| Location |
| Click here to see the ASUCD Garden on Google Maps |
| South of The Domes & Orchard Park, north of the Student Farm |
| (fenced in), and across Orchard Park Drive from the greenhouses. |
| Click here to email the Garden Coordinator ([email protected]) |
| Phone - please email |
| Website |
| [http://garden.ucdavis.edu/ ASUCD Garden webpage] |
| > ASUCD GardenGarden Contract |
The ASUCD Garden, is a peaceful garden space where both the general public and U.C. Davis students, staff and faculty can have common ground. Anybody can rent a 10' x 20' plot for an annual $55 per plot fee as of 2021. The price will increase in 2022. A refundable deposit in the amount of $10 per 10' x 20' plot is required. You can also do work-trade to make your plots cheaper, and the work hour tasks can be collaborative, solo, drop-in or work day efforts.
The ASUCD Garden is an independent unit of The Associated Students, University of California Davis (ASUCD) and has been at its present location just outside the campus core, nestled up against Highway 113 by the Student Farm since 1970, when the irrigation was installed - finished around 1972. The garden has always been run according to organic standards. Water, tools, mulch, manure and gardening advice are included in your plot rental. Gardeners may plant annuals, biennials and perennials, including fruit and nut trees (with permission from the Garden Director and a label so that the next gardener knows what they've got). Usually community gardens don't have enough space for trees; so we're lucky ;)
The ASUCD Garden also offers internships if you want to learn about gardening and help build this community resource.
To Rent a Plot at the ASUCD Garden
Email the ASUCD Garden Coordinator with your interest, and set an appointment to take the orientation tour. It takes about an hour to take the tour, find your plot and pay with check, cash or money order.
ASUCD Garden Neighbors
The Domies [collective students residing in the dome-shaped homes at Baggins End Innovative Housing] have their own gardens to the north. They recently completed a really cool yurt that took considerable effort to get designed, approved and constructed. You can see their Wiki at The Domes.
Orchard Park Apartments - UCD student housing - has a community garden (for Orchard Park Apts. residents) to the northwest that used to be really great, but it's mostly overgrown now. A new group of gardeners is starting to rent plots closest to the apartments and emanating from there. Manure and rice hull mulch are freely available.
The Student Farm runs the organically certified Market Garden CSA - to the south and the open fields to the south and west, which is under market price with a really long wait-list; so if interested, get on the waiting list now!
Sisters of the Moon manage a woodsy, dark and secluded, private part of the Student Farm.
The Bike Church used to be located between The Domes and the ASUCD Garden but has moved and changed names to the Davis Bike Collective
Animals at the Garden
Some gardeners keep chickens, which are also found at the Student Farm and the Domes. Chickens and chicken coops are tentatively allowed at the ASUCD Garden, but the gardener must abide by a short set of requirements to keep this super-fowl at the ASUCD Garden. Organic eggs, fresh from the garden! Not many community gardens can suckle such a crop. Who wants to keep quail or rabbits?
As for wildlife, ground squirrels and Jack rabbits inhabit the area and Wild turkeys have been homesteading for at least the last few years. Pheasants and coyotes have also been seen around. Perhaps a fox has her den out there too. When roosting, the barn owls are squeaking, and (sightless) voles are still voling.
There is also a population of gophers who've developed a keen appreciation for onions and garlic. Brian Yoxall, an ASUCD gardener has written a gopher manifesto which will help you manage your gopher population.
Work Days and Events
Sandrine Journet working in the ASUCD Garden To get involved, read our contract, apply for a plot, schedule a tour (even if you're just curious). Volunteer work tasks are mostly drop-in but can be organized projects as well. Work days and events are announced on the ASUCD Garden website (http://garden.ucdavis.edu/).
Davis Gardening
Cob Benches 
There's plenty of room for new gardeners at the ASUCD Garden. It's a great big treasure with loads of opportunity. Another option for gardening in Davis is the Davis Community Garden a.k.a. the 5th St.Community Garden; although it doesn't have as much space for incoming gardeners - if interested, get on the wait list now! The 5th St. garden is a smaller well-managed garden that's located downtown and has less pest pressure than the ASUCD Garden; so depending on your luck, it can be easier to get a harvest there. For more information, see the gardening page.
Growing Hops at the ASUCD Garden
Hops cone, click to view cross section of a hop cone 
Hops plant Currently there are at least 4 gardeners at the ASUCD garden who are growing hops to be used in homebrewed beer. Hops is a perennial plant that grow long vines, up to thirty feet in length, and produces flowers called hop cones which are used to bitter and flavor beer. Below is a picture of a hop cone with hop vines, also called bines, in the background. In the spring of 2009, the Merry Growlers of Davis started a new hop plot in the ASUCD garden. To learn how to grow hops you can go to the Merry Growlers of Davis page where they are documenting their progress and experiences on growing hops.
2010-03-02 00:23:23 The Art Walk last fall was so great- March 20 2010 is the next scheduled one! Artists, you can show your work! Musicians, you could play your art! Community, you can enjoy snacks and friends! contact gardenartwalks (at) gmail (dot) com or facebook it for another path of communication. Meet up in the gardens and enjoy the day, the plants, the music, the local/regional art. Wonderful venue. =] —maia
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