Golden Gate Gardener

San Francisco Community Garden Report--Spring 2019

Since the demise of the private nonprofit San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners (SLUG) in about 2003, there hasn’t been umbrella organization overseeing SF’s community gardens, but the gardens themselves have continued to thrive. About 40 percent are located on San Francisco Recreation and Park Department property, the rest on both private and public lands.

Rec and Parks Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Program Manager Mei Ling Hui helps match aspiring urban gardeners to plots and answers other questions along the way. She can be reached at [email protected] or 415-831-6846. The program’s website (https://sfrecpark.org/park-improvements/urban-agriculture-program-citywide/community-gardens-program/) is in the process of being updated with a comprehensive list of gardens on both public and private land. 

            While I hope to have more to report soon, there are upcoming free San Francisco events hosted by Rec and Parks’ Community Gardens Program to announce now. 

Saturday, April 27, from 11 AM till 4 PM, there will be an Earth Day Celebration at Alemany Farm, 700 Alemany Blvd. Details are still being decided. You can learn more, closer to the date of the event, at the Alemany Farm web site (AlemanyFarm.org) or you can email your query to [email protected].

On Saturday, May 4, there will be a Seed Saving and Plant Propagation workshop at Potrero del Sol Community Garden (Potrero and Cesar Chavez), from 10 AM to Noon. RSVP required at [email protected] or 415-831-6846.

Bay Area Rose Pruning Clases January 2016

    I prepared the following list of rose pruning workshops for my January, 2016 column, which was to run on January 3, but it did not. Then it was to run on January 10, too late for Jan. 9-10 workshops, but at least helpful for the rest of the month. But it was dropped from my column. So here it is, in hopes that it might help at least a few people learn to prune their roses. While any pruning demonstration will help you learn the techniques you need, if you want some first-hand experience, note especially the hands-on pruning experiences, in San Mateo's Central Park January 16, and in the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden every Saturday for the rest of January and the first half of February.

Is Your Future Rosy?

Love roses? Learn rose pruning and care at classes or hands-on workshops taking place in January around our region. Free unless otherwise noted.

Berkeley: Berkeley Horticultural Nursery, 1310 McGee Ave., berkeleyhort.com, 510-526-4704; Rose Pruning Classes: Saturdays, January 9 and 23 at 10 AM.

Cupertino: Yamigami Nursery, 1361 S. DeAnza Blvd., yamigamisnursery.com, 408-252-3347; Winter Rose Care Classes: Saturday, January 9 at 10 AM, Sunday January 17 at 11 AM. (20% off coupon for day of class included)

Marin: Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Marin Rose Society, marinrose.org, 415-457-6045; Annual Pruning Demonstration: Tuesday, January 12, 7:30 PM. (nonmembers $5.00)

San Jose: Guadalupe River Park Heritage Rose Garden, 412 Seymour St., heritageroses.us/PruningLessons.htm, 510-526-4704 (Volunteer Coordinator Jessica Gonzales); Supervised Pruning: Wednesdays and Saturdays, January to mid-February, 8:30-11:30 AM. (Bypass shears and leather gloves provided.)

San Mateo: Central Park Arboretum, 50 East 5th Ave., sanmateoarboretum.org/classes-special-events/, 650-579-0536 x3; Rose Pruning Symposium: Sunday January 10, 1-3 PM, $15 ($10 for members, reservation required)

Help Prune Central Park's Rose Garden: Saturday, January 16, 10-Noon. (Instruction included--bring shears and gloves.)

San Francisco:

Rose Garden, Golden Gate Park, Pruning Demonstration by the S.F. Rose Society: Jan 9, 10 AM-1 PM (or January 16 in case of rain).  

Flowercraft Garden Center, 550 Bayshore Blvd, flowercraftgc.com, 415-824-1900; Rose Clinics: January 16 and 17, 11 AM-Noon, February 13 and 14, 11 AM -Noon.

Master Gardener Spring Sales--Mostly Tomatoes

 

Master Gardeners will be holding spring markets in three Bay Area counties in April. As reported in my SF Chronicle Column of April 5, they will be as follows:

San Mateo/San Francisco Master Gardeners will hold two sales. The first is on April 11, 9-1, at Redwood High School, 1968 Old County Road, Redwood City. The second is April 18th, 10-2, at Central Park in San Mateo, and is part of an open house at the park on that day. For more information: 2015 San Mateo/SF Spring Garden Market Information

Marin County Master Gardeners are having two sales on the same day, April 18th, both 9:30-12. One is at the Bon Air Shopping Center, 50 Bon Air Ctr., Greenbrae, the other is at the Pini Market, 1535 S. Novato Blvd, Nave Shopping Center, Novato..For more information: 2015 Marin County Tomato Market Information

Santa Clara Master Gardeners are having their sale on April 11, 9-2 at History San Jose, 1650 Senter Road, San Jose..:For more information: 2015 Santa Clara Spring Market Garden Information

All of the sales include tomato plants galore and Master Gardeners on hand to answer questions and the  April 11th sales in Redwood City and in San Jose include other kinds of seedlings and garden talks, and  a "green elephant" sales.

Each of the Master Gardener Organizations have prepared lists of the tomato varieties they will be selling, with information on the qualities of each variety. Here are links to the three 2015 tomato variety lists:

2015 San Francisco/San Mateo Tomato List

2015 Marin County Tomato Varieties

2015 Santa Clara County Tomato List

 

 

 

Spring Gardening Classes

It’s December, with the holidays approaching, but it's not too soon to begin to think about gardening classes for spring. The spring City College Vegetable and Herb classes have been cut, due a serious budget shortfall (more of the squeeze higher education is suffering). However, there are many options for classes.

                One class that will last all spring, giving you a chance to follow the season in a garden is the Urban Gardening School that will be co-sponsored by the Garden for the Environment (7^th Avenue and Lawton) and 18 Reasons (3674 18^th St.) It will take place from January 18^th to June 23, on the one Wednesday and one Saturday each month. There will be twelve sessions total. In order to learn more about the class, you can call 18 Reasons at 568-2710, or you read about it and purchase tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/205766.

                In addition to this longer class, the Garden for the Environment continues to host short workshops (2-2 1/2 hours). Many of these are free. You can find out their schedule by calling them at ccc-cccc or at their web site, which is www.gardenfortheenvironment.org .

                Another place you can find gardening workshops in San Francisco is Sloat Garden Center, at 2700 Sloat Blvd, www.sloatgardens.com.

                The Urban Farmer Store hosts classes for professionals on drip irrigation, garden lighting, and related topics, but they also offer some classes for home gardeners, especially in the spring and summer. Right now they are collecting applicants for a pilot SF program to help you install a graywater system. It includes a workshop and a steep discount on material to build your system. You can read about it at www.urbanfarmerstore.com or call the Urban Farmer Store at (415) 661-2204.

Hear of any other classes? Let me know.