Fig ‘Black Jack’
Delicious black-skinned, ruby-throated fig, juicy with sweet flavor. Tree is a genetic dwarf, which means it is easily kept under 6-8 feet, and will never grow too big for your city garden. The Black Jack fig performs wonderfully here in…
Collards ‘L.A. Green Glaze’
Kale grabs the media spotlight, but did you know that collards are botanically the same plant? And they are heat-tolerant and crazy-easy to grow? When I started growing homegrown collards, it was like I had discovered a new vegetable. Homegrown…
Make L.A. a GMO-Free Zone
The campaign to make L.A. a GMO-free Zone is getting lively again! Last October, Councilmembers Koretz and O’Farrell introduced a Motion to Los Angeles City Council. The motion would make the City of Los Angeles a 502sq mile GMO-Free Zone with regards…
Cut-and-come-again harvesting
Cut and what? Cut-and-come-again harvesting is the name for the technique we use at the Community Garden at Holy Nativity for harvesting all of our leafy greens. Chard, kale, collards, all are handled this way. Think of the little girl’s…
Evening Primrose ‘Ballona Creek’
You can take part in helping to preserve a very local strain of this California wildflower. It has quite an amazing story: It was the year 2000, and I was driving along Lincoln Blvd near Jefferson and LMU when I…
Amaranth ‘Westchester Red’
Amaranth is the star of our late summer gardens. Its dramatic burgundy spires are eye-catching, and never fail to have passers-by asking “what is that!?” It doesn’t mind the peak intensity of SoCal summer heat, and looks great when all…
Why a “local cup of tea”?
I like poetry. I delight in hidden messages and creating layers of meaning for people to discover. When I was figuring out a name for my business guidance, I began thinking of what is currently available to (conventional) businesses: hard-hitting,…
Rainwater harvesting
Rain. We’re making the MOST of it NOW is the best time to be planning and installing a rainwater harvesting garden. That way, your garden is completed by November’s storms (we hope) and you can harvest every drop that Mother…
Greywater: Legal and Not
Water. Our gardens are aching for it. And as toasty spring lengthens into official summertime, water needs will only increase. Meanwhile, we’re completely overlooking a rather abundant water resource. Greywater. That’s water which has been used once before but doesn’t…
How do we help small businesses thrive?
If you are a sustainability-oriented business owner, you probably wish your small business would provide you with a more reliable livelihood. It’s hard to find business guidance which reflects the ways of the new economy. It’s hard to make the…