1. Welcome to the Coral Learning Garden

2. Nature is astounding. Plants, with only the water and food that shows up; with no tending, fertilizer, or pesticides flourish. Multiple dynamic systems support one another, balanced and beautiful. Abundance erupts across the land with careless grace, providing habitat for plants and organisms alike.
In fact we find that layers of fungus just under the soil can transport nutrients and moisture to plants that need it...
While nature represents a north star to keep in mind, once we have stuck our hand into a landscape – compacted the soil, introduced inappropriate plants, trained them to expect the same water our lawn needs, etc.
recovering this natural state is an ideal extremely difficult to attain.
So, welcome to [slide]

3. More Sustainable Landscaping
What is it?
Appropriate to your situation
Healthy Soil
Water used wisely
Right plants in the right spots
Minimize waste
Nature in balance

4. More Sustainable Landscaping
Why do it?
Improve health of garden, family and community
Save money (energy, water, trash, chemicals)
Protect water, soil, and wildlife
Learn about the dynamic systems that are our world

5. More Sustainable Landscaping
How to do it...
Evaluate your situation
Determine what you want
Learn about options
Develop a plan and a schedule
Start rolling it out

6. Evaluate your Situation
Sun, shade, slope, rainfall, cold air
Current hardscape and trees
Irrigation system
Soil: type, drainage, test if for edibles
Time and money
Equinox – sun rises and sets in east...
Soil Type:
drainage test you dig a hole, 1' x 1' x 1', and fill it with water.
If the soil drains in 30 min or less, the soil has good drainage.
If it takes between 30 min - 2 hours, you have medium drainage. If it takes more than 2 hours, it is bad drainage

8. Determine what you want
Appearance, as you approach, from inside, etc.
Uses: Play, dining, cooking, relaxation
Shade
Edibles

9. Recap Your plan will be more of a process
You have a diagram of property and house
You have current and planned hardscape and trees identified
You have identified areas to do what you want to do
You have other zones determined by irrigation and sun – edible, fruit trees, drought tolerant

10. Consider your options Understand and nurture the soil Use Water Wisely
Planting Plans – What to put in those zones
Minimize waste
Provide Habitat

11. Understand & Nurture the Soil
Best food for most plants is its own decaying leaves
Composting – do it fast
Worm Composting – do it easy
Compost tea – leverage your compost
Microorganisms: Provide lots of small fish
Soil: type, drainage, test if for edibles .

12. Worms Rock
Easy
Clean
Best product
Reduce waste

13. Coral – day 1

14. Bring in the pros 8/27/08

15. Compost Tea Time

16. Add a little compost

17. Rototill?

18. Solarize 8/29

19. Removing lawns, preparing beds
Sod cutters
Sheet mulch
Solarize

20. Muir High Sod removal

21. Cover and cover...

22. Clear and cover w/ manure

23. Wet and cover

24. Mulch, cover edges and wait

25. Use Water Wisely Plants need water to the bottom of their root zone
Hydrozone: water for the plant that needs the most
Understand irrigation system – avoid runoff
Capture, Slow and Spread water
Modify Irrigation – drip off heads or hose bibs
Mulch, mulch, mulch

26. Plantings
The Hardest Part – you need to plan for how landscape will look in five years – mature sizes
Mediterranean zone plants go dormant in summer!!! - don't mix
Map to current irrigation zones if possible
The list of natives – and get a pro to help
Sunset Western Garden Book - Pasadena is in zone 20
Landscape Plants for California Gardens by Bob Perry get pdf's of first 3 sections
Washington El Molino

27. Sustainable Landscape Practices that Reduce Waste
Planting to reduce heat in summer and shade air conditioner
Reducing waste and recycling materials
Keeping greenwaste on site
Nurturing healthy soils while reducing fertilizer use
Conserving water and topsoil
Using IPM to minimize chemical use
Reducing runoff

28. Ten tips to landscaping for wildlife
Limit the Amount of Lawn because grass offers less food and cover for most wildlife than other plants
Increase Vertical Layering between the ground and the tree canopy
Provide Water because it is essential for wildlife survival
Plant Native Vegetation whenever possible because it will attract indigenous wildlife species
Provide Bird/Bat Houses and Bird Feeders to increase the diversity of wildlife attracted to your yard

29. Remove Invasive Exotic Plants that take over natural habitats and can replace all the native vegetation
Manage Pets to protect wildlife and themselves. Cats are good hunters and kill millions of birds and other small animals each year.
Reduce Pesticide Use to prevent unnecessary wildlife illness, deaths, and lack of diversity
Expand the Scale of Habitat by working with your neighbors to create larger wildlife habitat patches

30. Key Resources
Pasadena Learning Gardens
UC Integrated Pest Management system
Pasadena Water and Power
LA County DWP sustainability site ladpw.org/epd/sg/gen_info.cfm
Great list of natives /06/20/easy-natives-for-your-garden-list/

31. Summary