At the Pflanzstelle, Neuerburgstr. 19 51103 Köln
17:00-19:30
The Bodenlabor is awake after a long hibernation and full of plans for this season. A new box of compost worms and a Bokashi compost system are already hard at work!
On May 26th (during the weekly open garden hours of the Pflanzstelle), we will aerate the soil and mix in compost and mulch to prepare the soil for a cover crop. Please bring gloves, water, and sunscreen.
You have a car and time at 16:00 on the 26th? Then you can help us by transporting two broadforks from Südstadt to Kalk. Write us at lucy@bodenlabor-kalk.de if you can help with the transportation.
Based in our neighborhood Köln-Kalk in the Pflanzstelle, a community garden, on the site of a former factory.
The Bodenlabor [Soil Lab] Kalk provides a space for Kalk residents to heal a small plot of land, starting from the basis of the ecosystem: the soil. Free workshops, talks, and work days guide us in this process.
Interested? Follow the Bodenlabor Kalk on Instagram and join the WhatsApp Group for updates.
Come dig with us! Together with fungi, microbes, and plants, we will work every week to help the soil thrive. Bring gardening gloves if you have them. If you want to come, please join the WhatsApp Group to check in about our plans.
Upcoming meetings:
→ Monday 26.05.25 (Spring Soil Work Day)
Location: at the Pflanzstelle, Neuerburgstr. 19 51103 Köln-Kalk
In the Pflanzstelle, Neuerburgstr. 19 51103 Köln
Free
Who decides what’s in the soil under our neighborhood? Who has to live with the toxicity? And how do we take care of it?
This summer and fall, the Bodenlabor Kalk invites Cologne residents of all ages–especially residents of Kalk–to learn about the soil under our feet in Kalk from the perspectives of gardeners, scientists, and artists. We’ll get our hands dirty and engage closely with the soil using all our senses. All workshops are free and open to the public. Please register for the workshops you are planning to attend in advance.
S(p)oiled Art - A Poetry and Material Crafting Workshop → October 26, 12pm
Led by Tanya Gautam and Carmen Armenteros Puchades English language, Spanish also possible Organoleptic Soil Journey→ September 21 , 1pm
For ages 11 and up
Led by Diego GardonGerman language, Spanish also possible
Shedding Skins→ September 18, 5:30pm
For ages 12 and up
Led by Maiella Di Donato and Andrea Righetto
German and/or English depending on participants
Hot Composting→ August 24, 10am
For ages 11 and up
Led by Omer LeviGerman or English depending on participants
Discover the World of Soil Organisms!→ August 17, 2pm
For adults and children ages 5 and up with supervision
Led by Anna Kolossova and Omer LeviGerman language, English also possible
The Bodenlabor Kalk is an open, collaborative living lab bringing together residents of Köln-Kalk to care for neglected soil at a former factory and learn about soil ecosystems.
Through public weekly work days, work parties, and a series of workshops led by soil experts, we will rehabilitate a plot of contaminated soil in the neighborhood, learn about soil together, and build community.
The Bodenlabor Kalk is being implemented as a part of a master’s thesis in Integrated Design Research at the KISD @ TH Köln.