Guerilla Gardening - What Is It And How To Start

There are a lot of forms of gardening these days. Some are even “daring” and one of that is known as Guerilla Gardening. So what exactly is it? And, how do you start? In this article, we are going to explore the answers to these questions.

What Is It?

At its core, guerilla gardening can be described as the cultivation of crops or plants in an area that is not authorized by the owner or the government. Some guerilla gardeners do this kind of gardening simply to improve or beautify an overgrown, barren or neglected area. Other guerilla gardeners may also be doing it as a form of political statement; usually its circles around land reform or land rights.

If you are planning to do some guerilla gardening, then you have two options. Your first option is to do the gardening secretly. This usually means “night missions”. The second options are to engage in gardening out in the open and during the daylight. For most guerilla gardeners, this the most common choice as it’s intended to inspire others in improving the local community.

Now that you have a good idea on what its all about, the next obvious question is - how do I start?

How To Start Your Guerilla Gardening Campaign

As mentioned before, you have two options when doing guerilla gardening. Thankfully, there is no big difference between the two in terms of the process. The biggest dividing line between the two routes is that one is done secretly, while the other is completely the opposite. So, let’s start with the first step.

Find a piece of land - since you will do some planting, you will need a piece of land to plant upon. In the urban areas, this could mean on-road medians, between buildings, sides of the freeways or sidewalks. It’s best that you stick to a piece of land that is near a water source so watering won’t be a big of an issue.

Soil Condition - as you will be doing guerilla gardening, then there is a good chance that you will need to make some soil preparation. That means you will probably do some trash removal, weeding and such. You will also have to assess the soil - is clay-like, rocky or earthy?

Your Plants - once you have prepared the soil and area, you will have to decide which plant to use. The plant should also be compatible with the soil; that’s why it’s important that you should not skip on soil assessment on the previous step. It’s best that you choose plants that thrive with just intermittent care. There is a good chance that you will not be able to fertilize, weed and water the plants like the way you do in your own garden. It’s also best that you stick to plants that are native to the area. This prevents the dangers of introducing new plant species and native plants are already accustomed to the local climate.

Plan Your First Mission - now that you have a good idea on the soil and plants, your next step is to determine if you need some help. Of course, you can do it alone. If you are working as a team, then you need to set a time and date for your initial mission. Make sure that you prepare everything like the plants, fertilizers tools, water and everything else.

On The Site - the first step is to clear all the undesirable things, such as trash and weeds. Then prepare the soil by aerating or digging. Then you can proceed to plant. Don’t forget to give your plant some water after the planting. Lastly, don’t forget to clean the area before you leave. Don’t leave anything that might reflect badly on you, your team or to other guerilla gardeners.

Caring - just like a regular garden, planting is just the first step. You will have to return regularly to maintain it. This might mean watering, fertilizing or weeding.

Guerilla gardening might sound shady when you first hear it, but there is nothing unethical about it. It’s simply an act of improving the area by planting some plants. Furthermore, it’s not that hard to do. If you decide to take matters in your hands and become a guerilla gardener, then forget the steps mentioned above to maximize your results.