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Community Corner

City Parks Foundation Offers New Learning Gardens Workshops in Brooklyn

Get Your Hands Dirty While Learning the Ins & Outs of Urban Gardening

This summer, get outdoors and connect with nature in your community at City Parks Foundation’s new Learning Gardens public workshops. From Herbal Tea Makingto Companion Planting and even Aerobic and Anaerobic Composting, these 45 minute workshops will provide invaluable lessons in a community garden setting, and are ideal for gardening newbies and beginners. There is a $10 fee for each workshop, to cover the cost of materials.

 

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To register for City Parks Foundation’s Learning Gardens Workshops, please visit:http://www.eventbrite.com/org/4086946759

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Through Learning Gardens, City Parks Foundation uses community gardens as outdoor classrooms, providing hands-on lessons and engaging the community in positive, active relationships with their public outdoor spaces.

 

Learning Gardens Workshops:

 

Making Recycled Planters for the Home and Garden

The United States produces 70% of the world's solid waste. During this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to reuse food grade plastics to create a variety of self-watering planters for your home and garden. Materials fee: $10/pp, Max: 15 ppl per garden

Date: Saturday, July 20, 2013

Time: 1:00 pm

Location:

Umoja Learning Garden located on the corner of Broadway and Putnam Ave, Bushwick Brooklyn

 

Companion Planting and Gardening with Native Species

Companion planting is one of the oldest gardening traditions. Learn how different varieties of plants can prevent pest problems, attract beneficial insects, increase crop productivity, and improve crop taste. This workshop will also cover the importance of gardening with native species. Native plants are adapted to New York City's climate and soil conditions. These important plant species provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds and other animals. Materials fee includes seeds, organic soil, and window box. Materials fee: $10/pp, Max: 15 ppl per garden

Date: Saturday, July 27, 2013

Time: 1:00 pm

Location:

Umoja Learning Garden located on the corner of Broadway and Putnam Ave, Bushwick Brooklyn

 

Aerobic and Anaerobic Composting

Tired of taking out the smelly trash?  Got food scraps?  Let's compost!  Two kinds of microorganisms consume and decompose organic matter: those that need air (aerobic) and those that do not (anaerobic). Come learn about the benefits of each at this hands-on workshop where each participant will build a worm bin to take home! Materials fee: $10/pp, Max: 15 ppl per garden

Date: Saturday, August 3, 2013

Time: 1:00 pm

Location:

Umoja Learning Garden located on the corner of Broadway and Putnam Ave, Bushwick Brooklyn

 

 

Container Gardening in an Urban Environment

Urban gardeners are faced with lots of problems such as lack of space, soils contaminated with heavy metals like lead and arsenic, shade from trees and buildings, and soil-borne diseases. Consider growing vegetables in containers! Vegetables, flowers, and herbs grown in containers can be placed or moved to any spot such as windows, balconies, fire escapes, and doorsteps where there is full sun. Materials fee includes seeds, organic soil, and window box. Materials fee: $10/pp, Max: 15 ppl per garden

Date: Saturday, August 10, 2013

Time: 1:00 pm

Location:

Umoja Learning Garden located on the corner of Broadway and Putnam Ave, Bushwick Brooklyn

 

Public Transportation Directions to Gardens

Umoja Garden- J/Z trains- get off at the Halsey Street stop and walk west on Broadway for 3 blocks. Garden is at the corner of Broadway and Putnam Avenue.

 

Founded in 1989, City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City.  CPF works in over 750 parks citywide, presenting a broad range of free arts, sports, and education programs, and empowering citizens to support their parks on a local level.  CPF’s programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 people each year, contributing to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City.  For more details, please visitwww.CityParksFoundation.org

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