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.

Interested? Contact Kido
The Irrigation Station & Rainwater Catchment Safety Tips
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 & Use 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.

Interested? Contact Kido

2026 Little Orchard Program: Fruit Tree planting and Support for Community, School and Market Gardens

Interested in planting an orchard in your neighborhood—or looking to refresh an existing one?

Now in its 4th year, KGD’s Little Orchard Project supports Detroit-based community, school, and market gardens with the resources needed to establish and sustain thriving orchards.

In addition to launching new orchards, applicants may also request fruit trees and small fruit to replace plants lost in existing orchards.

Selected sites will receive fruit trees and perennial plants, custom orchard designs, mulch, signage, tree guards, and labor for orchard installation. Eligible applicants include Community, School, and Market Gardens with a current Garden Resource Program application. The GRP application will be available by the end of January 2026.

Little Orchard packages include set quantities and varieties of trees and brambles, thoughtfully designed to meet City of Detroit setback guidelines. Applicants may request specific varieties within each package, as outlined in the application. New Little Orchard sites are generally eligible for up to 6 fruit trees (one type) and 18 small fruit plants per vacant lot (30' × 100') of open growing space.

🌱 Applications are due February 13
🌱Orchard plantings are tentatively scheduled for the week of April 7

Please note:

This is a competitive program and not all applicants will be awarded
Applicants must have a soil test on file for the site to be eligible

APPLY HERE