The Ojai Garden

Planting What You Cook

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:29:36 -0800

Learn how to grow your own delicious and nutritious organic vegetables, at this free, hands-on workshop with Steve Sprinkel of The Farmer and the Cook. Steve will cover everything from site planning, soil preparation and fertilizer to organizing crop successions, rotations, and pest control. He will also share tips on how to increase your yield, what to plant in Ojai and when to plant it.
Steve will demonstrate techniques for digging beds and planting seeds and seedlings. Bring gloves if you want to dig in! Seating is limited, so feel free to bring a chair for a comfortable seat. The workshop will take place rain or shine in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden on Saturday, March 20 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. The garden is located at 401 South Ventura Street, behind City Hall.

Volunteer Work Day

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:23:27 -0800

There will be a volunteer work day in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden on Saturday, March 13th at 9:30.

Come see what's growing on — plus get some exercise, meet people and have fun working to help maintain our wonderful community garden.

Stay as long as you like to work on various tasks with our volunteers. We have some mulch that needs to be spread, plus there is pruning, weeding, and more. There is something for everyone, and no experience is necessary. There's plenty to do, so come join us!

The garden is located at 401 South Ventura St., behind City Hall.

Seed you in the garden!

Beautiful, Bountiful and Delicious

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:55:13 -0800

If Saturday's Edible Landscaping workshop was any indication, we'll be seeing some water-hungry Ojai lawns replaced by something interesting and much tastier in the near future. Despite the inclement weather, over 40 people came to the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden for Kathy Nolan's workshop. It was a tight fit in the gazebo, so some latecomers stood just outside and peered in, remaining there even during the intermittent showers. Kathy brought a diagram of an edible landscape to help illustrate her talk. Her landscape included raised vegetable beds, a compost area, a chicken coop, fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, grape vines and more. Kathy brought several examples of interesting edibles from her own yard, such as rapini and lancinato kale, colorful red chard, dill, borage and native Catalina cherry and Mexican elderberry. An array of jars containing culinary delights created from the bounty of Kathy's own garden, such as dried elderberries and dried apples, was an inspiring end to the workshop. Kathy's enthusiasm for the subject was contagious and participants left with a hunger to create their own edible landscapes at home.Photos by Les Dublin.

Edible Landscaping

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:35:28 -0800

Learn how to integrate food plants with your existing ornamentals, or design an entirely edible front yard. At this free workshop, horticulturist and landscape designer Kathy Nolan of Studio Landscape Corporation will teach you everything you need to know to create an aesthetically beautiful and practical landscape.The workshop will take place rain or shine on Saturday, February 27, at 10:00, in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden, 401 South Ventura St., behind City Hall. Seating on the benches is limited, so feel free to bring a folding chair for a comfortable seat.

Water Wise and Winsome in Winter

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:47:13 -0800

Drought tolerant California native shrubs appear to frame the kiosk in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. Bright orange Toyon berries (Heteromeles arbutifolia) bring cheerful color to the winter garden, and make the birds, who enjoy eating the berries, happy, too. Sugarbush (Rhus ovata) is a stand-out at this time of year. Gooseberry (Ribes) has attractive white flowers in winter. Both the flowers and edible berries that follow are attractive.Photos by Les Dublin.

John Lamar's Pruning Workshop

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:14:27 -0800

The forty people who came to the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden Saturday to learn about Naturalistic Pruning were rewarded with a very interesting, practical workshop as well as a sunny morning. Luckily, several people brought chairs! After the talk, horticulturist and landscape designer John Lamar answered the group's many questions before leading participants into the garden. Participants watched John demonstrate the correct way to prune a variety of specimens in the garden
and learned useful information about each plant along the way.After the lesson, workshop participants put their newfound knowledge to the test during the hands-on portion of the workshop.Photos by Les Dublin.

Naturalistic Pruning Workshop

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:36:55 -0800

Learn the basics of pruning, as well as the finer points, at this free, hands-on workshop with local horticulturist and landscape designer John Lamar of John Lamar Design and Consulting.
Naturalistic pruning techniques enhance the natural structure of plants to reveal their inherent beauty, and help conserve water, too. Bring gloves and sharp, sterile shears or loppers if you have them. The workshop will take place rain or shine in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden, 401 South Ventura St., behind City Hall. Seating on the benches is limited, so feel free to bring a folding chair for a comfortable seat.

Compost Workshop

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:42:31 -0800

Master Gardener Jessica Craven brightened up a rainy day for the Ojai residents who came to her compost workshop in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. Participants learned the basics of composting and also learned about composting with red wriggler worms. Everyone had a look at the worms at work in their tunnels through the window of a worm box. A compost thermometer was passed around during a discussion of the ideal temperature of a compost pile. All participants went home with a gift — a compost wheeler full of helpful tips and useful information. Although it was too wet to go out and make a compost pile, everyone had their questions answered and all went home well prepared to make compost successfully. Despite the rain, they also enjoyed a pleasant morning in the garden, where they stayed dry in the cozy gazebo. Photos by Les Dublin.

Composting with Jessica Craven

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:14:30 -0800

Learn how to make compost like a pro and turn your kitchen and yard waste into a valuable soil amendment that your plants will love, at this free, hands-on workshop with Master Gardener Jessica Craven. You'll save water by adding moisture-retaining compost to your soil, too! If you would like to help us make compost, please bring a bag of fruit and vegetable peelings. The workshop will take place rain or shine on Saturday, December 12 at 10:00am-11:30am in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden, 401 S. Ventura St., behind City Hall.

Oaks and Gardens

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:02:42 -0800

Thirty oak lovers came to the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden Saturday to learn about gardening in the vicinity of oaks from local arborist Michael Inaba.Participants went home with an informative handout on oak care and a list of drought-tolerant California native plants that are suitable for growing near oaks.Mike is a wonderful speaker who kept everyone engaged throughout the talk. After everyone's questions were answered, the group left the dappled shade of the oaks and headed out to the garden. A demonstration of California native plants suitable for growing under oaks allowed participants to see plants growing in the garden that are available locally.Mike provided a great deal of useful information about each plant in the area. All went home with a better understanding of oak trees, their needs and how to landscape around the oaks in their own yards. Photos by Les Dublin.

Oaks and Gardens Workshop

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:53:10 -0800

We love our oaks but don't always know what they need. Learn everything you need to know about caring for the oak trees in your yard at this free workshop with local arborist Michael Inaba of Inaba Horticulture. Clear up any confusion about how and when to water, and what to do with all those leaves. Find out about water saving native plants that can be used for landscaping beneath oaks, too.Your oak trees are an important part of your landscape, and they are even more important to the environment! Come learn how you can get the most from your trees, and how to avoid extra expenses to maximize your “green investment.” The workshop will take place rain or shine, on November 14, 2009, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden, 401 South Ventura Street, behind City Hall.

Ojai Day 2009

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:34:33 -0800

Volunteers and the garden coordinator spent Saturday in the "Going Green" area of Libby Park to spread the word about all the wonderful things happening in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. The enthusiastic volunteers were eager to share their knowledge of all things garden related with residents and visitors who came to town to celebrate Ojai Day. The display and free literature focused on vermicomposting, composting with worms. A box of worms with a viewing window allowed visitors to see red worms at work digging tunnels as they aerate and enrich the soil. Two lucky elementary school teachers, who entered a free drawing, each won a book of classroom activities called Worms Eat Our Garbage. And, no surprise, the booth won the maximum of 5 balloons for having a low carbon footprint at Ojai Day.Photos by Les Dublin.

Kathy Nolan's Workshop

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:53:35 -0800

Over 35 people stopped by the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden Saturday afternoon to learn about native plants from landscape designer Kathy Nolan.Kathy talked about many beautiful, drought-tolerant California native plants that can be planted in our own backyards.Participants followed Kathy to an area of the garden that demonstrates native plants suitable for growing at the edge of the oak canopyand watched as she demonstrated the proper way to plant a native.Afterwards, Kathy led participants on a walk through the garden where they had the opportunity to view many native plants mixed with other drought-tolerant plantings. Photos by Les Dublin.

Landscaping with Native Plants

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:43:18 -0800

Come enjoy a free workshop at the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden on Saturday, October 10, from 1:30 to 3:00. Learn about beautiful, water-saving California native plants that can be used for landscaping and for creating a habitat for local wildlife, too. Horticulturist and landscape designer Kathy Nolan of Studio Landscape Corporation will discuss native plant selections, where and when to plant natives, planting techniques, and irrigation. Plants suitable for specific areas, such as under the oak canopy, will be covered as well. Kathy will also talk about the cultivation and care of some of the plants that will be available at the upcoming Ojai Valley Museum Native Plant sale. Participants will join Kathy for a short stroll through the garden to look at established native plants and to watch her demonstrate planting a native. Seating on the benches is limited, so feel free to bring your own folding chair to be assured a comfortable seat.The garden is located at 401 South Ventura Street, behind Ojai CIty Hall.

Evening Primrose

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:49:34 -0800

Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) provides nourishment for hummingbirds, moths, bees.... and even people! All parts of the plant are edible. The plant is also used medicinally. Evening Primrose's fragrant flowers open in the evening. The tall plants self sow readily in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. Photos by Les Dublin.