The Revival Roots team (left to right) Jonathan Coppel, Ross Katen, CEO Reed Newman, Nick Bielec and Andrew Zubek can help you grow vegetables in your backyard (or apartment).
By ALISON BURMEISTER
If a resident has thought about starting a garden, but is unsure how to do it, it’s simple: call Reed Newman, CEO and Owner of Revival Roots.
Newman and his team of experts will not only help you plant the garden of your dreams, but also help you maintain and grow it.
Newman started Revival Roots six years ago, after receiving his bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the School of Agriculture at Cornell University.
He grew up in West Los Angeles and Santa Monica Canyon with his twin older siblings and his parents, Jeanne and Gary, who are in the entertainment industry.
His parents had purchased a vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, Jorian Hill.
“My interest in gardening and horticulture stemmed from my time growing up on a vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley in California’s Central Coast,” Newman said, noting that while in school, he grew interested in how people interact with the food they consume.
Back in Southern California, Newman developed Revival Roots so that it not only helps a person plan, but also cultivate their own garden.
“I really love the educational component of what we do” Newman said. With California’s temperate climate, growing a garden is possible year-round.
With a complimentary consultation, Revival Roots team of experts will show you how you can reinvent your backyard into a year-round food supply.
“Shrubs become berry bushes, ground cover becomes herbs and trees become fruit trees,” Newman said.
During the pandemic people realized they wanted independence from grocery stores. Revival Roots helped many to reinvest in their backyards.
Families grew their gardens not only for the bounty, but as a “home-school” educational experiences to share with their children.
There are a variety of reasons why someone might hire Revival Roots. Chefs are interested in sourcing the best tasting vegetables. “They are seeking flavor rather than commercial viability when creating their extra special and delicious dishes.”
When asked his favorite vegetable to grow and eat, Newman said, “Midnight Roma Tomatoes.”
But you don’t have to be a chef to enjoy the bounty that Revival Roots has to offer. Many of Newman’s clients are families or singles just looking to grow enough to feed their family or themselves.
“Many of our clients find peace in gardening and picking their own vegetables,” he said. “Some hire us because they are too busy but still want a garden of their own.”
Newman said many people contract Revival Roots to grow the specific herbs they enjoy for holiday meals or an herb particular to their ethnic culture that they can’t always find in stores.
In the past five to 10 years, more and more people are growing conscious of how and where they get their food.
Newman, who says he is 80 percent vegetarian, takes pride in the fact that his company sources all products from local vendors.
During a consultation, Revival Roots specialists will address a clients’ requests and map out plant locations that won’t change the environment of the space – and they consider water conservation with every design.
Depending on a space, they use existing planters or can build planters out of untreated redwood.
Revival Roots preserves water for clients by installing drip irrigation for plants and trees.
A specialist will help establish, maintain and deliver disease resistant, organically grown seasonal fruits and vegetables from a resident’s “backyard to table.” The company also has a live chat on its website for questions.
Revival Root offers premium seedlings.
In 2022, Newman founded Revival Roots Nursery to expand access to affordable premium seedlings. For half the price of what one would pay in a big box hardware store, and for double the quality, Revival Roots Nursery will safely ship (for free) seedlings ($4.99) anywhere in California. In less than a week you can have organically grown seasonal plants growing in a yard.
Each plant comes with a code that connects to instructions on how to best care for a plant. If you don’t have space for a garden, Newman suggests rooftops and windowsills. When asked, what was the most difficult installation he has ever done, Newman mentioned “one tricky slopped hillside.”
Another unique property he worked with was “Abbot Lofts, a community of 22 urban loft style apartments close to the beach and the gateway building to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. Developed by Tooley Interests one of the apartment amenities is access to fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs just steps from the front door.
When asked the best time to grow a garden, Newman said, “There is no better time than now.”
To order plants for delivery or learn more about Revival Roots visit: www.revivalroots.com.
Revival helps apartment residents plant fruits and vegetables in urban settings.
These raised beds are at an apartment building on Abbot Kinney.