The Extension Milwaukee County Garden Rental program operates eight gardening sites across Milwaukee County. Please see the tables below for more information on prices and sizes available at each garden.

Our gardening season runs from May (the exact date determined by the weather) through the end of October. Plots are rented on a year-to-year basis, with an opportunity to renew or re-lease them each spring before the season starts.

• Annual Plots are available for use from May through the last weekend of October. These plots are tilled with heavy equipment in the spring and plowed up in the fall.
• Perennial Plots are available for use year-round. New for the 2023 season, we are excited to offer additional Perennial plots at several of our busiest gardens, including Firefly Ridge, Kohl Farm, and Forest Hill community gardens. Visit our FAQ section to learn more on why we are transitioning some of our annual plots into a Perennial plot model. To qualify for a Perennial plot, applicants must schedule a time to meet with Extension program staff to describe their gardening experience and plot management plan OR have gardened with Extension Milwaukee County Urban Agriculture program for at least a year.

Why have we increased prices? Learn more below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why did prices go up this year?

Prices went up this year and nobody is happy about it, including us. We recognize that these are challenging economic times for many people and that the increased price of plots cuts into the value people gain by growing some of their own food in community gardens.

Unfortunately, our program is not immune from the hardships of inflation. Our costs have increased for fuel, technical services, water, lumber, and other nonnegotiable services like portable toilets.  Rental fees fund more than 95% of our program’s operating budget, and we simply cannot sustain our current levels of staffing and service without increasing the amount of revenue we take in.

We feel strongly that community gardening should be accessible to all members of the Milwaukee County community.  Although we cannot charge according to an income-based sliding scale in the 2023 season, we are considering this option for the future. Instead, we simply ask that gardeners who are of sufficient means be generous to the program consider donating on behalf of fellow gardeners.  If you are interested in paying a little extra to offset the cost of another gardener’s participation in the program, we invite you to contact us for instructions. Gardeners for whom these price increases constitute a true hardship are encouraged to contact our program to request a partial rate reduction.

Why did the price of an annual plot go up more than the price of a perennial/permanent plot?

This price difference is a straightforward reflection of the fact that annual plot preparation and administration takes a lot more operator time, fuel, equipment hours, and administrative work than perennial plots. Frankly, these costs are not completely covered by this year’s price increase, but we do not want annual plots to become so pricey that gardeners are not able to offset rental costs with produce they grow. Another reason for this difference in rental cost is that we recognize that our longstanding practice of uniformly tilling all annual garden plots each season is out of alignment with research-based best practices in caring for the vulnerable and finite resource of topsoil. With this slight price difference, we are explicitly encouraging those who are curious about renting a perennial plot to try out a model of gardening that is less disruptive to the soil.  Also, strengthening relationships with neighboring gardeners and the land itself over multiple seasons is most easily done when people garden in the same plots year-to-year.  We hope that by creating a small but meaningful price difference between the two plot types, gardeners will consider follow their pocketbooks toward stewarding the soils in their gardens and becoming more deeply rooted members of their garden community.

Will new perennial plots become available?

Gardeners have frequently expressed frustration over the difficulty of securing a perennial plot. Limited offerings, restrictions on eligibility, and long wait lists have prevented many growers from renting perennial plots. This year we are newly offering perennial plots at 6^th and Howard, and at Kohl Farm. We are also increasing the number of permanent plots offered at FireFly Ridge community Garden. Finally, between now and June 1 2023, gardeners impacted by the Rawson Avenue Community Garden closure are invited to request the rental of up to 2 large (30’x30’) permanent plots at the nearby Forest Hill Community Garden, after which date those plots will become available to the general public. Returning gardeners in good standing should indicate their interest in one of these plots by contacting Jan Alba or Martin Ventura by email or telephone. Gardeners new to the program may still be eligible for perennial plots. However, our program requires first-time gardeners interested in perennial plots to schedule a short meeting with garden staff to review expectations and jointly create a plan for success in the garden.

Will technical assistance be available if I am interested in gardening in a permanent plot but am unsure about how to manage it?

Not only is this assistance available, it is our literal job to help gardeners achieve their gardening goals, no matter where or how they garden. If you are considering transitioning to a permanent plot this season, please reach out—we will be delighted to talk with you. On the flip side, if you are strongly committed to growing in an annual plot forever—we will also be totally delighted to talk with you. Even if our staff in Milwaukee County can’t answer your garden-related question, we’re willing to bet that one of our 700+ Extension colleagues around the State knows the answer.

Will annual plots still be available to rent?
Yes, of course! Although we are incentivizing gardeners to rent perennial plots as part of a conscious reduction in the amount of soil our program disturbs through tillage, we respect the choice to grow in an annual tilled plot. Gardeners in our community represent our customer base and we understand the importance of serving a diverse array of needs.  In part, increasing the availability of perennial plots is a response to known interest and frustration with the limited number of perennial plots at many of our gardens. However, not everyone is interested in or able to manage a perennial plot. Physical limitations, gardening style, or personal preference are all valid reasons for electing to rent an annual plot with soils tilled by Extension. Because of our need to group annual plots together for efficient tilling, staking, and weed management, some gardeners requesting annual plots will be asked to grow their 2023 gardens in different (but equally fertile and sunny)  areas of the garden.