• How to Participate Gardening at The Plot

    Plots are assigned by lottery. The application is open from January 1–March 1. Gardeners who fulfill policy requirements — including plot maintenance, meeting attendance and community behavior expectations — may reapply for the same plot each year.

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  • #ThePlotSLC
    Share your adventures at the Plot! #Theplotslc

    #ThePlotSLC

    Attending a workshop, tending to your garden bed or just enjoying the view... Capture the moment with a phone or camera and share your photos with us by using the hashtag #ThePlotSLC.

  • Yoga at The Plot
    Garden Yoga

    Yoga at The Plot

    Set yourself in The Plot — the Main Library's Community Garden — while Sarah Kelley of Centered City Yoga guides you through stretches and restorative poses. Suitable for all experience levels.

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  • Composting at The Plot

    Compost is decomposed organic material, such as leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen waste. It provides many essential nutrients for plant growth and therefore is often used as fertilizer. Compost also improves soil structure so that soil can easily hold the correct amount of moisture, nutrients and air.

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  • If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Marcus Tullius Cicero

    The Plot is a learning laboratory for Library patrons to sow, grow, and share using sustainable gardening practices. Each gardener is the author of their own plot, fostering life in a dense urban area.

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  • Garden Fundamentals Workshop Planting Garlic
The Plot Community Garden


ABOUT THE PLOT

MISSION

The Plot is a learning laboratory for Library patrons to sow, grow, and share using sustainable gardening practices. Each gardener is the author of their own plot, fostering life in a dense urban area.

RULES OF OPERATION

The Plot is a community garden open to all patrons of the library from sunrise to sunset. The garden is tended by member-patrons that applied via lottery to have a free plot. Please do not pick from the garden if you are not a member. Everyone is allowed to enjoy the garden space respectfully and watch it grow.


HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Plots are assigned by lottery. The application is open from January 1–March 1 and will be available here.

Gardeners who fulfill policy requirements — including plot maintenance, meeting attendance and community behavior expectations — may reapply for the same plot each year.

Garden Policies

Wasatch Community Gardens Organic Standards

If accepted as a gardener you must have the time to cultivate your garden. Below is an estimate of the time you should plan on allotting to The Plot per week:

GARDEN TASK SPRING SUMMER FALL
Weeding/Bed Preparation 2 hours 2 hours 1 hour
Watering 1 hour .5 hour 0 hour
Planting 1.5 hours .5 hour .5 hour
Harvesting .5 hour 1 hour 1.5 hour
       
TOTAL hours per week 5 hours 4 hours 3 hours

If you are not able to commit to authoring a plot for a whole season you can still participate! See the Composting and Classes at The Plot sections to the right or come to a volunteer session every 2nd Saturday of the month from 8:30–10:30am between May and October. Volunteers will be thanked with produce or seeds upon availability.



PARTNERS


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Wasatch Community Gardens


The City Library is a member in the Wasatch Community Gardens Garden Leadership Network. This network has helped Emma Wilson, Community Garden Coordinator of The Plot, to answer questions about best practices for running a community garden. Other benefits include seedling donations from the Wasatch Community Gardens plant sale and discounted admission to Wasatch Community Gardens workshops.


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Urban Indian Center


The Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake is a community center serving tribes that are native to Utah such as the Ute, Paiute, Goshute, Shoshone and Navajo (Diné). Participating youth tend a plot with their caregivers and counselors.


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Children's Synergistic Learning Collaborative


Children's Synergistic Learning Collaborative (CSLC) is a school made up of children of all ages and abilities and skilled educators who accompany them as they pursue interests and develop essential skills and competencies, recognizing local community and surrounding environment — including The Plot — as foremost resources for learning.


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First Step House


First Step House is a leading organization in the field of addiction recovery, helping people who are struggling with substance use and behavioral health disorders. A First Step organizer and social worker was allotted a plot in February 2018, and brings a small group of her clients to tend it.


Wasatch Community Gardens            Red Butte Gardens            Urban Indian Center            First Step House