in urban gardens and farms with limited access to water. Below are few helpful resources to check out
Rainwater Catchment Safety Tips
Curb Appeal and Beneficial Insect Habitat

Perennial flower beds enhance the beauty of vegetable gardens and create lasting neighborhood curb appeal. They also provide important environmental benefits to our urban landscape by increasing the drainage capacity of soil and attracting pollinators. Keep Growing Detroit hosts a number of classes on curb appeal and creating habitat for native beneficial insects each season. Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter for information on upcoming workshops or contact us for more information. Also, below are guides for landscape designs.

Curb Appeal Design Guide
Hoophouse Training & Construction

Seasonal high tunnels, also called hoophouses or passive solar greenhouses, are simple unheated structures that help extend Michigan’s short growing season from 6 to 10 or more months. Over the years, KGD has helped to build more than 70 of these structures across Detroit. We offer training builds, tours, and workshops to help the growers we serve to use and maintain them. Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter for information on upcoming workshops or contact us for more information.

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