As part of our commitment here at Pedestrian Space to explore issues of food and cities, with an interest in diverse community and urban gardening and agricultural activities, we interviewed Łukasz Szydłak who is responsible for the Kraków-based project School of Urban Gardeners in Poland. The following text was developed from the interview responses shared by Łukasz on the initiative.
Diverse forms of urban gardening and agriculture contribute to overall social well-being, support physical health through garden work, and contact with greenery has a beneficial effect on our mental state. It is also a great opportunity to build social bonds, meet neighbours, and take care of shared spaces
-Łukasz Szydłak
The School of Urban Gardeners is a set of gardening workshops for specialists and enthusiasts of urban gardening with a Spring and Summer edition. During the spring edition, residents of Krakow are taught the basic skills related to sowing, planting, and caring for edible plants. The summer edition is dedicated to Krakow’s gardening heritage, the edible landscape, and combining art with edible plants. Classes are conducted by gardening enthusiasts, members of community gardens, and employees of cultural institutions who are part of “Edible Krakow.”
The project started in 2018 with a one-year break. In 2024, the sixth edition of the Urban Gardeners’ School took place. The program aims to expand the theoretical and practical knowledge of city residents about gardening. The first editions were conducted in collaboration with employees of the Agricultural University in Kraków. The program teaches basic gardening concepts such as sowing, caring for plants, providing the right growth conditions, and learning about working in a community garden.
The project was born within the team of Kraków in Green (Kraków w Zieleni), in response to the educational needs of residents observed during city events where people could plant plants. It turned out that many people could not distinguish which seedlings were tomatoes and which were strawberries. Activities such as planting and sowing also required assistance. The Urban Gardeners’ School emerged as a natural continuation of earlier programs by Kraków in Green, such as the ABC of Urban Gardening. Educational materials were created for residents, including Composting, Irrigation, and Gardener’s Calendar.
Since 2023, Łukasz has been responsible for this project as the coordinator of urban gardening projects on behalf of the Municipal Greenery Board, expanding it with a summer version focused on walks through the edible landscape, Kraków’s gardening heritage, and connecting edible plants with art and culture, as well as integrating refugee individuals.
The program incorporates diverse aspects including organic, aquaculture, permaculture, veganic and more. The activities are based on the use of permaculture solutions, and primarily on the natural, organic cultivation of edible plants without the use of chemical agents, pesticides, or artificial fertilizers. One of the workshops was titled Practical Aspects of Permaculture. If refreshments or culinary topics appear during the classes, they strive to ensure they are always plant-based (vegan).
The sites of the program are in very different places in terms of size and specificity. What they have in common is that they are urban spaces: community gardens, areas near cultural institutions like museums, libraries, Family Allotment Gardens, housing estates, urban forests, gardens at educational institutions, etc. Each meeting involves 20 to 25 participants, and we organize about 10 meetings each year.
Vital aspects of the project are that it is mainly educational and social in nature. It also has an aspect of inter-institutional cooperation between city units and cultural institutions. However, it is in no way a commercial activity, and residents’ participation in workshops and walks is free of charge.
Here at Pedestrian Space we also like to inquire about the compost philosophy of different gardens. Łukasz shared that compost is produced in all the community gardens where their activities take place, and during planting sessions, it is also a component of the substrates prepared for sowing and planting compositions. This year, they plan to organize a workshop on proper composting in one of the community gardens and an educational leaflet on how to compost properly was prepared.
The Urban Gardeners’ School is part of the umbrella program Edible Kraków, where they also talk about the non-human residents of the city. They discuss edible plants in the context of animals living in the city, including insects, especially pollinators. Learning about biodiverse plantings of pollen- and nectar-rich plants contributes to practical support for wild pollinators.
This project does not directly address the issues of wildlife and insects. However, by teaching about pesticide-free, herbicide-free, biodiversity-focused urban gardening based on natural plant protection methods, they promote urban spaces that are friendly to wildlife, which is an essential element for the systems in which urban gardening operates.
When asked what is his perception of the practice and availability of community and urban agriculture across the city he noted that “”Kraków still has a significant portion of agricultural land, which currently serves or may serve as a base for the development of urban gardening and agriculture, an essential support for ensuring the city’s food security.” In July, they joined the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. There are 25 community gardens in the city, with more being established, where residents can join in. In the Garden with Class program of the Municipal Greenery Board, preschool and school gardens are being established, and soon, a parcel garden will be created, combining the best features of Family Allotment Gardens and Community Gardens. A commercial urban farm is also operating in the city. Every year, these activities grow and emphasize the importance of such efforts in the city.
When asked about the challenges for the development and provision of community and urban agriculture across the city Łukasz noted that “The main challenge is the protection of land where urban gardening and agriculture can develop. In large cities with increasing populations, the pressure from developers on formerly agricultural land is immense. Cities also need to address pollution issues to ensure that growing healthy food in these areas is safe, which will also positively impact the health of the people living there.”
We also asked Łukasz how important he views diverse forms of community agriculture (including home gardens, school gardens, community gardens, etc.) for the resilience and health of a community on a scale of 1-5 (1 lowest, 5 highest). He responded “”Of course, 5! Diverse forms of urban gardening and agriculture contribute to overall social well-being, support physical health through garden work, and contact with greenery has a beneficial effect on our mental state. It is also a great opportunity to build social bonds, meet neighbours, and take care of shared spaces. Often, people who start their adventure in community gardens join city units, district councils, feeling the need to be proactive and responsible for their surroundings.”
For more information on the School of Urban Gardeners in Kraków, visit www.zzm.krakow.pl and email biuro@krakowwzieleni.pl.
Explore more about food and cities at Pedestrian Space: https://pedestrianspace.org/category/urban-community-agriculture/