Kilbourn Community Garden: 2024 Garden Plot Leaser Contract

This document is the official 2024 Garden Plot Leaser Agreements for the Kilbourn Gardens located at 625-699 E. North Avenue. These policies are in place to ensure that the Kilbourn Gardens remain a well-tended, accessible, and important community green space in the City of Milwaukee. Your cooperation with these policies is greatly appreciated and will help Kilbourn Gardens remain the showcase community garden in the City of Milwaukee. 

PLOT AND SITE CARE: Leasers are responsible for their own plot and paths directly surrounding their plot(s). Garden plots must be cared for weekly. Groundwork Milwaukee will schedule periodic clean-ups with volunteers but WILL NOT clean within leasers plots. If excessive plant waste or gardening tools are found on the pathways directly along the garden bed leasers plot(s), Groundwork Milwaukee will document the incident. Multiple infractions will result in a warning and continued infractions will result in the inability to rent a plot from Kilbourn Gardens in the following years. 

VOLUNTEERING: To help control maintenance, Groundwork asks gardeners to volunteer two hours a month. The garden leader will be there weekly for two hours; we ask gardeners to also help put in time to support the garden needs such as weeding, spreading wood chips, emptying the trash, etc.

HOSE AND WATER USAGE: The hose must be shut off at the hydrant adjacent to Kilbourn Gardens immediately after use. Keeping the hose on (regardless of having the spray nozzle open or closed) will result in leaks in the hose as a result of back pressure. Leaving the hose on will result in an inability to further lease a plot from Kilbourn in the following years. Groundwork Milwaukee will periodically monitor the garden to ensure gardeners are in compliance with water use. Milwaukee Water Works is in charge of when water is turned on and off at Kilbourn. Water is generally not turned on until May, and is generally turned off for the year in Mid-October.

WEEDS: Garden Plot Leasers must keep weeds under control in and directly on the edges of their plot(s). Excessive mismanagement of weeds will result in a warning from Groundwork staff and potential inability to rent a plot from Kilbourn Gardens in the following years.

ILLNESS/VACATION: If you are unable to care for your plot for a time because of illness or vacation, Garden Plot Leasers are required to find someone to care for your plot during the entirety of your absence. Ask a garden neighbor for some support if you cannot take care of your plot.

ABANDONED PLOTS: If you can no longer tend your garden, move away, or change your phone number or email address, please notify Groundwork Milwaukee as soon as possible. If you can no longer tend your garden by the end of July, they will be turned into free garden plots for the community.

PLANT OVERFLOW:  The Garden Plot Leaser must ensure that vining or spreading plants stay within their plot(s). Plants may not excessively overflow into pathways or other plots. If plants are excessively blocking pathways, Groundwork Milwaukee has the jurisdiction to cut said plants during routine grass cutting and garden maintenance. 

PROBLEM PLANTS: Please do not plant Jerusalem artichokes, mints (including catnip), comfrey, horseradish, or other root plants that spread. They persist through the winter and will create problems the following year.

VANDALISM AND THEFT: Kilbourn Gardens does not have regular security. Theft applies not only to vegetables but to compost and any garden property such as tools. Please help by being “eyes and ears” for yourself and your neighbors. Groundwork Milwaukee has ‘giving gardens’ bed around the perimeter of the garden along North Avenue.

MULCH: Biodegradable mulch such as compost, leaves, straw, and hay are acceptable for use in the Garden Plot Leasers plot(s). The use of carpet mulch, stone mulch, and wood chips in garden plots is strictly prohibited. 

TOOLS: Garden Plot Leasers are responsible for their own gardening tools.  Groundwork Milwaukee cannot be responsible for loss or theft of personal tools. There are some tools located in the shed behind the compost structure. The combination for the lock will be shared with garden plot leaser’s before the start of the season. If items go missing from the tool shed it will result in the privilege being revoked from all garden plot leasers. 

CHILDREN: Parents, legal guardians, and/or accompanying adults are responsible for children while on the site of Kilbourn Gardens. 

PARKING: Cars cannot be driven on the grass. Parking is available on the streets around Kilbourn Garden off of Garfield Avenue and Booth Street. Bikes are permitted on site. 

HERBICIDES: Non-organic herbicides (weed-killers) are NOT ALLOWED at Kilbourn Gardens.

PEST CONTROL: Garden Plot Leasers are encouraged to employ their own organic pest control methods. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are strictly prohibited. If you have a pest problem, please feel free to contact Groundwork Milwaukee to get more resources on managing garden pests.

PETS: Dogs are allowed in the garden area. Garden Plot Leasers are responsible for the actions of their animals on premise. No pets are allowed in the actual garden plots. Please clean up after your pets.

BED SELECTION: All bed selections are final and garden plot payments are final and nonrefundable. Special requests for certain circumstances may be honored after discussion with Groundwork Milwaukee staff. 

ANNUAL REAPPLICATION NECESSARY: All Garden Plot Leasers must reapply for a plot in Kilbourn Garden each year. 

PLOT LIMITS: When Groundwork Milwaukee is assigning plots for the new season, first priority is given to the Garden Plot Leaser from past years. If they do not reapply, we reassign their plots to new gardeners. Groundwork Milwaukee makes every attempt to contact gardeners from the previous year before we reassign their plots.

GROUNDWORK MILWAUKEE CONTACT:

Selena Cruz, Community Programs Coordinator

Phone (414) 763-9947

Email: selena@groundworkmke.org