Growing for the Kitchen with Will Livingstone @willgrow

Skills, techniques and guidance for growing fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs. This workshop is for beginners and keen amateurs. It is a food-lovers’ how-to, with the aim to fill your kitchen and enhance your recipes with produce you’ve grown yourself. Covering all aspects of growing your own, from choosing the right space and striking ground, to propagation, planting and maintenance. We’ll spend time in a traditional kitchen garden and a production garden, plus the greenhouse and polytunnel, and learn how the no-dig beds are an effective alternative to conventional growing (though we’ll also be covering conventional methods, for those choosing that path). You’ll leave feeling inspired to start your own veg patch, no matter what size you have to work with.

Outline Agenda –  this may vary according to the weather and season

10.00 am – Coffee and introductions

10.30 am – A bit of theory. Why grow your own? Choosing a site. What you’ll need. Get to know your soil. 

11.30 am – Outside. Propagation - Seed sowing demo. Greenhouse management. Crop rotation. Harvest for demo and lunch. 

1.00pm – Chef demo and lunch 

2.30pm – Outside. No-dig vs Conventional. Composting. Fruit.

3.30pm – Theory. Top 5 – quick/catch croppers, companion plants. Organic practises. Common pests and problems.

4.00pm – 4.30pm Finish

Weather: This course will continue in the event of bad weather. Please dress accordingly and you might also want to bring some sturdy shoes or boots. 

Timing: 10am to 4pm 

Cost: £125 

Dates: Thursday 24 June / Thursday 15 July / Thursday 12 August / Thursday 9 September