These events are not hosted by Wegman’s Nursery.
Garden for the Environment
Garden for the Environment (GFE) will offer the following workshops and events from August through September 2026. All will be at Garden for the Environment, San Francisco’s teaching garden, 1590 7th Avenue (at Lawton). Founded in 1990, GFE offers informative, hands-on workshops on most Saturdays that teach Bay Area residents how to grow climate-appropriate gardens and food, make compost, and conserve water. We hope you’ll join us for some of these terrific learning opportunities – we’re excited to have you in the garden!
NOTE: Our new greenhouse and storage facilities look great! Stop by the garden to check them out.
We will be closed for garden activities on Saturday, September 5th in observance of Labor Day.
For more information, visit our website at www.gardenfortheenvironment.org.
UPCOMING VOLUNTEER DAYS AND WORKSHOPS:
Educational Volunteer Hours
When: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am - 3pm
Cost: Free
Registration required! Register at bit.ly/gfevolunteershifts
Join us in the garden on Wednesdays and Saturdays to help with garden maintenance tasks. You’ll work alongside staff and fellow volunteers on a range of activities like composting, vegetable planting and harvesting, pruning, and weeding. The best way to learn is by doing, and we promise you’ll learn a lot working in the garden with us. Bring lunch and picnic with us at noon!
* Bring your own gardening gloves. See additional requirements on the registration page.
Urban Composting
When: Saturday, August 1, 10am - 12pm (You can also register for additional dates in 2026!)
Cost: Free
Registration required! bit.ly/gfecompost26
Learn how to make your very own compost! The backbone of every healthy garden, compost improves all soil types and can be the difference between success and failure with many plants. In this class, we will teach you how to make compost in your backyard, and introduce you to our worms that make their own special fertilizer. We will also give you tips on using your city compost bin. Come learn what you can do to improve your garden and prevent organic waste from ending up in the landfill.
Growing a Garden: Where to Start
When: Saturday, August 8, 10am - 12pm (You can also register for additional dates in 2026!)
Cost: Reduced: $25; Regular: $40; Full: $55
Register: bit.ly/gfegrowingagarden26
Do you have a space that you would like to turn into a garden but don’t know where to start? This class is perfect for beginner gardeners or anyone looking for a refresher. We will guide you through the steps to transform your yard into a beautiful garden, including maintenance tips and where to find support and resources. We will also include information and advice on container gardening. This workshop will focus on working with nature, observing your space, and demystifying San Francisco's unique microclimate. With your newfound knowledge, you'll be able to create a manageable garden that aligns with the space you have. Bring your questions!
Please note that this workshop focuses on perennial plant gardening, NOT edible food growing. If you are interested in learning about edible plant growing, please register for one of our Grow Your Own Food workshops.
Native San Francisco Plant Seed Saving – SPECIAL REDUCED PRICE!
When: Saturday, August 22nd, 1 - 3pm
Cost: $10
Register: bit.ly/gfenativeseedsaving26
Learn methods of San Francisco native seed collection, processing, and saving from local experts in this engaging hands-on workshop!
Learn how to collect, clean and store seeds from California native plants during prime summer seed collection season. Join us at Garden for the Environment to scour native plant gardens for ripe seed. We will learn how to identify when a seed is ripe, the best way to collect each species and proper seed cleaning and storing techniques. This hands-on workshop will be fun, informative and rejuvenating.
GFE’s three-month Gardening and Composting Educator Training Program (Get Up!)
When: September 12th - December 12th, Saturdays (10am - 3pm) and select Thursdays (6:30 - 9pm)
Where: GFE; Thursday venue TBA; Zoom (some Thursday nights)
Cost: $450 - $600 sliding scale. We have several $200 course fee opportunities
To apply: (Applications due Friday, August 14th): bit.ly/GFEGetUp
Our Gardening and Composting Educator Training Program (Get Up!) is an intensive three-month program that teaches a cohort of aspiring adult environmental leaders the fundamentals of regenerative gardening and urban agriculture. No gardening experience required!
Get Up! provides:
- Skills essential to organic gardening, regenerative landscaping, composting, and urban agriculture
- An understanding of the connections between gardening, social justice, and climate change, particularly as they relate to the Bay Area
- Familiarity with many local urban gardening organizations and the possibility of collaborating with them
- The skills and knowledge needed to complete a gardening-related service project and successfully co-teach a two-hour composting class at GFE following the completion of Get Up! coursework (course requirements)
- A supportive community including a network of peers and garden professionals working towards climate resilience
Urban Composting
When: Saturday, September 12th, 10am - 12pm (You can also register for additional dates in 2026!)
Cost: Free!
Register: bit.ly/gfecompost26
Grow Your Own Food
When: Saturday, September 19th, 10am - 12pm (You can also register for additional dates in 2026!)
Cost: Reduced: $25; Regular: $40; Full: $55
Register: bit.ly/gfegrowfood26
Learn to take full advantage of the unique gardening climate in San Francisco, where you can grow your own fruits and vegetables year-round! Join us throughout the seasons for our Grow Your Own Food workshop. In September, you'll learn how to prepare your garden for the cool and rainy season and harvest the fruits of your summer garden.
Beginning Beekeeping: Bees in Winter and Preparing to Beekeep Next Year
When: Saturday, September 19th, 1 – 3pm
Cost: Reduced: $25; Regular: $40; Full: $55
Register: bit.ly/gfewinterbees26
Whether you're already keeping bees or simply curious about what beekeeping involves, there will be something for you in this workshop. We'll cover some basics on bees, the progress of them through the seasons, and what to expect as colonies prepare for the chillier, darker days of winter. We'll also outline how you can prepare for beekeeping in 2026 if you plan to start your own hive.
The class is designed for beginners so no prerequisite knowledge is required. You will be able to view bees in an observation hive during the workshop.
Ancient and Wise: San Francisco Native Herbs
When: Saturday, September 26th, 10am – 12pm
Cost: Reduced: $50; Regular: $67; Full: $80
Register: bit.ly/gfesfnativeherbs26
Dive into the wisdom of local native plants in this hands-on workshop. First, we will take a garden tour with a focus on the plants that have grown on this foggy peninsula since time immemorial.
Then we will learn the principles of the honorable harvest and practice using our ancient and wise green neighbors in common herbal preparations such as tea, infused oil, syrup, and more. Roll up your sleeves and join us in the garden for an afternoon of learning and fun. Bonnie will lead you on making elderberry syrup and infused oil that you'll get to take home with you!
What is Honorable Harvest? The Honorable Harvest is a collection of principles and practices that inform the way harvests are done in a respectful way, taking into consideration the energy and exchange of life.