An article in the Los Angeles Times tells about new and growing approaches for soil-starved urbanites who want to garden.
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In Southern California, waiting lists are nothing new. Residents are willing to bide their time for schools, for housing, and now for dirt.
Los Angeles County has nearly 3,800 plots in 60 public community gardens, but nearly all have waiting lists. Eight acres in Long Beach accommodate 308 gardeners, but volunteer coordinator Lonnie Brundage says the waiting list has been capped at 85 -- and she still she receives about 30 phone calls a week from residents eager to dig in.
The 50-plot North Hollywood community garden also has a waiting list. Santa Monica's community gardens have 117 plots spread out across three sites, but 175 people are still in line for a spot.
With demand outpacing supply, grass-roots efforts are underway to help apartment dwellers and condo owners who have the will to till, but not the land. Some call it share-cropping, though others prefer terms such as garden swapping or yard sharing. The idea is the same: Would-be gardeners get a place to plant and tend, and homeowners lacking the time or interest to garden themselves can share the fruits of someone else's labor.