Stealth Allotments

[Kilofoxtrot16]

In the 80's the old SWAT magazine ran an article on stealth allotments, growing your own veg and fruit in discreet but public areas. Talking to a like minded friend we've decided next year to give it a try as an experiment. Im guessing it'll be a numbers game to get a decent return and wondered has anyone else tried it. If so did it work, where did you try and any tips? Thanks

[Smudge]

Fyi It's commonly known as guerrilla gardening. Tubers such as potatoes, turnips and carrots might do well, only a gardener would recognise the above ground portion.

[jansman]

Fyi It's commonly known as guerrilla gardening. Tubers such as potatoes, turnips and carrots might do well, only a gardener would recognise the above ground portion.

Ragnar Benson? My favourite survivalist author.

[Smudge]

Fyi It's commonly known as guerrilla gardening. Tubers such as potatoes, turnips and carrots might do well, only a gardener would recognise the above ground portion.

Ragnar Benson? My favourite survivalist author.

I know him (his work at least) but wasn't necessarily quoting him here though to be honest.

[grenfell]

Done on a very small scale. That was in a couple of places i work and are by and large not public places. Works in areas people like to keep "wild" and as such the crop will compete with weeds. Hit and miss if i'm honest
I'd avoid anywhere right next to a road , partly because of the potential pollution issue but also because its likely to get mown down by the council. Likewise i'd avoid anywhere the council is likely to spray weedkiller. Listed buildings and historic sites are out too and could potentially see the gardener being prosecuted. Lesser used sites that don't see too many people are probably better to look for but be prepared to lose everything either to having lost access , being overgrown or just plain shredded by a bloke in a yellow jacket with a strimmer.
Other than that best of luck...

[jansman]

A good guerilla garden crop is Jerusalem artichokes. They will survive anything,and are perennial.

[grenfell]

Chard is another i've had some success with. Seeds down and spreads easily i find especially if it's in an area that doesn't get chopped down. Good king Henry is another that seems not to disappear as do chives. Look too at edible weeds such as sorrel which can be planted and won't look out of place. Not quite guerrilla gardening but my front garden is home to a fair bit of stuff i'm sure most don't know and assume is weeds. There's the chard good king henry and sorrel , chives , lovage , Jerusalem artichokes , wild strawberries along with several types of herbs.
As obvious as it might sound but look at what you eat now and see how you could plant that. The chard i mentioned is fine for me but the family aren't too enamoured with it so little point growing loads of it.

[jansman]

Chard is another i've had some success with. Seeds down and spreads easily i find especially if it's in an area that doesn't get chopped down. Good king Henry is another that seems not to disappear as do chives. Look too at edible weeds such as sorrel which can be planted and won't look out of place. Not quite guerrilla gardening but my front garden is home to a fair bit of stuff i'm sure most don't know and assume is weeds. There's the chard good king henry and sorrel , chives , lovage , Jerusalem artichokes , wild strawberries along with several types of herbs.
As obvious as it might sound but look at what you eat now and see how you could plant that. The chard i mentioned is fine for me but the family aren't too enamoured with it so little point growing loads of it.

I like the idea of Chard. Unless you eat it, you would never know. I wonder how many people know what potatoes look like? Randomly spaced spuds could work too I reckon.

[grenfell]

Yes spuds seem to look after themselves so i would assume they would be worth having a go with. Good thing is they aren't too expensive to lose either. The only thing i'd wonder about is the amount of digging to lift the crop. It will mean being in the place for a while and there will be an area of disturbed soil both of which could attract attention.

[jansman]

Yes spuds seem to look after themselves so i would assume they would be worth having a go with. Good thing is they aren't too expensive to lose either. The only thing i'd wonder about is the amount of digging to lift the crop. It will mean being in the place for a while and there will be an area of disturbed soil both of which could attract attention.

Do it under cover of darkness, and it would be fine.Mind you… Many years ago, as a newly married man,interest rates at 15.25% and my wife on short time ,me and my mate Gaz,used to lamp the crap out of the land around here.We nailed hundreds of rabbits with our lurchers ( and I had contact to shift them). The farmer,whose land we lamped ,KNEW it was us. He also knew we were digging his spuds!
Before a lamping trip one night,we called into the pub for a swift one, Greig, the farmer stood at the other end of the bar. He had a word to say- “ nick my rabbits ,but please take the the spuds from the edge you thieving bas@@@@@!” We left him two pints of Newcastle Brown behind the bar!

In fairness,I was lamping for foxes one night,and he had a cow ,seriously struggling with labouring a calf one night,and I knocked his door to tell him. When I went to the pub a couple of nights later,there was a pint waiting for me.