Urban agriculture.

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.
~ John Lubbock

Inner-city. Urban. These words may conjure up images of cars, bus stops, subway stations, office buildings, skyscrapers, apartment high-rises, chain link fences, train tracks, industrial yards, bridges, huge expanses of concrete, orange construction cones, rats, litter, drugs, crime... Images of trees, birds, butterflies, bees, flowers, gardens, vegetables, and raspberry bushes don't come to mind as readily. Is this a limitation of definition? conditioning? stereotypes? lack of creativity?

Community members and grassroots organizations all over the world are proving, person by person, lot by lot, that nature and city need not be mutually exclusive, but can coexist in beautiful and productive ways.

Naysayers may discourage having food gardens in the city saying that the food you grow will: be contaminated by lead or mercury in the soil; attract roaches, rats and other pesky rodents; be germy from trash or litter; or even, violate city codes and ordinances. But these things are not necessarily true, and all can be overcome with research, planning and precautions.

Any gardener—urban, rural, suburban—needs to remove debris (fallen trees, leaves, trash) from their future gardening space, learn about their soil, and get to know their neighbors and the other creatures that share their environment. Each landscape offer its own challenges. Urban gardeners should not be discouraged or disheartened about getting a site ready for growing.

Food growers provide vital services to their communities—creating local food sheds, beautifying their environment, acting as land stewards, and passing on knowledge and skills related to our survival. Urban gardeners may experience even greater satisfaction from their efforts knowing that they have remediated soils, created crucial wildlife habitat, improved air quality and made their immediate neighborhood safer and more economically viable.

Growing space is often an issue for urban growers. If you do not have access to a yard or an abandoned lot nearby, all is not lost. Many cities have a network of community gardens plots available for a small seasonal fee. To find one in your area, check out the American Community Gardening Association at (www.communitygarden.org). Many herbs and vegetables can be grown quite easily in containers on a window sill, rooftop, balcony, porch, or stoop. I will be addressing container gardening in a future post.

For those of you with access to a yard or abandoned lot, here are some steps and precautions for you to take when establishing your garden.

CLEAN-UP SAFELY.

1) Observe the area. Note the size of the plot, the topography, the light, natural (trees, large rocks...) and man-made land markers (telephone poles, fire hydrants, speed limit posts...), how close your garden is to the street, and who are and how close are your surrounding neighbors. Make note of potential hazards (sharp objects, heavy objects, poisonous plants, thorny brush and weeds, uneven ground, etc). If necessary contact your local Department of Environmental Management, before you proceed, regarding specific concerns such as a chemical spill. Also, ask yourself these questions:

- How much sunshine is available throughout the day? Can trees and shrubs be trimmed to allow more light?

- Is there access to clean water? Can access be arranged with the city or a neighbor? Is there a way to collect rain water from a nearby gutter or roof?

- Is the garden site safe from flooding or runoff water? Does the garden site have good drainage?

- How do my neighbors' manage their waste? Will my garden space be adversely affected or contaminated by their waste practices?

Once you have observed, noted and considered the positive aspects, risks and limitations of the space, think about how you can creatively maximize the positives, prepare to manage the risks responsibly and safely, and research ways to address the limitations. If you are ready to proceed, move on to Step #2.

2) Have on hand construction-grade garbage bags, yard waste bags, recycling bins, and a sturdy box for potentially bio-hazardous items (such as motor oil, paint, discarded computers or TV sets) so that all the debris can be placed into the proper receptacle, and disposed off or recycled responsibly.

3) Collect and pile all large pieces of wood, stones, bricks, cinder blocks, tires or metal bars according to type and size. As the proverb says, "one man's waste, another man's treasure". Often city lots can be a literal treasure trove of items that can be re-purposed as fencing, dividers, planters, markers, bean poles, or garden art.

4) Wear protective goggles, thick soled shoes, thick gloves, long jeans and long sleeved shirts. These items, while not foolproof, can help to protect you from gravel, broken glass, rusty nails, dead birds or animals, can lids, poison ivy, thorny brush etc.

5) Access the tools needed to properly clean-up the space, and have them on hand. Items needed may include: brooms, dustpans, rakes, hoes, pitch forks, shovels, axes, sledgehammers, pruners, drills, screwdrivers, hammers, weed whackers, lawn mowers, chain saws, extension cords for electric tools, gasoline for gas powered tools. If you or the friends helping you are allergic to bees, dust, pollen, mold or certain plants, it's a good idea and courteous to have Benadryl, inhalers and/or EpiPens on hand. A First Aid Kit is always wise to have nearby for blisters, splinters or cuts. Also, have ample water for hydration, sunscreen to prevent sunburns, and healthy snacks available to refuel yourself!

5) Before doing any weed-whacking or mowing, if you can, use a metal detector to detect any loose metal objects you may have missed. Carefully look over the ground for rocks, gravel or other objects that might damage equipment or injure you.

6) Clear all brush and weeds. Mow grass. Rake up grass clipping and leaves, and place into yard waste bags. Look over ground to see if any debris remains that could be problematic.



PLAN YOUR GARDEN.

1) Now that the area is cleared, observe it once again. Decide and plot out the exact dimensions of your garden. Consider how you will need to move through the space, so that you will not have to walk on garden beds or damage plants with your watering hose. Setting up pathways and stepping stones at the beginning of the process makes gardening much easier.

2) Depending on the condition of your lot, the age of the neighborhood, the previous land usage, the proximity to painted structures and busy roads, you will need to determine if your soil is safe for growing food or if there is soil contamination by heavy metals or chemicals. If there are old-timers living in your neighborhood, introduce yourself, explain your gardening hopes, and ask about the history of the plot you wish to garden. You can learn a lot and make a friend in the process. To be absolutely certain of your soil safety, do a soil test. I will go into more detail regarding soil tests in a future post. Heavy metal and chemical contamination can cause serious developmental delays and illnesses. Knowing your soil health is not a step to be taken lightly especially if you have young children. If you do not wish to have a soil test, or have learned that your soil is not appropriate for food crops, raised beds and container gardening may be a solution. I will address both of these solutions in future blog posts.

3) When thinking about your urban garden, it is important to consider pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. You may find that the pollinator population is low, but do not be discouraged. There are many ways to attract pollinators, such as flowers. Flowers play an important role in the food garden, so do not think of including space for flowers as frivolous or a waste space.

4) Try to incorporate native plants. Native plants are often perfectly suited to their location, topography, soil conditions and climate. To learn more about plants that are native to your region, and to find suppliers, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at www.wildflower.org.

5) If your garden is situated near a road, especially a busy one, consider creating a barrier between the road and your garden to help keep pollutants from passing vehicles off of your edibles. Barriers can be as simple a hedge row like China Hedge or Boxwood shrubs, creating a solid fence (check out this cool one from PennDot in Meadville, PA) or stretching woven bamboo across an existing chain link fence.

6) Consider a spot for composting, a great way to turn garden waste into rich organic matter for your soil. If done properly, you will not have to worry about your compost attracting unwanted rodents.

8) Select seeds and plants appropriate to your food needs and growing conditions.

9) Before you dig, call the local utility companies to mark where the utility lines are. Be sure to wear garden gloves when first handling the soil, just in case there are shards of glass or pieces of rusted metal in the ground. This will also make it easier to pull out the inevitable stones or bricks. Look forward to finding some weird and cool stuff in your ground.

11) Practice biointensive gardening methods to improve your soil health, manage your resources efficiently and maximize your space for higher yields.

12) Add personal touches to make the gardening space your own. Consider incorporating: statuary, garden sculptures, garden gnomes, wind chimes, whirly gigs, birdbaths, sun catchers, mosaics, prayer flags, pink flamingos, scarecrows, painted rocks, benches, trellises, pots, tepees, fences, claw foot bathtubs, picnic tables, a bicycle rack, a garden gate, a peace pole or peace bell, quote signboards, etc. For inspiration, read up on Samuel Mockbee and how he found purpose and meaning in found and reclaimed objects to create amazing and functional spaces.