http://www.schmidtdesign.com/schmidt-design-group-news/community-housingworks-opens-affordable-apartment-complex-avocado-court-in-escondido

Attendees included members of the Second Chance Youth Program  and students in a
Permaculture Design course given by SD SLI.     The class
did extensive earthwork sculpting to build a swale system to
capture maximum rain.

Then the group planted trees which included 4 types of citrus, 2 types
of avocados,  jujubes, a sapote, bananas, cherimoyas, plus
passion fruit, sweet potato, blueberries, fava beans and other ‘cover’ crops.

The Forest Garden is doing well and enjoying the rain.
Next step is to plant some bare root stone fruit trees in February.

Thanks to
SDG&E Vegetation Management Department for the trees,
Ricky, Kim and Jose at Second Chance and
to Josh Robinson of SLI who led the workshop.

A Forest Garden is a gardening technique and land management system
that mimics a woodland ecosystem but is made up of edible trees,
shrubs, perennials and annuals.   Fruit and nut trees are the upper
level, while below are berry shrubs, edible perennials and annuals.
Companions or beneficial plants are included to attract insects for
natural pest management Other companion plants are soil amenders
providing nitrogen and mulch.  Together they create relationships to
form a forest garden ecosystem able to produce high yields of food
with less maintenance than conventional gardens.

for more info contact Richard Winkler <rwink@victorygardenssandiego.com>,

This course offers eight lessons on the basics of gardening, including: organics and permaculture; garden siting and design; soil and composting; plants and botany; seeding and planting; irrigation; weeds, pests, and disease; and harvesting. This series will provide students with a mix of classroom education and hands-on garden experience. Go to manual.

Gardening 201:
How to Start and Manage a Community Garden

This course offers six lessons on the fundamentals of community garden organizing and management, including: asset-based community development, finding and obtaining land, budgeting and fundraising, garden design and supplies, day to day operations, and how to be a good neighbor. This series will provide classroom education and opportunities for active discussion and planning. Go to Manual.

Gardening 301:
How to Start and Sustain a School Garden

This course offers eight lessons on building support for school gardens among peers, educators, and administrators, including: making the case for school gardening programs, building a garden leadership team, garden planning and design, financially sustaining your gardening program, community partnerships, volunteers and joint use, curriculum and outdoor classroom management, before- and after-school garden clubs, and gardens in the wellness movement. This series will provide classroom education and opportunities for active discussion and brainstorming. Go to Manual. 

her raised bed should be a Giant L.

Back in fall 2010 VGSD taught two courses in basic gardening at Wild Willow Farm, fellow project of local nonprofit San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project. In those classes, students got to learn various methods and designs for home-size gardens, including the versatile herb spiral, while also helping create a welcoming space at the new farm.

Course participants arrange chunks of "urbanite," a ubiquitous resource at Wild Willow Farm

Eight months later, that herb spiral is thriving and branching out way beyond herbs! An herb spiral is really just a technique for growing more food in less space: if you build vertically, in an organized mound, you can fit more food than you would on the same area of flat ground.

...onions, lemon verbena...

...kale, thyme...