A free workshop on gardening basics will be held on Saturday, February 11 at 11 a.m. at the corner of Pace Avenue and 98th Street. All are welcome.
Gardening enthusiasts looking to gain some gardening skills are invited to a workshop on Saturday, February 11 that will lay out the basics of planting and cultivating.
The free workshop, set to take place at the corner of Pace Avenue and 98th Street, is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. While it is open to all, the course is targeted to residents of the Florence-Firestone community, in order to prepare them to take advantage of available plots in the area's community garden.
Karly Katona, the deputy for sustainability in Second District L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas' office, which is cosponsoring the event, said there's a still a need for residents who are interested in participating in the cultivation of the community garden to refine skill sets. "The idea on Saturday is to do a technical training session for beginner gardeners that might be intimidated in getting started," she said. Katona emphasized the importance that community participation in the garden happens across the board.
"Essentially we want to make sure that every level of resident, whether they're an expert gardener or have never planted anything, has the opportunity to access local community gardens," she said. "This creates an equal playing field for all residents to take advantage of this resource." Topics will include what to plant when, natural soil enhancement tips and companion plants.
Katona called the garden and, more broadly speaking, the teaching of gardening skills to resident, an "investment [in] civic leadership."
"These events are important and useful on a variety of fronts," she said. "Not only does it create a sense of accessibility in terms of empowering residents to better understand the health impacts and benefits of growing their own food, but in creating events that brings residents together, it further enhances civic identity and relationships among neighborhoods. So it creates a tremendous social benefit as well."
The Los Angeles Community Garden Council is the event's other co-sponsor.
Photo by Hamburger Helper via Flickr Creative Commons.
