December watering at La Esquinita

[Jennifer Toy]

Hey waterers, 

We planted 150 plants and sowed a new wildflower plot last weekend. BUT Mother Nature is showing sunny skies for a few weeks out. Long range forecasting doesn’t look like rain till around Dec 24-25 Christmas. 

If folks are around I’d like to get everything watered 3-4 times before Xmas. 

#1 Is anyone able to come by Th or Friday this week? 
#2 Early-mid next week? 

#3 End of next week? 

#4 right before Xmas

Pls add yourself to the sign up sheet and email this list with the date and time you’re planning to go. With all the plants, it will be most efficient to run all 3 hose reels at the same time to get the different parts of the park. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18rOS7SArqnQhjrvnYz9bSJnh1mRnVWqElmPL8Gab4dM/edit?usp=drivesdk

Staff from La Esquinita, LA works and Test Plot can help support too. The hose reels and key remain in the MRCA patio so you’ll need to ask for Jimmy to unlock them per usual. 

HUGE Thanks, 

Jen, Jordan, Vanessa, Linet, Lance 

PS. Feel free to call me if you have any questions: 617 939 6410

Jen Toy

e  j...@testplot.info

w  testplot.info

s  @test_plot

USC faculty bio

Test Plot is a California based 501(c)(3)

[Amanda Luansing]

Hi all! I'm free to water tomorrow or Friday, early morning, around 7 or 8 am

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Address: Los Angeles Center River and Gardens, 570 W Ave 26, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
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--

Kind regards,

Amanda Luansing

amandaluansing.com

[Amanda Luansing]

Hey y'all! I watered this morning  (8a-12p) — things are looking pretty good!

The good: 

• Seedlings spotted in the new wildflower plot 🌱
• A few monkeyflower blooms
• There's a swallowtail butterfly that keeps visiting :)
• A few of the newly planted plants in the center plot had come out of their volcano/roots showing, so I readjusted them deeper in the soil. I made sure not to disturb the plants too much when watering, especially the grasses.

The not-so-good:

• Two of the shrubs/trees in the plot furthest north aren't doing well, but I still watered them (or maybe they're just dormant? Sorry, I forgot to take photos of them.)
• I think we've lost rubber gaskets on some of the spray nozzles — so there was a lot of leakage, but I tried to channel it back to the soil. 

Hope you all have a lovely rest of the week,

Amanda

On Wed, Dec 10, 2025 at 12:07 PM Jennifer Toy <j...@testplot.info> wrote:

--
Address: Los Angeles Center River and Gardens, 570 W Ave 26, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
---
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To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to la-esquinita-volu...@testplot.info.
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[Jordan Gonzales]

Thank you Amanda! This is super helpful info and excited to hear the new wildflower plot is already sprouting!

-- jordan

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/testplot.info/d/msgid/la-esquinita-volunteers/CAPL4W%2BcBpMrAB4Rkam_oLi5x5wyfWNzqcHXuOHyGgTgts3Hapw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Anthea Raymond]

Let me know what is helpful. I am around

  

J.D. - M.B.A.

323-388-7207

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/testplot.info/d/msgid/la-esquinita-volunteers/CAFp8u8UnEnOsJ4AE%3DZTnv8MvjMu1mfq2f5b5w8Ed6kykFk7t0w%40mail.gmail.com.

[Vanessa Alonzo]

Hi all,

I bought two buckets to help us water, they will be in the tool box. There was a water leak on the other side of River Center so the water is currently turned off but will be back on Thursday. I'll let you know if anything changes.

The tree was watered and the seedlings are looking good 🙂

Additionally, if anyone took any water keys home, please bring them back. We currently only have one.

Thank you,

Vanessa Alonzo

Project Manager for Park Development

vanessa...@mrca.ca.gov

(323) 221-9944 ext 191

 

 

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From: Anthea Raymond <anthea....@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:31 PM
To: Jordan Gonzales <jor...@mujeresdelatierra.org>
Cc: Amanda Luansing <amandal...@gmail.com>; Jennifer Toy <j...@testplot.info>; la-esquinit...@testplot.info <la-esquinit...@testplot.info>; Andre Grospe <an...@testplot.info>
Subject: Re: December watering at La Esquinita

 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/testplot.info/d/msgid/la-esquinita-volunteers/CA%2BJLawT7-YhM2OwT6HyRXVmgVYuPYa6wssDSsswJdbFWa_iizg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jordan Gonzales]

Thanks Vanessa

Moving forward, please use my personal phone # for any texts/calls! 213-640-2137

[Amanda Luansing]

Hi all,

Hope all is well! Does there need to be watering this week? Seeing 12/17 on the spreadsheet as the last watering day. I’m available early Friday (1/23) morning to water.

~ Amanda

On Dec 16, 2025, at 12:03 PM, Jordan Gonzales <jor...@mujeresdelatierra.org> wrote:



[Amanda Luansing]

I forgot there's a volunteer day on Saturday! I'm assuming there will be watering then?

[Vanessa Alonzo]

Hi Amanda, 

Thanks for checking! We will water on Saturday. There's also a chance of rain today, so we'll be good for now. 

Hope to see you Saturday!

Thank you,

Vanessa Alonzo

Project Manager for Park Development

vanessa...@mrca.ca.gov

(323) 221-9944 ext 191

---

From: Amanda Luansing <amandal...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 10:29:15 PM
To: Jordan Gonzales <jor...@mujeresdelatierra.org>
Cc: Vanessa Alonzo <vanessa...@mrca.ca.gov>; Anthea Raymond <anthea....@gmail.com>; Jennifer Toy <j...@testplot.info>; la-esquinit...@testplot.info <la-esquinit...@testplot.info>; Andre Grospe <an...@testplot.info>

[Andre Grospe]

Hi all, 

We had a great workday this past weekend, but could use some additional watering esp since we're not getting rain any time soon.

Sketch below shows the areas that could use some more attention. Jordan and volunteers thoroughly got the rock beds, pollinator mound, and part of the long beds watered. New plots that we planted Dec '25 also got good waterings.

The areas circled in red were partially watered and could take more. The orange and blue areas were not watered at all. The blue areas could use some extra attention as they are the newly seeded areas and are either freshly seeded or are starting to dry out! If possible, we should water these seeded areas every few days.

Best,

AG 

 

  

---

From: Vanessa Alonzo <vanessa...@mrca.ca.gov>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2026 8:26 AM
To: Amanda Luansing <amandal...@gmail.com>; Jordan Gonzales <jor...@mujeresdelatierra.org>
Cc: Anthea Raymond <anthea....@gmail.com>; Jennifer Toy <j...@testplot.info>; la-esquinit...@testplot.info <la-esquinit...@testplot.info>; Andre Grospe <an...@testplot.info>

[Amanda Luansing]

Thanks for this update, Andre! I could come by to water tomorrow or next week (M-F) — pretty much any time, but morning preferred. If anyone else wants to water, let's set up a date and time 🌱

~ Amanda

[Isabel Linet Perez]

Hi Amanda!

Just wanted to check if you came to water at La Esquinita on 1/29/26

If not, is anyone available to water this Saturday AM 1/7/26 

Linet

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/testplot.info/d/msgid/la-esquinita-volunteers/CAPL4W%2BcyU0-%3DnQPbmdnq87YitBYXG59fQdEhjpvKdAipt_1NYw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jen Toy]

I echo Linet - it's been super dry and we could really use watering ASAP if nothing has been watered since 1/24. 

The seedlings, esp, need to be kept moist so it would be ideal to water them every few days. 

For the rest of the plants, you can assume 5 gallons of water every month (if it doesn't rain). For a visual that's one home depot bucket. 

Thank you La Esquinita volunteers! 

[Amanda Luansing]

Hi! I wasn’t able to water today unfortunately. But I will come by early tomorrow morning to water. :)

On Feb 2, 2026, at 1:48 PM, Jen Toy <j...@testplot.info> wrote:



I echo Linet - it's been super dry and we could really use watering ASAP if nothing has been watered since 1/24. 

The seedlings, esp, need to be kept moist so it would be ideal to water them every few days. 

For the rest of the plants, you can assume 5 gallons of water every month (if it doesn't rain). For a visual that's one home depot bucket. 

Thank you La Esquinita volunteers! 

On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 12:37 PM Isabel Linet Perez <isabel...@mujeresdelatierra.org> wrote:

Hi Amanda!

Just wanted to check if you came to water at La Esquinita on 1/29/26

If not, is anyone available to water this Saturday AM 1/7/26 

Linet

On Wed, Jan 28, 2026 at 1:45 PM Amanda Luansing <amandal...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for this update, Andre! I could come by to water tomorrow or next week (M-F) — pretty much any time, but morning preferred. If anyone else wants to water, let's set up a date and time 🌱

~ Amanda

On Wed, Jan 28, 2026 at 12:31 PM Andre Grospe <an...@testplot.info> wrote:

Hi all, 

We had a great workday this past weekend, but could use some additional watering esp since we're not getting rain any time soon.

Sketch below shows the areas that could use some more attention. Jordan and volunteers thoroughly got the rock beds, pollinator mound, and part of the long beds watered. New plots that we planted Dec '25 also got good waterings.

The areas circled in red were partially watered and could take more. The orange and blue areas were not watered at all. The blue areas could use some extra attention as they are the newly seeded areas and are either freshly seeded or are starting to dry out! If possible, we should water these seeded areas every few days.

Best,

AG 

 

<image.png>

[Jen Toy]

Thank you Amanda! I hope someone can join you. Priority is newly seeded / planted areas. 

[Amanda Luansing]

Hi all,

I watered this morning from 8-12ish. Spent most of the time giving the newly seeded and planted areas a good soak, and then watered all the other areas as well except for the section with sages and cacti, and the agaves. 

Everything is looking good :) I did find some mites (?) and ants on the newly planted showy penstemon (photo attached). However the plant looks ok.

Some photos from today, have a great week yall!

~ Amanda

The showy penstemon:

On Feb 2, 2026, at 4:49 PM, Jen Toy <j...@testplot.info> wrote: