Arts:Earth Partnership, Sept. 30

Recycling our trash

Does LA recycle this?

How about this--

blue bin or black?

Come play The Waste Game at the Green Tent. Kids will guess what trash goes in a recycle bin and what trash goes in a black landfill bin. Adults are also welcome!

photo by Hitoshi Ozaki

Arts:Earth Partnership is an official green business certification for cultural facilities, theaters, museums, dance studios, art galleries, performing arts companies and individual artists. Its certified artists and facilities form a coalition collectively committed to achieving environmental sustainability. AEP works with arts organizations to expand their mission to include sustainability and to harness the immense creativity, innovation and leadership within the cultural sector to help solve the issues around pollution, climate change and the preservation of our precious natural resources. 

Master Gardeners + Preservers, Sept. 23

We'll be hopping with activity

UC Cooperative Extension LA County Master Gardeners and Master Food Preservers are bringing a bushel full of activities to the Green Tent on September 23rd. 

C'mon down and say hi!! 


In addition to free seasonal seeds, the Master Gardeners have the following plants to give away:

• Red Russian, "Ragged Jack" and Vates Dwarf Blue kale, 
• Five Color swiss chard
• Bloomsdale spinach
• Baby cabbage 
• "Pixie" and Super Sugar snap peas

And for the first time they'll bring an interactive kiosk from UC Davis Integrated Pest Management. Using a portable touch-screen computer, you can look up pest management information for over 65 common home and garden pests in both English and Spanish. 

Master Food Preserver and breadmaker extraordinaire, ROSE LAWRENCE of Red Bread in Venice, will be on hand to answer your food preservation questions from 9 to 11 a.m. 

Don't forget: 25 Grow LA Victory Garden classes. Master Gardeners teach these four-week low-cost basic gardening classes throughout the county, with three on the Westside: Samohi starts 9/29; Uni High and Venice Community Garden start on 10/6. Click here for registration information. 

Theodore Payne Foundation, Sept. 16

California Native Plants

Theodore Payne Foundation member J. Shields tells all

Stop by and learn about the benefits of planting California natives in your garden. Pick up some FREE poppy seeds as well as penstemon seed pods from J's garden. The next month or two is the perfect time to plant natives. And the Theodore Payne fall plant sale is coming up!

J has been growing and experimenting with different species of California natives since 1995. A Mar Vista resident, he knows which ones do particularly well in the Mar Vista area. He'll provide the information you need to get started: soil amendment, garden design and plant selection. He's bringing some specimens in 1 gallon pots as well as books to look through.

California natives use vastly less water compared to a lawn and many other plants found in local gardens. They provide habitat for native birds and insects. Some have medicinal and other native American uses. And they are beautiful, as these photos from J's garden demonstrate!

Attracting Beneficial Insects, Sept. 9

Attracting Good Bugs - will be rescheduled

Unfortunately, John is sick and unable to present tomorrow and the Green Tent will be dark We look forward to seeing you next week and will reschedule John for a future date.  The good news is that the Mar Vista Farmers Market is going to take the space and Tommy Peltier of Ladybugs Forever will be in the space to offer us all the chance to learn about (and purchase!) beneficial insects! 


Which are the good bugs? What do they need? How can you attract them to your garden?


Sustainable landscape architects from Tikotsky & Associates will talk with you about pollinating and beneficial insects and how to attract them into your garden, including "the buzz" on how to make a bug watering way-station.

Good...or bad?

Tikotsky & Associates is a landscape architecture firm focused on environmentally sustainable design, including

• ecological pest management

• sustainable water management technologies

• selection of appropriate planting materials

• energy conservation using solar panels as well as recycled materials

Stop by and have your questions answered.