Free Organic Gardening Webinar For Alameda Thursday

ALAMEDA, CA — Alameda County's Clean Water Program — designed to protect our creeks, wetlands and the Bay — will hold a free webinar on Thursday to help Alameda gardeners manage weeds without the use of toxic herbicides.

Lawns, flower beds, gardens, and even sidewalks are sprouting weeds following abundant rain in October and December. You will learn "organic, eco-friendly techniques for safe and effective weed management."

According to organizers, it's important to take action now to ensure fewer weeds for the rest of the year.

It will have two speakers, Charlotte Canner and Suzanne Bontempo, who will give advice especially for Alameda County.

Register now for the free webinar, which will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursday.

If you cannot make the session, look for Clean Water Programs on their YouTube channel. Monthly organic gardening talks will continue through June, so check back frequently.

Suzanne Bontempo is the program manager at Our Water, Our World. She works as an environmental educator, teaching the principles of Integrated Pest Management for sustainable, eco-friendly pest management around the home and garden. Bontempo is also the owner of Plant Harmony. She has worked as a professional gardener for over 25 years.

Charlotte Canner graduated from the Garden for the Environment's Get Up! program in San Francisco in 2015 and has continued learning and gardening ever since. She works as an Integrated Pest Management Advocate with the Our Water, Our World program and as a compost educator. As an environmental activist, Charlotte loves sharing her knowledge and passion for soil health, regenerative gardening practices, and building healthy, diverse ecosystems. Her blog is Earth Ally.

The Clean Water Program includes the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro and Union City, the County of Alameda, the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and the Zone 7 Water Agency.