Workshop Outline: 10 week Practical Vegetable Gardening
Applying practical Permaculture techniques to an urban growing space
Every Saturday May 4th 2013, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Venue
Stepney City Farm, Stepney Way, London E1 3DG
Closest Tube: Stepney Green
Click here to see where we are on the map!
Course tutor
Simon White has been managing and teaching sustainable growing techniques, permaculture and
solar in both the UK and Africa for the last four years, and has run ecological food production
programmes at several small farms. He likes to make organic fertilizer, grow mushrooms, build
solar panels and experiment with different sustainable food techniques.
What will the course cover?
The course will teach all about mixed vegetable gardening, the theory and application of
permaculture design and cover many different clever sustainable gardening techniques to maximise
the amount of vegetables you can get from a space. Each session will be roughly half theory and
half practical, with different aspects of design covered every week. By the end of the course we will
have a completed a finished permaculture design, and learnt many different techniques, from
advanced skills to basic gardening techniques.
Each week can be done individually, or as part of the course.
The course will cover the following:
• Session 1: Permaculture Principles – 4th May 2013
Permaculture involves the study of nature cycles, and how we can use these natural cycles to
improve our crops, by working with nature rather than against it. A good example of this is
observing that ladybirds like living on stinging nettles, and ladybirds eat aphids, a pest of beans. So
by planting beans next to stinging nettles, we use the existing predators of an area to ensure our
beans are pest free, easily and organically.
Permaculture is a great foundation for successful sustainable gardening. This first session is an
introduction to the principles of permaculture, and how you can use these in the garden. We will
also cover basic seed sowing techniques.
• Session 2: Surveying the Garden – 11th May 2013
Following on from session 1, one of the most important factors when planning a garden is seeing
what is already there – what the soil is like, where the sun is, how animals and insects use the area,
interactions with neighbouring areas etc. This session will give you all the tools you need to assess
an area for a garden, to work out what will go best, and where, and how to make a base map.
• Session 3: Using Weeds as Soil Indicators – 18th May 2013
Ever wondered why there are so many of a particular kind of weed in a garden, path or field? Weeds
can be a great indicator as to what minerals your soil is rich in, what it lacks, its consistency and its
PH. By learning about the common weeds of London, you can understand how best to use this
patch of land, and substitute the weeds for more useful plants that can out-compete the weeds! We
will also learn the best techniques to transplant young plants and seedlings.
• Session 4: Soil Restoration and Preperation – 25th May 2013
Learn how to restore and prepare a piece of derelict land into a fertile space on Stepney City Farm.
Learn about the simplest and most ecological ways of clearing land, and bringing it back to healthy
soil, perfect for growing vegetables and fruit on in no time.
• Session 5: Growing in Tiny Spaces – 1st June 2013
Most of us in London grow in pretty small spaces. This workshop is packed full of lots of
innovative ideas to make the most out of a small space, and get more productivity and beauty out of
a small space.
• Session 6: Companion Planting & Plants to grow with a Garden – 8th June 2013
For this session we will be looking at interactions between different vegetables, which go well
together (giving such advantages of pest resistance or giving nutrients to their neighbours) and
which don't (some plants encourage pests towards your veg!). We will also look at plant families,
what these tell us about our garden, and which plants will be good to plant alongside a garden to
help out our edibles.
• Session 7: Gardening for wildlife you want and wildlife you don't – 15th June 2013
Animals and insects can be a gardeners best friend, or worst nightmare. If you have a good balance
of the right wildlife in your garden they will keep your plants fertile and pest free – if you get it
wrong you can easily find all of your veg gone to birds or slugs. This workshop is designed to teach
you what to plant to encourage all of the beneficial helpers into your garden, and keep the nasties at
bay!
• Session 8: Growing food in Shady Spaces – 22nd June 2013
Most of us have a shady area in our garden, sometimes covering the whole garden! These areas are
typically underused and unproductive, but with some careful consideration and planning these can
be just as productive as the sunny areas. This session includes lots of techniques and shade tolerant
varieties to make the most of these often neglected areas.
• Session 9: Making your own Organic Fertilizer – 29th June 2013
This session is designed for those gardening or wanting to garden without the use of artificial
fertilisers, but still getting big healthy veg by making your own ecologically balanced fertilisers!
This includes a basic analysis of what nutrition plants for high productivity, and how we can
provide them. There will be two practical sessions – making fertiliser from weeds, and making
actively aerated compost tea (biobrew).
• Session 10: How to extend the growing season with a hotbed – 6th July 2013
Ever wondered how to extend the growing season outside, to help your veg go that little bit longer?
Or how to keep the ground warmer in early spring to ensure your seedlings have the best chance? A
hotbed could be the answer! Its a compost powered hot vegetable growing bed, that is
environmentally great and helps keep things warm. Come to this session to find out more, and make
one together at Stepney City Farm.
Who is the course for?
The course is open to anyone over the age of 16 and no prior knowledge is necessary.
The practical elements involve some gardening tasks – digging, planting, etc. Participants are more
than welcome to attend and watch if they are unable to do the more physical tasks.
Stepney City Farm is committed to meeting the needs of participants with physical and mental
disabilities. If you have any issues which you feel may affect your ability participate in or attend
this course, please contact us to discuss them prior to booking.
What you will need to bring
• A waterproof coat
• Sturdy outdoor footwear
• Pens and a notebook
Learning methods and outcomes
A discussion about the basics of mushroom biology followed by talks, presentations, and guided
practical hands-on experience about aspects of mushroom cultivation on logs. By the end of the day
participants will have an inoculated log and the information and skills necessary to cultivate two
types of mushrooms on logs.
What does this course not lead on to?
This short specialist course is not part of a wider syllabus and is not accredited and does not lead on
directly to any other courses, although can be of benefit alongside a Permaculture Design Course
(PDC)
Fees
£25 per session, £200 whole course
Fees include tuition, refreshments, handouts, information sheets and email advice.
A limited number of free places will be provided for people who are long term unemployed. contact
[email protected] for details.
Booking
Booking is essential as some of our courses/events will fully booked weeks in advance, and can be
done on www.stepneycityfarm.org, or by calling 02077908204. However if places are still available
then reservations can be made until 4pm the day before the course/event.