As part of our National Allotment Week celebration we are offering a very reasonably priced day course for allotment beginners, which will take place on Sunday 20 August at the Summer Vegetable Weekend, Barnsdale Gardens, the Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH
Suitable for novice growers of fruit and vegetables, this course is delivered by our horticultural expert Mike Thurlow and will give you an overview of the basic knowledge that you need to get started on your plot, or even improve your yield if you have been struggling.
Sunday 20th August 2017
Workshop timetable 10.00 am – 3.30 pm
‘Starting Your Allotment’
10.00 – 10.15, Arrival. Register, coffee and biscuits; lunch is not provided but can be pre-ordered from the Barnsdale Garden’s Tea rooms
10.15 – 10.45, Site Assessment. Water supply, Aspect, Soil, Climate, Access, Buildings, Trees, Hedges, Fences. Security.
10.45 – 11.15, Planning your Plot. Taking into account the above; planning crops, summer, AYR. Avoiding gluts and famines. Harvesting and storing. Containers and raised beds.
11.15 – 11.30, Break
11.30 – 12.00, Cultivations. How to care for the soil, building and maintaining soil’s structure and fertility. Choice of method to use. Dig or No-dig. Organic or Non- organic.
12.00 – 12.30, Visit to Barnsdale’s own Allotment
12.30 – 1.30, LUNCH
1.30 – 2.00, Plant raising. Seeds. Composts. Seed sowing indoors and in the open ground. Growing on, planting out and aftercare.
2.00 – 2.30, Pest & Disease control. Organic or Non – organic. Chemical. Physical –nets and barriers. Bio-logical controls. IPM; Integrated Pest Management. Growing resistant plants.
2.30 – 3.00, Fruit & Veg on the Allotment. Soft fruit, top fruit. Methods of training. Space required for top fruit.
3.00 – 3.30, Open Session. Questions and answers.
3.30, FINISH
£20 pp - Email diane@nsalg.org.uk to book
