Smokin’ Design At Inglewood Fire Station OFG

Posted on 15. Mar, 2012 by pamela in Compost Tea, Fire Station 171, G3 Blog, G3 Community, G3 Design Studio, G3 Partners, Living Soil, Los Angeles/South Bay, Rain Gardens, Resources, Surfrider Foundation, Watershed Notes, West Basin

Spring has arrived a trifle early at the West Basin Ocean Friendly Demonstration Garden Project at Inglewood Fire Station 171.  G3 Founding Member, Marilee Kuhlmann’s planting design is beginning to fill in and start its non-stop blooming, despite the slow start from an extremely dry winter.  

This garden, populated entirely by all-native or close cultivars, was completed in November 2011 with the expectation that the rainy season would help the plants to become established. Thank goddess for that healthy, mycorrhizal fungi-filled soil G3 created on site through multiple applications of Aerobic Compost Tea from G3 Associate, Sherri Powell (a.k.a. Compost Teana) on relatively young compost produced by Las Virgenes MWD from biosolids derived from their water treatment facility.

Fungal Soil From Compost Tea

 Alas, not much water has been able to gather in the rock-filled swales that capture storm water runoff from the adjacent hard surfaces like the decomposed granite pathway and existing sidewalks.

Groundcovers like pink yarrow (Achillea millefolium ‘Island Pink’) and coral bells (Heuchera maxima) already are filling in the gaps between California native oaks (Quercus agrifolia) and sycamores (Platanus racemosa), which are just beginning to bloom or show their leaves.

Salvia and Calylophus heat up garden

Red autumn sages (Salvia greggii) and yellow sundrops (Calylophus hartwegii) give that hot blast of color so appropriate for spring at a fire station. This Ocean Friendly Garden already is proving that Marilee’s painterly approach is a perennial crowd-pleaser. Once again, G3 demonstrates that an Ocean Friendly Garden is the right stuff for public and commercial properties and is just as appropriate in your own front yard.

HOW Site Evaluation: What’s My Soil Type?

Posted on 30. Oct, 2011 by pamela in Compost Tea, G3 Blog, G3 Education, Homeowner, HOWs, Living Soil, Professional, Resources, Watershed Notes

G3 Soil Type Jar Test

During a Hands-on Workshop: Site Evaluation, we determine the type of soil in various parts of the garden. This is very important information for a variety of reasons, but most importantly because programming the weather-based irrigation controller will require your input of the soil type. Different soil types (or textures) will hold water in different amounts. Determining the amount of Available Water Holding Capacity (AWHC) of the soil is extremely important if you want to determine how frequently to irrigate and how much to replenish the soil reservoir during an irrigation event. G3 uses two techniques for determining Soil Type, and both are fun to explore with the whole family.  

First, we have the Jar Test.  Using a Soil Texture Triangle, and a cup of soil from the garden, you can determine the type of soil in the garden with some accuracy. 

  Second, we use the Soil Texture By Feel method promoted by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soils Dept. Both techniques require getting a little dirty, but both allow you to connect with the soil in your garden and take the first step toward evaluating (and stewarding) your property. 

Join us for a Hands-on Workshop: Site Evaluation to learn more about seeing your landscape with new eyes and gathering the data that will empower you to make good choices for changing from resource-guzzling garden to rejuvenated mini-watershed.

Living Soil Resources

Posted on 21. May, 2010 by pamela in Compost Tea, G3 Blog, Living Soil, Resources, Watershed Notes

United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service

Soil Biology Authors:

Elaine R. Ingham
Andrew R. Moldenke, Oregon State University
Clive A. Edwards, The Ohio State University

Visit the USDA Soil Biology Website

http://soils.usda.gov/SQI/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html

The Soil Foodweb

“Soil Foodweb Technology is based on years of research by many different people. All science builds on previous science, the efforts of scientists to understand why the world works the way it does. Science is an on-going process of quantitative assessment and understanding of mechanisms on which life is based.”

These world wide lavatories for soil testing, research and eduction are the brain child of Dr.  Elaine R. Ingham.

Visit the Soil Foodweb Website

http://www.soilfoodweb.com/

Agri-Turf Supplies, Inc.

Local Santa Barbara Landscape Supply and Services Company. Supplies Compost Tea Services and organic amendments.
Read a Story about Agri-Turf Owner George Schnackenberg
Visit the Agri-Turf Website

http://www.agriturfsupplies.com/products.html

http://www.tracerobinson.com/content/media/media/santa-barbara-food-home.pdf

Earthfort

“Earth Fortification Supplies is a partner company with Soil Foodweb Oregon. Earthfort brings the Soil Foodweb science into practical application. They provide soil amendments, compost tea brewers, composting equipment and educational literature.”

Visit the Earthfort Website

http://www.earthfort.com/store

Keep It Simple, Inc.

What is compost tea?
“Compost tea is an aerobic water solution that has extracted the microbe population from compost along with the nutrients. In simple terms, it is a concentrated liquid created by a process to increase the numbers of beneficial organisms as an organic approach to plant/soil care.”

This company offers soil information and products like Tea Brewing system, Bio-Amendments, Books and CD.

Visit the Keep It Simple Website

http://www.simplici-tea.com/product_page.htm

Malibu Compost

Malibu Compost’s Biodynamic® Compost blend start with a base of manure and Biodynamic preparations. Go to their website for more information.

Visit the Malibu Compost Website

Compost Teana’s

Aerated Compost Tea services for your organic landscape.  Certified G3 Professional and Certified Soil Foodweb Web Advisor 2011.
Visit the Compost Teana Website

Composting Resources

Department of Sanitation Los Angeles

Residents can learn about backyard composting, worm composting, types of compost bins, grasscycling, and other smart gardening techniques at the City’s free backyard composting workshops. In addition to the workshops, special discounted compost bin sales events are held throughout the year.

Griffith Park Composting facility Compost Bin Sales hours of operation are 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM the 2nd Friday of each month and Composting Workshops and Bin Sales are also on the 4th Saturday of every month, hours of operation are 10:00 AM To 12:00 PM.

Visit the The Department of Sanitation Los Angeles Website for availability or to get more information.

http://san.lacity.org/solid_resources/recycling/composting/index.htm

View or print the City of Los Angeles Homeowner Composting Guide brochure

http://san.lacity.org/solid_resources/pdfs/composting.pdf