The following is an account of my first and so far only foray into #GuerillaGardening.

Back a couple of years before Lockdown I was out collecting flies alongside the river Thames near Reading when it started to rain and, as I had forgotten to bring my umbrella with me, I went to shelter under a nearby tree. While waiting for the rain to pass I looked up and discovered that the tree was heavy with unripe walnuts. I made a mental note to revisit the tree later in the year when the walnuts would be ripe. Over the following two years I collected several carrier bag loads of walnuts from that tree, easily £100 worth at shop prices, and they were perfectly good to eat. Then just before Lockdown some contractors putting in underground electricity cables cut two large branches off the tree. This annoyed me intensely and I determined to somehow restore my supply of walnuts.

I went online and ordered 12 walnut tree saplings and a foldable spade. I also bought bamboo canes and helical plastic stem protectors. Then, during the first November of Lockdown, I discreetly planted these saplings at various fairly obscure locations around Reading. Over the next two years I regularly tended the saplings, feeding them during the spring and watering and mulching them during the drier parts of the summer.

Two died within a year when their leaves were all eaten, probably by a muntjac deer. Two more lived for a few years but never had more than half a dozen leaves, probably because I had planted them in acid soil. But the other eight are all now taller than me and each year sprout lots of large healthy looking leaves. And I am looking forward to my first crop of walnuts from them within the next five to ten years.

@maphew

@JustRosy @breadandcircuses found by way of https://radicalroots.ca/.

"I didn't know #seedbomb was a thing until 5 minutes ago. Humans are great sometimes!"

Link to Radical Roots Seed Bomb Company:
https://radicalroots.ca/

OG post:
https://kolektiva.social/@maphew@vmst.io/114325807584456745

#Rewilding #ReclaimingSpaces #SolarPunkSunday #SeedBombing #GuerillaGardening #RenegadeGardening

I came across this website from one of the #GuerillaGardening articles I posted earlier. Some good stuff!

Shop Native Plants by State

"Find the perfect native plants for your region! We offer a wide selection of native flora for the 48 continental U.S. states and Washington D.C. Explore our curated collections tailored to your state's unique ecosystem. We're actively expanding our offerings nationwide, so check back often! Browse by state below and bring the beauty of native plants to your garden."

https://gardenforwildlife.com/pages/shop-native-plants-by-state

#PlantNativeSpecies #NativePlants #SolarPunkSunday #Rewilding #ReclaimingSpaces
#GardeningForPollinators #Gardening

This article includes some history of #GuerillaGardening -- including that of #JohnnyAppleseed (who was a real person)!

The Ultimate Guide To Guerrilla Gardening

by Elisabeth Beauchamp, April 10, 2025

"If you’ve ever seen wildflowers sprouting out of cracks in an abandoned parking lot, you might’ve witnessed the results of guerrilla gardening. Guerrilla gardening is a planting technique used by gardeners around the world to fulfill various intentions. No matter what, it involves growing plants or crops on land owned by someone else.

"It can be used as a political statement or simply to fulfill the desire to beautify one’s neighborhood. Guerrilla gardening has become a popular method of community revitalization worldwide. In fact, it might be happening right under your feet. If you’re interested in beautifying outdoor spaces in your city, keep reading to learn more..."

https://todayshomeowner.com/lawn-garden/guides/ultimate-guide-to-guerilla-gardening/

#SolarPunkSunday #Rewilding #ReclaimingSpaces #GardeningForPollinators #Gardening

#UK - #GuerillaGardening: how you can make your local area greener without getting into trouble

Published: October 4, 2023

Excerpt: "Can you be prosecuted?

"It’s important to remember that much of the unused or abandoned land that is potentially suitable for guerilla gardening in towns and cities throughout the UK is owned by local councils. Common examples of such locations include broken pavements with missing slabs, wasteland and the central areas of roundabouts.

"Although much of this land is already open for the public to walk over, actively gardening on it would become an act of trespass.

"The law of trespass sounds scary. However, gardening on this land would be a breach of civil law rather than a crime. This means that most guerrilla gardeners are unlikely to receive a fine or a criminal record.

"Landowners do have the legal right to use 'reasonable force' to remove trespassers from their land. But, fortunately, it seems most councils have ignored guerrilla gardeners, having neither the time, money or inclination to bring legal action against them.

"Colchester Council, for example, were unable to track down the identity of the '#HumanShrub', a mysterious #EcoActivist who restored the flowers in the city’s abandoned plant containers in 2009. The shrub returned again in 2015 and sent a gift of seeds to a local councillor.

"In other areas of the UK, the work of guerilla gardeners has been cautiously welcomed by local councils. In Salford, a city in Greater Manchester, there is a formal requirement to submit an application and obtain permission to grow on vacant spots in the city. But the local authority tends not to interfere with illegal grow sites.

"There seems to be an unwritten acceptance that people can garden wherever they want, given the abundance of available space and the lack of active maintenance. This also offers the additional advantage of saving both time and money for the local council.

"You should still be careful about where you trespass though. In some areas, guerrilla gardening can lead to unwelcome attention. During the #MayDayRiots of 2000, for example, guerrilla gardeners were accused of planting #cannabis seeds in central #London’s #ParliamentSquare.

"Gardening at night may draw the wrong attention too, particularly if you are carrying gardening tools that might be misunderstood by the police as threatening weapons."

Read more:
https://theconversation.com/guerilla-gardening-how-you-can-make-your-local-area-greener-without-getting-into-trouble-213037

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/NHZyu

#SolarPunkSunday #Rewilding #ReclaimingSpaces #MayDay #GardeningForPollinators #Gardening

#GuerillaGardening : What Is It, and Should You Try It?

Jan 11, 2025 10:09 AM EST

"Who doesn’t need a bit more greenery in their lives? No one, if guerilla gardeners have anything to say about it. Whether activists, do-gooders, or just plain old lovers of beauty, guerilla gardeners have been sprucing up neglected corners of the world for quite some time. #JohnnyAppleseed, introducer of apple trees to many states in the US, was one of the OG guerilla gardeners (and yes, he was a real person).

"Despite what its name might imply—guerilla means 'little war' in Spanish—guerilla gardening has nothing to do with war or destruction, and everything to do with creation. So what exactly is this ironically titled type of gardening, and is it something you should consider doing in your own community?

What Is Guerilla Gardening?

"Essentially, guerilla gardening is the act of gardening (planting flowers, trees, fruits, vegetables, etc.) in areas where you are technically not authorized to do so. According to Sonya Shikhman, a lawyer at Bytensky Shikhman Barristers, 'many see it as environmental activism, bringing greenery into urban environments where traditional gardening may not be possible.'

"This form of gardening is often used to revamp empty lots and other less-than-appealing spaces and create areas that look beautiful and/or produce food for the community. Other aims and benefits include 'improving air quality, increasing biodiversity, and giving local residents a sense of ownership and pride,' Shikhman says."

Read more:
https://dengarden.com/gardening/guerilla-gardening-what-is-it-and-should-you-try-it

#Rewilding #SolarPunkSunday
#GardeningForPollinators #GardeningForWildlife #SeedBombs #ReclaimingSpaces

The Growing Popularity of #GuerillaGardening

Urban guerilla gardeners are taking direct action against the neglect of public spaces.

"What used to be something of a fringe activity with decidedly illicit undertones has quickly become a mainstream subject and activity. Guerilla gardening is being used to reclaim community spaces, rejuvenate urban areas, and encourage more connection with nature. It’s a phenomenon that gets more popular every year.

"Ever spotted some beautiful plants growing where you least expect them? There’s a good chance that what you've seen is the result of guerilla gardening. Whether it’s a political statement or an attempt to get closer to nature, guerilla gardeners are all around us. And they’re not going away.

[...]

"On the surface, guerilla gardening is very much against the law. It’s trespassing on someone else's property. Even if you’re making the property better, guerilla gardeners don’t have any legal right to do so.

"Seed bombing, where the guerilla gardeners pack seeds into a lump of moist soil or compost and throw those ‘seed grenades’ into otherwise inaccessible spaces, is also illegal. Even if you don’t step foot on the property, those seed bombs still class as trespass.

"However, guerilla gardening is a criminal activity that's often overlooked by the law. In this research study, based on a group of UK guerilla gardeners, the phrase ‘normalized law breaking’ is commonly used. The study argues that guerilla gardening is largely accepted, and perhaps even welcomed, even by local law enforcement. In LA, a guerilla gardener even managed to have the law changed, so that residents could garden on city property without a permit.

"And something is satisfying about that. When guerilla gardening can transform urban spaces, and beautify those urban sites that are otherwise grotesque and devoid of local wildlife, it’s hard to be critical of those that carry out their seed bombing and abandoned site transformations."

Read more:
https://gardenforwildlife.com/blogs/learning-center/guerilla-gardening-and-its-popularity-garden-for-wildlife

#Rewilding #SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #GardeningForWildlife #SeedBombs #ReclaimingSpaces

Planting #SeedBombs: 11 Common Questions

By Carol Chung / May 23, 2022

"The best time to plant seed bombs depends on the type of seeds used.

For annuals such as corn, kale, and radishes, the best time to plant their seed bombs is during spring, once the harsh frost conditions have passed.

For perennials such as apple trees, bananas, and alfalfa, the best time to plant the seed bombs is in the fall. During this time, the seeds experience a cold, moist phase, or “stratification”, which helps increase the chances of germination in spring.

Also, don’t plant the seed bombs in the afternoon heat; instead, plant them in the evening.

Always plant during the rainy season when the seed bombs will receive 3 to 5 inches (76 to 130 mm) of rain. Or else you will have to carry out supplemental watering for the seeds to germinate."

Learn more:
https://askgardening.com/how-to-plant-seed-bomb/

#RenegadeGardening #Rewilding #GuerillaGardening #SolarPunkSunday