Claremont Food Not Lawns in not currently taking any new applications for lawn removal. The following document has many things that you can consider if you are planning to put in a garden and may be of help to you. As a member you can always call for a work party too!
How to turn my lawn into a Food Not Lawns project
How we operate: CFNL is a volunteer organization. If the members don’t take responsibility and do their part, nothing happens. To qualify for help with converting your lawn to a garden, you must commit to being an active member of the group and live in Claremont, Upland, LaVerne, or Pomona north of Holt. You are committing to four lawn conversions, including your own, in order to be eligible. We hope that you will help on many more. We ask you to do this for several reasons.
- We want you to know exactly what you are getting into before we come to your site.
- We want you to feel confident about your decision.
- We want you to become a part of our community. By participating you will gain the friendships and knowledge you will need to support your new garden.
- We want to disseminate leadership in our group so that it is stronger.
- Your garden is a gift from the group, and we want you to return the gift to a new member.
You will need to compete the following 5 steps in order to have your lawn converted by the group.
1. Come see us in action: In order to be able to submit a questionnaire you must come and participate in a lawn conversion. A conversion generally takes two full days (you need to be present for the entire time both days). The first is dedicated to the removal of the lawn and installation of underground water systems (if being used). The second day is dedicated to planting the garden, above ground water systems, and mulch. We asked you to do this so you know exactly what you are getting into before we come to your house. This is not required at the present time because our previous people have backed out.
2. Questionnaire: Submit a questionnaire online to our email address. Once we have received this form a CFNL crew will come to your house and see your site and discuss what you would like to have done, and work through your questions.
3. Prior to your conversion: Participate in the full conversion prior to your own. You will help the family before you with all aspects of their preparation and conversion. Before a conversion can happen many jobs must be done to prepare. This will let you see first hand the amount of work that will need to be done and what you will be responsible for on your conversion day. This will include the two days of conversion, plus all run around and set up time. This will help you to be an expert on your day and put you at ease about your conversion.
4. Your conversion: Participate in all areas of your conversion. We would also like you to provide 4 working adults for both days of your conversion. This can include friends, family, co-workers, church members, etc.
5. After your conversion: Be an expert on the lawn removal after yours providing expertise and advise to the family that follows you. You will be expected to participate fully in this conversion, providing advice for preparation and be there for both days of the next family’s conversion.
Gardening Experience
Your level of gardening experience should be considered when planning a garden. With lots of experience, you can jump right in and easily be successful. With less experience, there will be some trial and error. This is where being involved in the CFNL community can really help. Our CFNL community has members of all experience levels. Each lawn to garden conversion is full of learning opportunities. CFNL runs free monthly workshops on garden related subjects, and we have a Yahoo group where questions can be asked, knowledge shared, and information on related events is exchanged.
Lifestyle Considerations
Converting a lawn into a garden involves a change of lifestyle. The impact of this change needs to be considered carefully beforehand.
You may currently have a gardener coming around every week to mow your lawn and trim the bushes. If you convert the lawn to a garden, you will be caring for your fruits, herbs and vegetables. This will involve anywhere from a few hours a week, to a couple of hours a day of activity, depending on the type of garden you plant.
And, since this will be your front lawn, you will attract the attention of your neighbors. This can help create a whole new set of friends. Would you like to be the environmental ambassador for your neighborhood? Would you like to see some or all of your neighbors convert their lawns to gardens? This is one way to help make that happen.
Food Not Lawns Idea-list
This idea-list is intended to help you evaluate your options in converting your lawn into a garden. These are for your personal use, and need not be shared with anyone outside of your household if you do not wish to do so. Only the Food Not Lawns QUESTIONNAIRE needs to be shared with the group.
Looking over these items, and carefully weighing your options will aid considerably in a successful transition from a water-wasting lawn to a source of fresh and healthful food for you and your family.
Food interests
What are your favorite fruits, herbs and vegetables?
Have you had them fresh from a garden, from a Farmer’s market, or only from a grocery store?
Garden Systems
Do you want/have any automated irrigation systems? Drip system? Sprinklers? Hand watering? Some combination of these?
Do you want/have any specially built items? Cold box? Greenhouse? Etc.
Special Lighting?
Do you have a preferred construction type for special features and borders? Wood? Brick? Rocks? Other?
Do you have or want any special garden features, such as a gazebo, patio cover or lattice,
ponds or other water features?
CFNL will not be involved in constructing specialty items, but may be able to offer assistance with selection.
Garage / Tool Storage
Where will/do you store garden tools?
Food Storage
How much space do you have available?
Will you store anything else here?
Do you have a preferred location for food storage?
Do you have a freezer, canning equipment, or drying equipment?
Kitchen / Cleanup area(s)
Do you cook often?
What types of foods do you cook?
Would you like to have more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet?
How about cooking/medicinal herbs?
Lifestyle
Why do you want a home garden?
What hobbies do you have that relate to gardening?
How do you spend your time at home?
Have you had a garden before now?
If so, why did you stop having one? Moved? Too busy?
What are your biggest concerns about growing a garden?
Will you have friends, family or neighbors help in your garden?
Do you have pet? How will they work with your gardening space?
Outdoor living
Do you have a preferred style for your garden?
Rustic; Formal; Informal; English; etc.
Do you have patios or decks?
Will you eat outside?
What colors do you like/dislike in the garden?
What materials do you like/dislike in the garden?
Do you have or want a built-in grill or other special dining accessories?
Having an outdoor social area will allow you to be more engaged with your garden and be aware of its needs.
Living & Dining Area(s)
What kind of living and dining spaces do you have?
How do you use this/these room(s)?
How will having a garden change this?
Special Needs
Do you have health issues that could affect your garden activities?
Garden Design Considerations
This is a host of considerations to take into account when designing your new garden. The following items are the main issues, but each lawn is unique, so there are no hard and fast rules to follow.
1. How much sun does your yard get? Orientation relative to sun?
2. Do you have a design in mind or would you like help in designing your garden? Things to consider include the size of the proposed garden, existing trees and other plants – some to remain and others to be removed, and your particular food interests.
3. How many hours can you dedicate a day to your garden? For a busy person, simply going with fruit trees may be the best solution. If you have plenty of time, there are many choices and options available.
†
4. What kind of watering system are you considering?
††† A. Hand watering
††† B. sprinkler system
††† C. irrigation drip system
††† D. harvested rainwater
E. other
†
CFNL strongly recommends use of a drip irrigation system. They are substantially more efficient than spray systems. Harvesting rainwater can further reduce the consumption of imported water.
5. What are you planning to grow?
†† A. fruit trees
†† B. veggies
C. herbs
†† D. a combination
How much time you have will strongly influence what you can effectively grow. If you have lots of time, a full garden with a variety of types of plants is great. If you are very busy, a variety of fruit trees would probably be a better idea.
CFNL highly recommends composting most yard and garden waste materials.
6. What resources can you count on in your neighborhood? How many can be obtained for free?
†† A. help from friends the day of the lawn conversion
†† B. plants
†† C. compost
†† D. mulch: CFNL can provide free mulch for those who can pick it up at the supplier’s location.
†† E. rocks or bricks
F. tools
†† G. other
††
7. Are you planning to convert your front lawn or back lawn?†† (front lawns have priority)
8. Budget: The garden can be created very inexpensively. Sweat, equity, bartering for plants and material, free stuff, and borrowing tools can reduce costs substantially.
Example: budget lawn conversion:
rocks and bricks: free†† (rocks from craigs list, bricks I had).†
plants and trees:† $200.† maybe a bit less. (started some from seed and friends gave me plants).
mulch and compost: free (donated from Amy’s farm, must pick up).
food: $100 We cooked casseroles, and purchased beverages, CFNL brought potluck items too).
Watering system: This garden is watered by hand.
Example: moderate budget lawn conversion:
rocks and bricks: free†† (rocks from craigs list and hillsides).†
plants and trees:† $500 (started some from seed).
mulch and compost: free (donated from Amy’s farm, must pick up).
food: $500 (Food bought at local restaurants)
Watering system: $1000 (Below ground with timers, possible rebate from city).
*If you want decomposed granite, river rocks, or decorative barks we recommend Wolfinbargers in Chino 909-627-7481 for quotes.
Different ways to Remove a Lawn
Experience with recent conversions indicates very strongly that the homeowner should remove the lawn, or have it removed, before the CFNL volunteers come in to plant the new garden. Lawn removal can be exceptionally hard work when done manually, especially in hot weather. Here are several ways to remove your lawn.
1. If your front lawn is being removed CFNL recommends having the lawn removed with hired power equipment before CFNL volunteers come in to plant the new garden. You can rent a bobcat, and we know someone who can operate it for you if you would like. This option is quick and painless and avoids an eyesore in your neighborhood.
2. Sheet mulching is a very inexpensive option. You lay cardboard or thick layers of newspaper down on top of your lawn and cover it with a very thick layer of mulch. Your lawn then becomes nutrients for your garden. This method takes about 6 months. Some types of lawn are not killed this way. Nut grass can wait in your soil for years.
3. Solarize with black plastic. This method is quicker than sheet mulching, but is not very attractive.
What to Plant:
If it is available at a local nursery, it should grow in this area. However, some plants are easier to grow than others, or simply preferred by a particular gardener. CFNL members can assist in deciding what to grow. The books in the bibliography can also help, though they tend to be more general, rather than suggesting plants for our particular area.
Living With Your New Garden
Your new garden is a gift from the group and will require constant care and observation. The Food not Lawns group will be available to you for advice and support as you learn to care for your new space.
Bibliography
We suggest you read the following books before your lawn removal.
Food Not Lawns
Gaia’s Garden – A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
