Ever since we started living in a place were every square inch is growing something useful (to people and other creatures), our eyes are opened to the possibility of transforming lawns and other unused green space to grow food. Why water a lawn full of grass when you could water and grow salad greens, root veggies, herbs, squash, tomatoes, peppers, the list goes on and on. In this video we used some scrap wood to build a raised garden bed over a 7′x7′ patch of driveway gravel. Not only do we pluck the greens for dinner, it looks a lot nicer than the dumping ground of found materials that it once was. If every neighborhood had even a few lawns turned into gardens, we could start hyper-localizing our food supplies and getting to know our neighbors- because, after all, you’re going to want to trade gardening tips!
Correction: Thanks to Nicole who commented below that this garden bed is 49 sq feet (or 4.5 sq m), not 14 sq feet (which would be 7+7 not 7×7, duh). Thanks Nicole!
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[tags]urban permaculture, gardening, food security, urban farming, san mateo eco village, ryanishungry[/tags]
You are the inspiration for my tomato patch, coming Feb. 1st!
Nice garden! When you’re ready to expand, think vertical as well as horizontal. You’ve got some nice warm sunny walls there you could grow beans or tomatoes against, or perhaps train a few fruit trees. I love perennial things like fruit trees and bushes that you only have to plant once and they keep cropping for years and years. But don’t try to take on too much too soon. Sustainable equals gradual. You’re doing great!
Thats pretty sweet!
One thing i saw though, and im a sucker for noticing, its 49 square feet.
agreed. I like the idea of growing peas and beans on a vine.
As a budding agriculturalist you will soon learn that crops grow in “soil” not “dirt.” Of course, if you track the soil into the kitchen, then it IS dirt.
Johnny Farmer
P.S. Here’s a story from my “Johnny Farmer” days:
http://historichomeworks.com/hhw/frontporch/front.htm#Crop
you are correct. Soil, not dirt. It’s a habit us urban kids are trying to break. John, I really like your video of the fresh peas. Is there a way to link to it directly?
It’s been too long since I stopped by.
Great video. Inspiring as ever.
This is something we plan to do with our yard in our new house when we move to Canada this year – it has a big area of lawn that I felt would otherwise be just useless. But it’s something we have singularly failed to do with our little garden in London. So thanks for this kick up the backside. The road to hell and all that…
Nice, as always, to see something done simply and easily.
that is so awesome. I’ve been saying for a long time how I want a garden. Perhaps this is the year I actually make one. I guess I need to figure out what to plant in the spring.
>>John, I really like your video of the fresh peas. Is there a way to link to it directly?<<
Jay, sure, if you want to play it here you can find plenty of linkage right over at Blip:
http://johnleeke.blip.tv/file/53253/#share
I’d feel honored if you did.
Johnny Farmer
I love your lawn garden idea! I wish in the northeast that I could just put some lettuce in the soil and no problem. Unfortunately, with the deer population, my friendly gopher, and rabbits, my garden would be just a memory. I too would like to show your video on my site, Green Talk. Just because I have to have an 8 foot fence around my garden doesn’t mean others can’t try what you are doing. Have you thought about edible flowers??? Also, I use a vertical fence for my cucumbers. I grew lemon cucumbers last year. They look like tennis balls with a an 8′oclock shadow.
In line with Mel, I love perennials especially lavender of any kind. Deer dislike them and they are pretty drought resistant. Go for drought resistant native perennial for your yard as well. Also look at curly thyme for ground cover. Absolutely stunning and low maintenance. Takes some time to get going though and spread out.
This is one northeastern who can’t wait for spring. Can you tell? Anna wwww.green-talk.com
yes, if you have animals in your area, it can make gardening a challenge. Not impossible though as you say. Feel free to embed our videos on your site (just give us attribution).
Just got the book ‘Food not Lawns” from the library. I have 2-3 acres that could be used…how do I get a project going and people involved???? I already plant my own garden.
The best way to start is to make a garden where your front yard used to be. The bigger, the better. This will be a great active example of growing food where there was once just grass.
Looks like Food Not Lawns has a website where you could connect with others as well. http://www.foodnotlawns.com/
Did you all read about Robert Hart’s ‘Forest Garden’? http://www.risc.org.uk/garden/roberthart.html
Ive got a tiny bit of land – almost solid rock in the places it isnt close to vertical – There are already a couple of sweet chestnut trees and hazels – Ive planted a couple of fruuit trees..so Im experimenting with a few Robert Hart ideas –
and plan to grow nuthin decorative that wont feed me somehow.
‘The Forest Garden can enable a family to enjoy a considerable degree of self-sufficiency, with minimal labour’, for some seven months of the year, providing the very best foods for building up positive health. It is a miniature reproduction of the self-maintaining eco-system of the natural forest, consisting entirely of fruit and nut trees and bushes, perennial and self-seeding vegetables and culinary and medicinal herbs.”
Good advice. planting a small orchard is great way to get plenty of food. All your need is patience for the trees to grow.
Funny to see that comment I left on New Year’s Eve about being inspired to do this in our new garden when we move to Canada… because six months later that’s exactly what we’ve just done. Link below You see? You’re changing the world! One lawn at a time!
http://twittervlog.tv/?p=265
Cool video.
By the way, the timber that you used looks similar to scaffolding planks which can be had very cheaply, or free, if they are old. Once they show signs of cracking, scaffolding companies can’t use them, but they are still good for raised beds.
I have a small yard most vegies are in containers on the side parking strip in the front I did remove the lawn on one side in front and planted a currant & vegies. this year I will tackle the other side of the front but I want a ground cover to help in between growing seasons other than herbs any suggestions.
This makes a very valid point– why don’t we turn our lawns into gardens and save all the darn water?? It would actually make sense to water them to keep your veggies and fruits alive instead of just to keep your grass green. Watering lawns is such a waste.
-Sylvia