#seedbombing

[dipperdesperado]

guerrilla gardening is very cool

I’m really stoked to talk about praxis and solarpunk today. Hopefully, you all know what solarpunk is. I imagine fewer of you know what praxis is. Essentially, praxis is a term, used a lot by leftists, to talk about doing stuff. It’s a practice or activity, informed by theoretical and experiential knowledge. In our goal to create an ecological society informed by appropriate technology, we should think not only about the massive upheavals but the things that we can do right now. That’s where guerrilla gardening comes in.

Gardening in general is activism, but guerrilla gardening is like, super solarpunk. The rundown is essentially when you and/or a group of homies take some love-starved land and turn it into a garden (or just plant stuff there) without permission from the owner of said land. That lack of permission is what makes it guerrilla. This can lead to a better community, and supports abolition (of private property), autonomy, and collective resiliency. Ideally, you can get public support behind ya, and be able to work with the municipality to not get in trouble. The classic asking for forgiveness than permission, until you’re the one that can decide.

Where to Start: X Marks the Spot

When you (and your small-but mighty collective/affinity group) decide that you want to set up a guerrilla garden, the first thing you want to do is find a good spot. It can be that little line of grass that split up two sides of the road, a sidewalk bed, or an empty lot. You want to make sure there’s good sunlight and decent soil. If the soil ain’t good, but you wanna do stuff there, I’d recommend researching how to rehabilitate it. Obviously, that’s more work, though.

Once you have your target spot, you’ll need your tools and plants. Some basic things will be gloves, a trowel, a water source (like a can or hose), and plants/seeds. Some nice-to-haves could be mulch, compost, or soil amendments. It depends on what you’re planting and what your conditions are to know what you’ll need to bring. If you’re in a high visibility area, it could be nice to have some clothing that makes sure you don’t look suspect. That’s probably a good general rule of thumb. Act like you deserve to be in the space because you do! If you look suspect, people will think as much.

Prepping the Garden

Once you have everything you need, you’ll need to get the garden site ready. If you need to clear it out, whether there’s vegetation you’re not interested in, trash, debris, etc., do that. Ideally, you can also improve the soil quality with stuff like compost and organic stuff if you need to.

Time for Plants!

Here’s where the real fun begins. Get some plants going! You want the ones you pick to be a good fit for the target climate and soil. Even better if some of them are edible. When you’re planting, be sure to space the plants out and water them pretty well. If you're planting seeds, be patient! It can take a few weeks for the plants to sprout.

Garden Tending

Now that you have a garden going, it’s time to keep it up. You want to water them regularly and watch out for any invasives or weeds that could crowd out your plants. You might also have to add additional amendments to the soil, to keep the plants happy. Try to make sure to think about and account for issues in the garden. Whether that’s nonhuman neighbors or mean vandals, you want to try to think of ways to uphold the values of the project while protecting its continued existence.

Permablitzing

I also want to touch on some more specific types of guerrilla gardening. Firstly, let’s talk about permablitzing.

Permablitizing is a portmanteau between permaculture and blitzing. Permaculture is a type of gardening and farming that aspires to copy natural ecosystems to create harmonious gardens that are self-sustaining. It generally will include a mix of native, edible, and wildlife-attracting plants. Permablitzing is taking that permaculture idea and rallying the community to create a permaculture garden in a single day.

It looks a little something like this: volunteers collectively design and install the garden. They put in garden beds, plant trees, and shrubs, and install irrigation. There might also be compost systems, raised beds, or accessible walkways through the garden. Permablitzing is great because it’s relatively quick, it’s tangible and immediately garners buy-in. It’s more about finding the space to do this and finding people who are willing to participate.

Seedbombing

If you’re not able to work with a group, or you just want to be able to very quickly deposit new plants in places, you can seedbomb!

Seedbombs are small packages of seeds wrapped in soil that can be thrown or dropped onto the ground. This kinda stuff is great for rewinding and restoring neglected or degraded areas. Just make sure you do research! You don’t wanna introduce invasive or incompatible plants.

The basic seedbomb recipe is:

Soil

Clay or compost

Seeds

You mix them together, roll them into small balls, then let them dry. You can just toss them into your target areas. Seedbombing is great because it’s fun and creative while being a great way to un-neglect neglected areas. You can also do it alone or with the homies. It’s a very flexible guerrilla option.

Final thoughts

One of the most important things to think about when trying to enact social change is aligning your ends (the liberatory future you envision) with your means (the things you do to get to that vision). Guerrilla gardening is great to this end as a form of praxis because it allows for this to be realized in the here and now. It helps us realize that we don’t have to wait until people let us do what we think is right. If you see an issue, you can respond to it. Also, gardening is fun, gets you outside, and allows you to be more connected with the earth, which is just so so so good for you. Be smart, keep each other safe, and good luck with your gardening!

#guerilla gardening #guerrilla gardening #seedbombing #permaculture #permablitzing #solarpunk #solarpunks #social ecology #social revolution

[justalittlesolarpunk]

Solarpunk Sunday Suggestion:

Go seedbombing

#solarpunk #hopepunk #environmentalism #cottagepunk #social justice #optimism #climate justice #bright future #community #tidalpunk #solarpunksundays #seedbombing #guerrilla gardening

[solarpunkani]

Hey guys quick question to the guerrilla gardeners of Tumblr

Have you guys made seed bombs? Do they work?

I’ve seen plenty of seed bomb recipes online but never success stories afterwards, and I’ve had people tell me in their experience the process of making the bombs was too wet and the seeds germinated too early, or that you have to scratch up the soil first before placing the bomb, and at that point it feels kinda… why not just plant seeds the regular way?

I’m not necessarily saying seed bombs are dumb, I’m just curious about their success rate short and long term. If anyone has any knowledge or advice on this, it’d be greatly appreciated!

#out of queue #guerrilla gardening #guerilla gardening #seed bombs #seedbombs #solarpunk #one of my grad school classmates was asking about seedbombs and i gave her recipes #but then I started thinking about it and. idk #i know the nature of a seed bomb is that you don’t really need to go back and tend it since theyre used to plant in places you can’t reach #but like. some of the things I’ve heard from online homies about it makes it feel like you kinda have to prep the site first

[2hoothoots]

been thinking about the practical applications of herbaphony. you can't always rely on there being plant life around if you get in a fight, so FSAU Lili carries a bunch of specially-grown seed packets around with her! we've seen some of the weird shapes psychically-influenced plants can grow into, so i wanted to explore a few of the different varieties she'd cook up in her greenhouse

#future superstar agents au #this was 100% inspired by otto's future au askblog where lili carries a vine around with her for combat #because a) that's sick as hell b) i think the worldbuilding implications of having herbaphony as your main power are really interesting #and also cool giant psychic plants. #she also uses this for evil purposes like seedbombing a neighbor's house she hates with kudzu #fsau lili #yes i know there are technically mushrooms in here and mushrooms aren't technically plants #it's a cool visual don't @ me

[solarpunks]

Autonomous Self-Burying Seed Carriers for Aerial Seeding

Aerial seeding can quickly cover large and physically inaccessible areas to improve soil quality and scavenge residual nitrogen in agriculture, and for post fire reforestation and wildland restoration. However, it suffers from low germination rates, due to the direct exposure of unburied seeds to harsh sunlight, wind and granivorous birds, as well as undesirable air humidity and temperature. 

Here, inspired by Erodium seeds we design and fabricate self-drilling seed carriers, turning wood veneer into highly stiff (about 4.9 GPa when dry, and about 1.3 GPa when wet) and hygromorphic bending or coiling actuators with an extremely large bending curvature (1,854 m−1), 45 times larger than the values in the literature

Read more here or here from Nature

#biomimicry #seed bomb #seedbomb #seeds #seedlings #restoration #seed carriers #design #engineering #solarpunk

[transgrovyle]

grass type pokemon aren’t the only ones who can use seed bombs to our advantage, you can make some too! work smart for a bright future!

#make sure to research the native plants of your area before seedbombing #have an excellent day everyone <3 #environmentalism #pokemon mystery dungeon

[unclarifiedrambling]

Seedbombing? I think you mean coordinated cumshots.

#seedbombing is a planting technique

[henchwiz-gremlin]

*scuttles around town picking up parts of road and wall and replacing with dirt and native plant seeds before clambering away and lying in wait for evil deeds to occur*

#the evil deeds are reviving native wildlife and spreading the joy of seeing a happy plant #and seeing butterflies and bees and birds enjoying the flowers #the gremlin version of seedbombing #it is only mostly illegal #wizardposting #wizard posting

[urbansoulfarmer]

Signs of a seed ball sprouting after the monsoon.

#urbansoulfarmer #desert permaculture #seedbombs #seedballs #mojavedesert #joshua tree

[bluk-berry-jam]

hi, do you need a large supply of Flabebe :)

-🌰

in fact, i do!

i have five Flabebe atm. how about you? we could combine forces >:]

#flabebe seedbombing #flabebe #rotomblr sleepover activites #pokemon rp #rotomblr #unreality #pokemon irl #pokeblogging #pokeblr #rotumblr

[harrybushelldesignblog]

Week 6 DES302 Capstone

The first term of my capstone project is done! 6 weeks in, and I'm pretty happy with my progress so far. I’ve stuck pretty closely to my Gantt chart plan, although my scope has decreased slightly with removing the ball concept and development. Instead, I’ve focused more on creating multiple stud prototypes that offer different ideas for the same outcome (habitat regeneration). I spent most of this week gathering materials and creating prototypes, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was able to work alongside the FabLab technicians to create a scaled-up 3D model of my mechanical stud concept, as well as discuss and create clay-based seed bomb studs through advice from the head of the UoA pottery department. Going into the mid-semester break, I’m confident with what I’m creating and hope these two weeks can be used productively for testing and further prototyping.

Once again, I’ve asked CARL to help me write this reflection, he’s really becoming a valuable friend to have around. Starting with the context stage, this week was a key milestone in my capstone project plan, focusing on gathering materials, prototyping, and testing. Along with this, I planned to research permit permissions around using green urban spaces in Auckland. I wanted to create multiple physical prototypes that allowed me to get a proper feel for my ideas and also test them in hand. 

To make this context a reality, I spent a lot of time researching production methods, crafting, driving, and spending (yuck). I developed physical prototypes for both of my stud ideas, with the mechanical twist-stud concept being scaled up three times and 3D printed in the FabLab. I scaled the mechanical model up because it allowed me to better see any flaws in my design, as well as reduced the risk of structural instability from 3D printing something so small. The 3D model was created using white PLA and breakaway through a .8 nozel with a triangular print pattern. These settings were chosen due to the increased printing speed and availability of material. The .8 nozel allows more material to be applied, thus decreasing the printing time, while also increasing the strength of the print. The triangular print pattern was chosen for the same reasons. These settings were then applied in a program called Cura and were transferred to the UltiMaker printers in the FabLab through a .3mf file. Cura was a fantastic tool for this, it provides a view of what your print will look like within the printer, how each layer will be printed, what materials will be used, etc. The natural seedbomb stud idea was created from a combination of bee pollinator seed mix, 100% green waste compost, and air-dry clay after a discussion with Steve from the FabLab and Franca from Pottery. The bee pollinator seed mix was used due to its wide variety of supplied seeds, which are all non-invasive, benefit my target demographic, and require minimal care to grow. 100% green waste compost was used to reduce any risks with handling, as compost that also incorporates organic waste can be dangerous to touch. Air-dry clay was used due to its natural malleability and neutrality with my chosen seeds and compost. To make these seedbomb studs, the first thing I did was create a mold of a pre-existing football stud. I created this mold from a mixture of flour, water and salt, which formed a dough that I imprinted the stud into before baking. This allowed me to create a mold with materials I already owned and was a fast and cheap solution that was also highly effective when it came to creating my seedbomb studs.  

This resulted in Week 6 being a lot of fun, extremely valuable and productive. I really enjoyed being in the FabLab heaps and spending hours touching up and testing my 3D model. I also found molding the seedbomb studs to be quite therapeutic. Having physical prototypes to iterate and test over the holidays is something I set out to achieve from day one when I created my Gantt chart, and to have this done is a massive weight off my shoulders. Furthermore, the results of my prototypes have been really positive. They work as I intend them to, and with some fine-tuning, I think I’ll have fully functional high-fidelity prototypes done sooner rather than later.     

On the learning side this week, I found being able to hold and play with my prototypes taught me a lot, both about the values of prototyping and what iterations were needed for my project to progress. Along with this, I continued to learn the benefits of an achievable plan and sticking to said plan, alongside the gratification and achievement one feels from this. On the practical side, I learnt how to deal with clay, how this can be used alongside molds, how to import files into Cura and export them for 3D printing, what the settings within Cura do, and the painstaking process of land permits in Auckland. Overall, I’m pretty happy with how Week 6 went, and the only thing that’s upsetting me with this assignment is that half of the allocated project time is up!

Here are some photos of my prototyping process and my prototypes :)

#prototype #design #seeds #3D modelling #Cura #Seedbombs #clay #materials #testing #molds #prototypes #prototyping

[reasonsforhope]

Hey, if you're ever feeling awful because you're super overwhelmed by the news, too overwhelmed to do anything, but you feel like you can't stop without being a horrible person who's just sticking their head in the sand...

Try thinking of it this way:

Maybe the moral thing to do actually IS to never look at the news...

so that you have the energy and will and lack of huge, petrifying fear needed to help

We've seen over and over again, especially in the climate movement, how often it's small, local efforts at making a difference that really start to change things

There's no moral value to being burned out and depressed.

Yes, knowing what's going on in your state/country/the world is good if it's something you can actually sustain

But if you have to choose between following the news/doomscrolling/etc. and actually having the energy to help?

I think that in the vast majority of situations, morally, you SHOULD choose to do something to help

Showing up to your city council meetings, or cleaning up trash in your neighborhood, or volunteering at a food pantry, or registering people to vote, or joining the underground abortion pill network, or doing a fundraiser for bipoc-led nonprofits, or mailing books to people in prison, or seedbombing native grasses, or phone-banking for a nonprofit you care about, or building benches and leaving them at bus stops, or knitting hats and giving them to unhoused people to stay warm, or starting a community garden, or sponsoring refugees for immigration, or taking a stand at school board meetings, or, or, or

all do infinitely more to help other people than doomscrolling and sharing depressing news posts ever will

#not news #me #hope #hopeposting #hope posting #activism #doomscrolling

[solarpunkani]

One of my grad school classmates: Paging pollinator expert Ani, have you ever used seed bombs?

Me: *kicks down door, casting a shadow upon the group chat* prepare for a ramble of epic proportions.

#out of queue #ani rambles #ive never used seedbombs and i did tell her that #but i proceeded to share with her several recipes + seed resources + advice on when to plant certain things #basically shes got some land but part of its leased to a gas company and they mow twice a year #and they mowed just recently and there's some bare patches and she's like #'what if there were flowers though'

[headspace-hotel]

Do yk of any annoying plants (annoying for an hoa, sterile city planner, in the oh God we've sprayed pesticides on it four times how does it keep growing) I could put into a seed bomb? I know mint can be annoying in a garden but im not sure if its the best thing for the ecosystem. Idk if this is a strange question. I've been researching a bit and ik you're kinda a plant fella on here so I thought I'd ask anyways (south coastal USA, near gulf of Mexico)

Alright so here's the thing:

Seedbombing an area that is heavily maintained and treated with pesticides and herbicides: ranges from pointless to potentially harmful. The toughest plants nature has to offer are the first to show up in disturbed areas, and they don't need human help to get around.

At best, you're not really doing anything, at worst, you're leading to more pesticides and herbicides getting sprayed than before.

Seedbombing an area that might see occasional maintenance but is mostly neglected and ignored: GOOD. GREAT. What you're doing basically is re-introducing extirpated species, which can have a cascade effect on the rest of the surroundings.

Places like this might include the side of a drainage ditch, a roadside, a little empty lot set aside for stormwater drainage, just those forgotten little areas that get weedy.

You have a ton of biodiversity on the coast that isn't present here, so this will be your own quest mostly, but here's some guidelines for what you're looking for:

Native species (please do not spread invasives, and the benefits of non-natives generally are limited)

Suited to the site you want to try seed bombing (wet and soggy areas host plants suited to wetlands, drier areas have different inhabitants)

Herbaceous plants (nothing that could interfere with underground wires or pipes, so no trees or shrubs sorry)

Vigorous self-seeder that spreads by wind (because you want it to spread)

Germinates and blooms the same year (so it can reach the point of producing seeds)

A lot of plants that fit the above criteria will be annuals.

Spring or early summer blooming plants are a good idea, simply because they are more likely to survive to reseed and to be noticed by people who might think they're pretty and want to preserve them.

There are many species of milkweed. Find a few that are native to your area and mix them in. This is because they will attract monarchs, the general public is at least marginally aware of monarchs as endangered, and thus milkweeds will have a protective effect on everything else on the site.

Include a large variety of seeds. Biodiversity, and also higher success rate.

Good luck in your endeavors.

#gardening #native plant gardening

[justalittlesolarpunk]

hi! i have been experiencing The Horrors lately (just general hopelessness about the state of the world and especially in regards to climate change) and i am just wondering - do you have any advice for incorporating climate action into one’s everyday life? i need to do something about this but the problem feels so big that i feel like i can’t, like i am drowning in it and i need to learn to swim

Hi my love, sorry it took me a while to respond, I’ve been quite tired!

So first off, the Horrors are reasonable, it’s a very sensible human response to the state of things around you and shows you have empathy and that you care. I say this because it’s all too easy to shame yourself for despair, but it’s natural that we fall into it sometimes.

In terms of doing climate action a little every day, there’s so much you can get your teeth into. For starters, there are personal choices, like giving up flying or meat and dairy if you can. Sure, these don’t add up to much, but they can really change how you feel and working with a smaller burden of guilt can be life-changing. Similarly making choices like switching your electricity and heating and getting an electric car (or even better, taking the train, bus, tram, your feet or a bus) can help you get into a more positive mindset as you feel like you are ‘doing your part’. Check if you have any savings or pensions invested in fossil fuels and switch them over. Even buying from zero waste shops can help shift your mood, even if it’s too small to shift the whole economy.

Once you’ve got all these little changes out of the way, it’s time to think systemic. Most places will have a local activist group you can join, which usually only involves a commitment to weekly meetings - can you attend XR, A22, Greenpeace or Friends of The Earth gatherings in your neighbourhood? These will usually allow you to start attending protests and keying into wider campaign networks.

Something else you can do is bring the subject up with people in your life, to contribute to a wider cultural shift where climate conversations are normalised, and you can agitate for changes at your job or university/school that will bring the institution’s emissions down.

Try to consume a more balanced media diet, seeking out what is going right in the world as well as what is going wrong. Sites like Positive News and the Good News Network are helpful for this. Supernova is a purely positive social media app if you’re looking for a more uplifting scrolling experience.

But much more important is to get outside and to make real-life community. If there’s a conservation or gardening volunteer group in your area I’d highly recommend getting involved with it - nothing has helped me as much as getting my hands in the dirt, doing meaningful work to grow food to feed my neighbours. A lot of our climate anxiety stems from fear that we won’t be able to feed ourselves or that natural beauty will vanish, so connecting with crops or landscapes is a great way to soothe some of that. Building relationships with neighbours or affinity groups (such as LGBT, POC or disabled organisations) can help you feel part of a more resilient network of people who can help each other out in a crisis. Plus if you get to plant trees regularly I guarantee that will help you feel like you’re contributing.

Solarpunk content is great for improving your outlook too - whether it’s optimistic sci-fi, utopian cityscapes or anarchist politics, it all uplifts you and reminds you of what’s possible. Check out people’s stories of what they’re doing to make the world a little better to remind yourself you’re not in it alone.

If you can afford to, a regular donation to groups working to reforest, re-wet peatland, re-seed mangroves or combat soil erosion is a pretty tangible way to fight the climate crisis. Be sure to do all the obvious stuff like voting and engaging with other political pathways too.

A fun weekend’s activity could be seedbombing with friends or building a bee house - there’s lots you can do that’s crafty or creative that also helps your local environment, even if it’s just growing food or pollinator friendly plants on your windowsill or letting your lawn rewild itself. Taking an attitude of grateful, affectionate kinship with all the plants and animals around you will aid in building a sense of connection with the ecosystem and reminding you that you’re part of a grand, resilient web of life.

Put together the emergency kit I detail in an earlier post, so you feel prepared for facing extreme weather and taking part in mutual aid. Teach yourself to forage or at the very least recognise the common plants in your area. This counteracts species blindness and makes you more considerate of the non-human.

You could even consider altering your career path, if you’re an adult, and re-training to work in the climate movement, though this will not be accessible for everyone. If you’re a younger person you could look into pursuing an educational path that will allow you to join the green sector.

If you can get some, therapy with an eco-informed professional can be hugely beneficial for channeling your very reasonable feelings of terror into meaningful action that benefits you and the planet, though admittedly there’s only so much individualised therapy can do for such a huge problem - perhaps there’s a support group you can go to?

And finally, make sure you take some time every day, preferably an hour if you can spare it, but certainly at least fifteen minutes, to do something you really love, that brings you genuine joy, and has nothing to do with the climate crisis. You can’t pour from an empty cup and you can’t put out fires if you’re burnt out. Rest, regeneration and self-care are prerequisites for sustainable movement building and you deserve to have moments of unalloyed happiness. You are categorically NOT in this alone, you are part of a huge, ever-growing moment full of people who are working towards the same goal even though most of you will never meet. And so while we need you now more than ever, there’s also enough of us that you can take a few minutes to feel better and it won’t cost us the fight. As an older activist said to me recently, even when we sleep our comrades across the world are waking up ready to face the day’s struggle.

Ultimately, a lot of these are just things that have worked for me, and they won’t all be accessible or appropriate to you. Some of them are more about changing your viewpoint than radically altering the status quo around the climate. But I know I fight better when I feel optimistic and well in myself, so these are my suggestions. I hope some of them help, and I want to commend your strength and bravery in reaching out for advice and connection, because that’s how we keep fighting, and that’s how we win.

The Horrors are real, but so are the Wonders. And one of those Wonders is you.

#solarpunk #hopepunk #environmentalism #social justice #cottagepunk #community #optimism #bright future #climate justice #positivity #looking forward #keeping on #activism #sustainability #the wonders

[pocketramblr]

AFO as Izuku's cranky old neighbor who keeps screaming at kids to get off his lawn! (Izuku has been stealing the good apples from his apple tree since he is old enough to run.) (Izuku has been egging his house every year at Halloween.) (During an entire year, Izuku woke up at 5 AM just to steal AFO's newspaper.)

so to explain the 'how' or 'why' of this- AfO got hit with a quirk that basically won't let him attack people than they do to him. so he can't kill anyone who wasn't going for him, for example. but, this means he can't be kept in tartarus- solitary confinement in a straightjacket with guns pointed at you 24/7 indefinitely until a maybe trial in a pit of other human rights violations means he'd be able to use force to get out and would do so immediately. (the commission might know this the hard way.) So instead, he's under house arrest- a very nice house provided, meal deliveries from a menu he has large control over, even a phone- after all, he can't order any of his minions to kill anyone unless said anyone was actively making the first move.

But izuku.... look, he's smart. he knows quirks. he figures out whats going on, and how even with the effect of the quirks, afo is still making people miserable. so he decides to... intervene a little. make him stop yelling at the little kids tempted by the apple trees... by stealing all the apples off the trees first, and giving them to the kids around the block so none have to go near the house. egging the house on halloween. stealing his newspaper. constantly seedbombing the yard so afo's garden is going wild (afo has to be in control of something, and he's very upset he can't just order his yard to look how he wants. he'd get a quirk for that but he can't leave the property unless attacked or summoned, and he can't tell a minion to attack him as a loophole because that doesn't count. (he also knows this the hard way.)) So AfO is miserable, but the rest of the neighborhood honestly find it more bearable, and izuku's glad to be doing good.

#all might hears what izuku's been doing for years and offers him ofa on the spot #gentrychild #pocket talks to people