Lazaro Morales prefers to water and tend his Echo Park garden at night. Not only is it cooler but there’s less of a chance that he will get hit by car while watering his radishes and green beans. The garden grows only inches away from the street in the steeply sloped median strip that divides Lilac Terrace, leaving Morales, a 48-year-old construction worker, to stand in the street for most of the time while watering and weeding. At night, when there is less traffic, Morales runs a hose from his house across the street to water his crops. Despite the risks of gardening in a median strip, littered with broken beer bottles, Morales’ garden and a neighbor’s adjoining patch – featuring a tiny corn field – seem to be thriving. Some passersby have helped themselves to the curbside crops. That’s okay with Morales, who understands that people need to eat. “It’s not a problem. It’s food.”
Morales’ home has a tiny yard, most of it too shady to grow crops. So, last year, Morales followed the lead of a neighbor who began farming the median strip about three years ago. Morales prefers plants – such as radishes, cilantro and green beans – that grow quickly. The neighbor seems to favor more slower growing foods – such as corn and Swiss Chard – as well as flowers and other non edibles.
The median strip farmers help each other out. Morales shares some of the plant food he buys at Home Depot. The other gardener will come by and sweep the curb near Morales’ radish patch. Both gardeners love to recycle, reusing everything from wall board to police caution tape and old tree stumps.
With little construction work around, Morales spends more time tending to his patch. “I have time for this. It calms me down.”
Earlier this month, Morales planted the second and final crop of the season. A single row of green beans grows down the middle of a narrow field of tiny radish leaves. He invited The Eastsider to return for the harvest. “In two weeks, you will see radishes you can take home with you.”
The Eastsider publishes stories and news from the northeast corner of the City of Los Angeles and neighboring East Los Angeles. Who is the Eastsider? Where does the Eastsider roam? 
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
that is super cool. I wish everyone would do this. nice change of pace from the usual abandoned couches, beds and outdated electronics.
i wonder how long it will take before this practice is shut down because of some ridiculous government reason.
Road corn tastes good like chips! Don’t know what kind of chips you can make from all that other stuff though. I fell into that road corn last week and scraped BOTH elbows. Fell face first off a bike. Whoever puts road corn next to me, thanks! But I kinda wish it was an abandoned couch or an outdated electronic.
Totally awesome. These guys rock. Guerrilla gardening rules.
Whoa! I didn’t even see that! Where are the pictures of guerillas and monkeys? Is he growing bananas too?
It’s nice to see people making use of such “wasted space” ;o)
Good for Larry……….what a heartwarming story. All it takes is for each of us to give a little! It may not change the world, but things look better, taste better and life is more positive and fun. I am growing radishes this year for the first time, and I can tell you those little red things pop up very quickly. A farming inspiration!