The Water Replenishment District program educates on how to have a sustainable mini garden
The Water Replenishment District (WRD) in Southern California, through its Green Gardener program, teaches residents the benefits of having a sustainable, productive, beautiful, and above all, water-saving garden.
In the wake of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has transferred all of its face-to-face classes to virtual education – all free – where it addresses four main topics: sustainable landscape design, plants that are tolerant to plants, edible gardening and concepts. basic irrigation.
The WRD is the largest groundwater agency in California and is responsible for ensuring the resources of more than four million residents in 43 cities in Los Angeles County.
This office also ensures that there is a high-quality groundwater supply through recycling and stormwater capture processes.
Jardinero Ecológico has partnered with public companies and non-profit organizations so that communities with environmental problems and overcrowded people can have access to these resources.
Demonstration gardens have been created in cities such as Lakewood and Pico Rivera with the principles taught in the classes to create an aesthetically balanced landscape, efficient in the use of water and without using too many resources.
Caring for the liquid element
Making wise use of water is one of the main purposes of this program, which is why it has created a specific class to educate Southern California residents on how to properly use the vital liquid in their gardens.
The WRD website describes that the participants of that workshop will obtain basic information on how to make a sustainable design and optimize the garden soil, they will also receive instructions on water management techniques through intelligent plant selection and efficient irrigation.
Additionally, they promote water conservation through the distribution and promotion of conservation tools, including self-closing hose nozzles, gray water catch buckets, and 5 minute shower timers.
“We conserve water a lot, when it rains we have containers, we connect the water and this is what my mother does to irrigate, sometimes we recycle water from the washing machine, depending on what has been washed, because we do not like to waste water. We already know that it is very scarce ”, explained Irene Gutiérrez, who together with her parents plant their own fruits and vegetables.
Advantages of edible gardening
Edible gardens is another topic addressed by the Water Replenishment District, with a class to report on how to prune trees, avoid pests, and have a successful harvest.
Many people are joining the cultivation of fruits and vegetables at home every day to minimize contamination of the planet, since in the mass productions of these foods they use pesticides and other elements that harm the air, so having an edible garden can be a great option to help the environment, but can also promote health.
Gutiérrez, whose parents have been growing fruits, vegetables and herbs in their backyard for several years, recognizes that the advantages of having a home garden are many.
“It is healthy, because when we have to go to the errand, sometimes the vegetables have many chemicals … I prefer to eat something from my garden for my health and that of my parents,” he says.
“My dad has diabetes and my mom had cholesterol problems … Eating things from home is better,” said the 33-year-old Los Angeles resident.
“[Nuestro jardín] It helps us eat something healthy and organic. “
In the patio of the Gutiérrez family you can find native fruits of Guadalajara such as guamúchiles and guajes, but there are also medlars, pomegranates, cocoons, lemons, oranges, chilies, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, roma tomatoes, guavas, walnuts, nopales and even some onions. In addition, it has a certain area for herbs such as basil, peppermint, parsley and rosemary.
Irene commented that the neighbors already know where to go if they need to prepare a medicinal tea with fresh and organic ingredients, since her mother gladly shares her herbs.
In addition, he said that the garden has meant a way of saving on the cost of their home when they buy food for daily use and they try to carry that message to their community.
“We are teaching our neighbors that a bean seed can become a bean tree, teaching them that not everything has to be bought and we also save ourselves something. [de dinero sin ir al súper]”
Their garden also allows them to share their harvests of fruits, vegetables, and herbs with their neighbors, friends, and family.
“We give our neighbors or my friends a present of our harvest, I go and leave them tomatoes or oranges so that they can make their juices,” said Gutiérrez, who remembers that before the pandemic, her mother also used to distribute the fruits in churches, but due to Precautionary measures by COVID-19 have limited these activities.
In this Mexican home, nothing is wasted, as they use food waste to fertilize the plants.
“A long time ago we bought a container and there we put all the waste from the vegetables, the peel of the fruits and the shells of the eggs and it is made as a compound and we use that as a fertilizer for plants,” he explained.
Schedule your class
The virtual workshops to become an ecological gardener are at wrd.org/EcoGardener at that link you can access the available classes and the registration form.
Some classes are available once you subscribe and others to see when you prefer.
Live seminars have a set date and time and are led by an instructor who can answer your questions and give you instant advice on your garden.
Through the YouTube channel, WRD Official, you can access videos to start your own garden and save water in your home.
