Through educational workshops and their new initiative, the annual SCCG membership program, the San Carlos Community Garden (SCCG) focuses on their commitment to stewardship, community development and sustainability. The new SCCG membership program makes it easy to support the Garden's mission while providing great benefits for everyone.
It's offered to SCCG members for $35 a year and they can attend the garden's monthly educational seminars for free.
Additional benefits include access to SCCG's Garden Resource Center, including free gardening books and tools, and access to SCCG's seed supply, a unique selection of seeds collected on site for growing vegetables, herbs, fruit trees and flowers.
Led by SCCG volunteers and senior experts, SCCG garden education workshops provide low-cost, high-quality opportunities for participants to build horticultural knowledge, understand and challenge San Diego's gardening climate, meet new or familiar faces, and take home gifts of horticulture.
SCCG Board Member and Education Coordinator Sherry Ashbaugh 
(pictured left) help design gardening workshops including tomato detailing, orchids, composting, making recycled garden art and more.
"We are very excited about this year's seminar series," Ashbaugh said. “We've worked with well-known experts like local author Chuck McClung 
(Pictured right), Sara Boltwala-Mesina of Food2Soil and Sam Tall of City Farmers Nursery. Supervisors provide excellent technical knowledge to anyone gardening or chilling. You'll also get gardening tips and ideas from other participants that can be motivating and inspiring.
Chuck McClung, SCCG volunteer, local botanist, gardening teacher and author is leading some of this year's workshops. On Saturday, February 18, McClung will demonstrate how to incorporate edible plants into gardens and containers while conserving water. The workshop is free for garden members and $10 for non-garden members. McClung will also have plants for sale for workshop attendees to purchase.
" This class is informative," McClung said. "It will teach you how to grow your own nutrients with edible plants in your landscape."
On Saturday, March 18, Backyard Fruit's Tyler Trimble will offer tips on fruit trees. Participants will learn about fruit tree pruning, fertilization, pest and disease control, etc. they get practical experience. Saturday, April 15th will be hosted by Paige Kries, founder of Plant It Again, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating careers for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Kries shows how everyday items can be transformed into unique garden art. Attendees are encouraged to bring a cup of tea or sample what's on offer. Participants will also be given grounds and succulents to add to their reusable cups.
McClung will return to the garden on Saturday, May 20 to teach participants how to grow tomatoes year-round. McClung will share growing tips, disease control and tomato varieties for San Diego gardens.
SCCG educational workshops are held in the garden on the third Saturday of the month from 9:00am to 10:30am. For more information on SCCG's Growing Community Membership Program and the 2023 Education Workshop program, visit: sancarloscommunitygarden.com.
If you have a recommendation or experience in horticulture and have a workshop topic and would like to lead an SCCG horticulture education workshop, please send your inquiry or credentials to [email protected] .
- Editor's note: This article was written by Jessica Mills , SCCG volunteer and senior at the University of San Diego . Mills is involved in communication and marketing projects for the garden and the Youth Ambassador program .
