It’s that time of year again. Urban gardeners have gathered their seeds and have started preparing their garden beds, containers, or pots. With increasing prices of food & goods and the rising cost of living, urban and suburban gardening can provide economic benefits, as well as physical and mental health benefits. Urban and suburban gardens can also increase access to fresh foods in food deserts, decrease your personal carbon footprint, and enhance your quality of life.
(Check out this USDA Food Desert Locator to further understand food insecurity and access in your community https://www.seriouseats.com/exploring-the-usdas-food-desert-locator).
Urban gardening can be done anywhere. People tend to think of urban gardening as community gardens (e.g. initiatives by Seed St. Louis: https://seedstl.org/community-gardens/) or small garden plots in backyards. However, urban gardening can be done even in apartments on patios, decks, or even in windowsills. There are many plants that can be grown indoors or in small spaces. My favorite are the Orange Hat micro tomato variety from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company (https://www.rareseeds.com/tomato-orange-hat).
How can I get involved in urban and suburban gardening? The easiest way to get involved is to plant something! St. Louis and Kansas City are both in USDA Zone 6. Check out this calendar from Seed St. Louis to learn when and how to plant your favorite fruits and veggies. (https://seedstl.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022_SSTL_Planting-CalendarVR2_5MB.pdf)
Most recently, I have been experimenting with growing seeds from fruits and vegetables from the grocery store. I’ve successfully started a peach tree and am currently working with a grapefruit tree sprout. This is a fun and inexpensive way to get involved in urban gardening for people who find it hard to access seeds, bulbs, or sprouted plants.
Civic minded gardeners can also volunteer for their local community gardens. Gardening groups can normally be found in your community parks, schools, or government centers. Mine is located at the County Health Department. If you live in St. Louis or Kansas City, check out Seed St. Louis (https://seedstl.org/tips-tricks/) or Kansas City Community Gardens (https://kccg.org/).
I’ll be gardening in my backyard this year in raised beds and containers. How will you get involved?
More articles and resources about urban and suburban gardening are linked below.
Local Food Systems Key to Healthy, Resilient, Equitable Communities: https://www.planning.org/planning/2021/winter/local-food-systems-key-to-healthy-resilient-equitable-communities/
Reusing Potentially Contaminated Landscapes: Growing Gardens in Urban Soils: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014- 03/documents/urban_gardening_fina_fact_sheet.pdf
As Spring Begins To Bloom, So Do Community Gardens: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/04/22/metro/spring-begins-bloom-so-do-community-gardens/
Spring Has Sprung: A Few Tips to Ready Your Urban Garden: http://seedstock.com/2016/04/07/spring-has-sprung-a-few-tips-to-ready-your-urban-garden/