Published on September 5th, 2011 | by Sonya Kanelstrand

How to Make a Plant Bomb and Green Your Town

I had seen yarn bombs long before I heard how they were called. Colorful patches of knitted or crocheted yarn popping like mushrooms around town assure me that there are creative and positive people who transform their favorite hobby into a public urban display of love, warmth and care.

Inspired by this year’s Yarn Bomb Day, celebrated officially for the first time, the husband and wife duo – Derek Powazek and Heather Powazek Champ – brought yarn bombing to another level. Combining their passions they came up with Plant Bombing – an activity quite similar to yet another act of green kindness – Seedbombing. Let’s learn how to make a plant bomb to green your world!

Bomb the town with color and evergreens

Busy cities can get pretty bleak and boring, so the couple’s idea of cozying up and adding some greenery seems to me a very positive one. Heather knits the colorful small pockets with acrylic yarn which is unlikely to rot, and Derek fills them with soil and plants that can withstand tough weather conditions and can thrive in neglect.

In Derek Powazek’s own words:

“The acrylic thread should pick up water from rain and fog, but there’s so little soil in them, I’m not worried about rot. And these particular plants are happy to grow in shallow containers, and fine to go for long periods of drought.

If people leave them alone, they could grow for quite a while just fine. I hope they bring a smile to the face of anyone who encounters them.”

Make your own plant bomb

Now, Heather and Derek have started distributing the plant pockets around San Francisco and they encourage everyone to take part in making their own towns a bit greener and brighter. Hopefully then we will see more smiling faces around. If you want to participate, you can find the instructions to making a Plant Bomb here.

[CC images by: Derek Powazek]

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Tags: city life, crafts, Green, knitting, plant bombing, yarn bombing

About the Author

Sonya Kanelstrand Sonya is a photographer and a creative artist sharing her Scandinavian experiences. Her blog Kanelstrand Organic Living has become the meeting point of a vibrant green community of eco-conscious artists and crafters from around the world. Sonya believes that people and nature can co-exist together in a healthy and inspiring union without harming each other. She implements the knowledge gained from studying Philology and Pedagogy in her approach to sustainable and eco-friendly living.