Garden workshop set for Calabasas

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is sponsoring a free Smart Gardening workshop at 9 a.m. on Sat., Sept. 15 at Gates Canyon Park, 25801 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Calabasas.

The workshop is intended to help residents learn some simple and effective methods that they can use to reduce the amount of yard waste they throw away.

Residents who attend will be able to purchase a compost bin for $20 (county residents) or $30 (those living outside L.A. County). The workshops cover:

Backyard composting: An all-natural way of recycling organic material, like leaves, weeds, grass and kitchen scraps, into a nutrient-rich compost that can be used in your garden or as part of a potting mix for house plants.

Grass recycling: A simple and natural approach to lawn care that encourages residents to leave grass clippings on their lawns after mowing to decompose and release valuable nutrients back into the soil.

Water-wise gardening: An approach to gardening that helps residents conserve water and reduce yard waste while maintaining a beautiful and efficient landscape by planting low-water-use trees, shrubs, flowering plants, ground covers and grasses that are best suited for L.A.’s arid climate.

For more information, please call (888) CLEAN LA or visit www.smartgardening.com.