GROW Centers
Baltimore GROW Centers (Green Resources & Outreach for Watersheds) are your neighborhood greening resource hubs, linking city residents, communities, and faith-based groups to materials, and technical expertise for greening projects.
Over the past two years, we have provided free and low-cost trees, mulch, and other materials, as well as free workshops on topics including community greening, vacant lot revitalization, installing rain gardens and rain barrels, environmental justice, and composting.
Funding for the GROW Center pop-ups and workshops, as well as the creation of a feasibility study and business plan, is partly provided by the USDA Forest Service and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
The GROW Center would not be able to function without our many partners, in particular, TreeBaltimore and Camp Small, which provide the trees and mulch we can give away for free. Other partners include MD Cooperative Extension/Master Gardeners, Office of Sustainability, Office of Emergency Management, BMORE Beautiful, Department of Housing and Community Development, and the many communities where we have held pop-ups and workshops.
Spring 2023 GROW Centers
DPW’s Spring GROW Center season will feature six pop-up events and five free workshops.
Attend one of the upcoming activities and get some great resources to help with your greening projects. Free trees, mulch, seeds, and reusable shopping bags will be available, as well as information on stormwater fee credits, plant advice, recycling and composting, adopt-a-lot, and other ways to make your home and community greener, cleaner, and more resilient. First come, first serve while supplies last.
The following is the schedule for Grow Center events. Please note the times for each event. The workshops are free but require registration. In-person workshops have limited space availability. Compost workshop attendees will receive a free compost bin, courtesy of DPW Bureau of Solid Waste.
April 13 (5 – 7pm): Pop-up @ Sisson Street Park (corner of Sisson and 27th Street 21211)
April 16 (9 a.m. -12 noon): Pop-up @ Pimlico Public Safety Training Center (Manhattan Avenue & Clover Road 21215)
April 20 (5p.m. –6:30 p.m.): Composting Workshop @ Filbert Street Garden (1317 Filbert Street 21226) Register on Eventbrite
April 22 (9 a.m. -12 noon): Pop-up @ Leakin Park (Windsor Mill Road and Eagle Drive 21207)
April 25 (6 p.m. –7 p.m.): Composting Workshop @ Harwood Community Garden (2700 block of Greenmount Ave. 21218) Register: At Eventsbrite's website
April 26 (4 p.m. -5 p.m.): Container and Small Space Gardening (Online) Register on Eventbrite
April 29 (9 a.m. – 12 noon): Pop-up @ The Mighty Park (3000 blk Stafford Street 21223)
May 2 (6 p.m. –7 p.m. : Composting Workshop @ Sisson Street Park (corner of Sisson and 27th Street 21211) Register on Eventbrite
May 6 (9 a.m. – 12 noon): Pop-up @ Liberty Grace Church of God (3400 Copley Road 21215)
May 8 (6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.): Nature Based Mental Health & Resiliency Workshop @ (Stillmeadow Church 5110 Frederick Ave. 21223) Register on Eventbrite
May 13 (9a.m. -12 noon): Pop-up @ Broadway East (corner of N. Port and E. Lafayette 21213)
If you are a non-profit or community run organization and are interested in partnering with us, please reach out to Mark Cameron via e-mail
Photos from our Fall 2022 pop-ups and workshops
View reports, ask questions
Interested in what we have done so far? Check out the following two reports:
- Department of Public Works report on the GROW Center 2018-2021
- Baltimore Office of Sustainability report on the 2016 pilot GROW Center GROW Center Pilot Final Report.pdf
If you have questions, contact Mark Cameron by email or at 410-215-1961.
Photos from past GROW Center pop-ups and workshops