Plant a multi-species food-forest guild on the mosque grounds, Islamic Center of Southern California, 434 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020 (2026-07-17)

The single raised bed feeds the potluck but the mosque's larger side-yard grounds sit as unused turf with no standing food production at all; planting a multi-species perennial guild -- dwarf fruit trees, berry shrubs, and perennial herbs -- turns that turf into a real long-term food source for the community, feeding Ramadan iftar and the weekly potluck for years to come. Standard: Community-garden cultivation practice; SDG 2/11 Proof: before/after photos + guild-species/layout plan + planting-density log + mulch/watering-basin confirm + GPS boundary Method (USDA/SARE sustainable vegetable production + Cooperative Extension Master Gardener practices; People's Garden bed establishment. Hand-tool, DIY-safe food growing on tested/known-clean soil or raised beds., ~60-120 min): 1. Confirm the bed location inside the posting radius; record the GPS waypoint and photograph the bed before work. 2. Clear weeds and debris; loosen the top 8-12 inches with a fork/broadfork without inverting the soil profile. 3. Spread 1-2 inches of finished compost and rake the bed level. 4. Sow seeds to the depth/spacing on the packet, or set transplants at their correct depth, in labeled rows. 5. Water in gently to settle the soil around seeds/roots. 6. Apply a light straw/leaf mulch between rows to hold moisture, keeping it off seedling stems. 7. Record the crop plan, spacing, and a watering/harvest cadence for the next visit. 8. Enter crop list, GPS, before/after photos, and the care cadence into the proof record; sign. Equipment: GPS-capable phone, camera, garden fork/broadfork + hand trowel, finished compost + rake, seeds or transplants (labeled), mulch (straw/leaf), watering can or hose Done when: GPS waypoint recorded inside the posting radius; Before and after photos of the planted bed; Crops sown/transplanted at packet-correct depth and spacing, in labeled rows; Bed watered in and mulched, with a watering/harvest cadence recorded

Where

Islamic Center of Southern California, 434 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Pay

$175 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

before/after photos + guild-species/layout plan + planting-density log + mulch/watering-basin confirm + GPS boundary

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-08-17

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 45–90 minutes. Method of record: ANSI A300 Part 6 (Planting) + ISA Best Management Practices for tree planting & establishment; Arbor Day Foundation planting standard. DIY-safe volunteer planting on cleared, utility-marked ground; no mechanized or utility-conflict digging.

Bring

• GPS-capable phone
• camera
• round-point shovel + digging fork
• hand pruners
• mulch (wood chips) + measuring stick
• watering can or hose
• gloves + closed-toe boots

Steps

1. 1. Confirm the planting spot is inside the posting radius and clear of marked utilities (811 locate honored); record the GPS waypoint.
2. 2. Photograph the bare site and the nursery stock (label/species visible) before planting.
3. 3. Dig the hole 2-3x the root-ball width and no deeper than the root ball, so the root flare will sit at or just above grade.
4. 4. Remove the container or cut away burlap/wire, gently loosen circling roots, and set the tree with the root flare visible at grade.
5. 5. Backfill with the native soil in layers, firming out air pockets; do not bury the root flare or amend heavily.
6. 6. Build a shallow watering basin, water in slowly until the backfill is saturated, and apply 2-3 inches of mulch kept 3 inches off the trunk.
7. 7. Stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own; use two loose ties that allow trunk movement, and note a removal date within one year.
8. 8. Record species, GPS, before/after photos, root-flare-at-grade confirmation, mulch depth, and water applied into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Unmarked or suspected buried utility, or the 811 locate is not honored -> STOP: do not dig; reschedule after a confirmed locate.
• Root ball is dry, circling/kinked, or the trunk is wounded -> do not plant as-is; soak/correct or reject the stock and note it, rather than establish a failing tree.
• Right-of-way, overhead-line conflict, or a species/site mismatch -> flag for the site steward and choose an approved spot/species; never plant into a conflict.

What counts as done

• GPS waypoint recorded inside the posting radius on utility-cleared ground
• Before and after photos showing the root flare visible at grade
• Mulch applied 2-3 inches deep and held off the trunk, with a watering basin formed and watered in
• Species and any staking (with a removal date) recorded in the proof

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.