Santa Monica resident Lucia Burke and Mar Vista resident Julie Strnad [sic] will offer gardening classes at Santa Monica High School on four consecutive Saturdays starting Sept. 29.
The classes will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, Oct. 6, Oct. 13, and Oct. 20.
Fees are $15 for a single class or $55 for all four. Students completing all four weeks will become UC certified Victory Gardeners.
It is part of the UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) program where Los Angeles County Master Gardener Volunteers are offering low-cost, four-week basic gardening series across LA County as part of the “Grow LA Victory Gardens” Initiative.
Empowering people to “grow their own” is one of the missions of the UCCE Master Gardeners.
Starting a garden can be daunting, so Master Gardeners will teach the basics needed for anyone wanting to grow their own vegetables and herbs, whether in a backyard, a community garden or containers on a balcony or patio.
Topics include soil, composting, what to grow and when, seed starting, transplanting, container gardening, pest management, harvesting, food storage and more.
In addition to helping residents eat healthier and lower their grocery bills, the Victory Garden Initiative aims to help neighbors and friends create garden circles.
“We hope these Victory Garden Circles will continue informally beyond the trainings so participants can continue to share their new skills and produce surplus with their neighbors, local restaurants, local food banks and soup kitchens,” said Yvonne Savio, Common Ground Garden program manager.
Those who wish to register or get more information should email Lucia Burke at lucia.burke@verizon.net or call 310.922.0644. Space is limited and advance registration is requested.
The initiative brings together local gardening enthusiasts, UCCE/LA County Master Gardeners, and many local partners. For general information on the initiative, please contact Yvonne Savio, Common Ground Garden program manager, at 323.260.3407 or ydsavio@ucdavis.edu. Initiative sites around the county can be viewed at http://tiny.cc/m4ctjw.
