Grow Your Own workshops 2024

Our Grow Your Own series is back for 2024! Get hands on experience in a commercial market garden practicing organic, no-dig growing techniques and pick the brains of a professional. 

Contact Amelia to book your place on amelia@realfoodgarden.co.uk or call 07725857637

Lead by Head Grower and designer, Amelia Lake, these workshops are aimed at both beginners and experienced gardeners. Each workshop will include a full tour of the Real Food Garden and provide you with the skills and knowledge to create an abundant veggie plot, focusing on the different requirements in each season. The workshops will include hands on experience and will cover:

Grow Your Own – Spring Sunday 24th March 2024

This session focuses on setting up your veg plot, understanding your site, planning your cropping and how to get started. The session will cover:

• No-dig gardening methods – how you can have lots of veggies and never dig again!
• Organic growing – the principles and practices of growing organic veggies
• Know your soil and site – soil science made fun. Bring a sample and get to know your soil and site
• Rotation – understand this key element of growing veggies
• Vegetable families – know your veg and what they need to thrive
• Seed sowing – opportunity to look at different methods and have a go yourself
• Planning your plot – take time to reflect on your plot and get advice

Grow Your Own – Summer Sunday 23rd June 2024

This session focuses on making the most of your established veggie plot, knowing your plants and soil and keeping weeds and pests at bay so your veggies can thrive. The session will cover:

• No-dig gardening methods – get this innovative gardening approach explained and see it in action
• Fertility and soils – understand soil nutrients and how to make compost and compost teas
• Plant health – spotting the signs, knowing what to look for
• Pest control – how to keep pests at bay
• Weed control – know your nemesis! Different methods and when to use them
• Crop protection – what to use, when and why
• Tool choice, use and care – some key pieces of kit to help you out and how to look after them
• Successional growing – making sure you have lots of veg all year round
• Planning for winter – acting in summer for a winter harvest

Grow Your Own – Autumn Sunday 22nd September 2024

This final workshop is focused on refining your growing skills, getting ready for winter, conserving soil, saving seed, ensuring a winter abundance and using greenhouses and polytunnels to their best.

• No-dig gardening methods – get this innovative gardening approach explained and see it in action
• Autumn veggies – the keys to success with autumn veggies
• Polytunnels, greenhouses and coldframes – make the most of them
• Preserving the abundance – storing your veg successfully and healthily
• Seed saving – simple seed saving and storing methods to save you money. Seeds to take home
• Soil care & green manures – what soil needs from us at this time of year and preparing for next season
• Winter crops – how to keep the veg coming in the dark months
• Preparing for winter – using covers, controlling pests and setting down for winter

Each workshop is £65 and can work as stand alone courses but work best together, a £10 discount is applied on booking all three. Tea and tasters from garden will be available.

Contact Amelia to book your place on amelia@realfoodgarden.co.uk or call 07725857637