How to grow stuff to plant in the streets? :D

People often ask me how I find the trees I plant in the streets. Really, there are lots of sources, but the easiest and most fun way to find a tree is to grow it at home! If you have children, they will love playing with the soil, watering the pot, and they will marvel at the seed growing into a small tree that gets bigger every day! Kids will love it even more if you get the seed from fruits you eat together!

Fruits easy to find now: lamyai, tamarind...

Now, if you want to keep your tree longer, or transplant it to the streets, other containers might be more appropriate, such as plastic bottles, coffee cups with a cap, milk boxes, plastic bags...

The idea is to be able to remove the tree from the container without damaging the roots.

I also like the idea to reuse something we otherwise just use once and throw to the trash. When we reuse it, we give it a second life, a second purpose.

Plastic dinosaos will do to! :D

Plastic bottles, coffee cups & empty coconuts

Bigger bottles are better. Keep the cap on top, to keep moisture in

easy ! :D

It's good to have something to keep water under your pot, especially if you grow on a balcony or a window sill. Growing conditions on balconies are very difficult: strong sun or full shade, walls that keep the heat, wind that dries everything and can make your tree fall (tie it up well!)...

If you have a plate, or a cup, or a plastic sheet under you pot, the soil will keep moist longer, and your tree has more chances to survive. Plus, you don't have to water everyday, you can relax and check only once every few days! :D

For highly motivated tree planters: how to set a Guerrilla Planting Nursery! :D

By definition, if it's guerrilla, you don't ask for permission, you just do it!

If you have a house, you're lucky! Just find a spot near water faucet, 50% shade. Here is a picture from P'Jude nursery, very simple & efficient setup!

P'Jude planted hundreds of trees in Bangkok, his nursery works super fine! :D

If like most of us you live in a condo, things get a bit more fun!

I've never had problems with the management, and i don't think you will, provided you keep a few things when you choose the right spot in your condo. Choose a spot where:

. trees do not bother anyone (don't take a parking space)
. water won't damage anything when you water the trees

Now, to give your trees the best chances to grow, choose a spot that:
. is not all the time in direct sunlight . is close to water source (be lazy!)
. upstairs parking lots! if there is some light coming in, it will make a great nursery! On upper floors, the parking might not have reached full capacity and there could be lots of space to install a guerrilla nursery! You most likely will meet resistance from the management, so if they bother you after you set up the place, try to negotiate staying just a few weeks (don't be specific, you need 3 months minimum), and you might get a reluctant acceptance.
That's all you need, party time! :D

If you're not sure you found the right spot, my way to proceed is to start somewhere, not far from the condo security guards. When they see you set the place up, they will come to talk, and if they don't like the spot you chose, they will advice you another one. Most people are kind, give them a chance to help you, you will be surprised! ;)

It will not work everywhere of course, especially the new condos with extreme and stupid security rules. Still worth trying it, isn't it!?!

Here are a few pictures from the nursery I set up in my condo a few years ago. Total budget less than 500 bahts, including everything: soil, bamboos...