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Gardening Essentials Month by Month
Saturday Sessions
Plant Propagation Through the Year on a Tuesday
A “hands in the dirt” course
Events
Plenty Permaculture: Crop Management
This workshop is part of the Garden Essentials workshop series.
Crop management
During this last session of the course, we bring it all together for a holistic overview of managing production on the land. Combining our deeper understanding of soils, pests and diseases, and propagation with the needs of our specific crop, this is the part where students can really start to feel like confident gardeners and demonstrate how they would deal effectively with different scenarios. This session allows students to consider a specific crop, in combination with their land situation and make a specific plan for propagation, growing, harvesting and caring for the crop through all of its stages of growth.
Saturday 5th May 2021: 9.30am – 2.30pm
Register for this workshop and other Garden Essentials workshops here
Plant Diseases
Description: When plants are sick or being attacked it can be devastating for a grower. During this day, we cover how to be a super sleuth to identify the cause of the problem, evaluate what actions should be taken and a range of organic pest and disease management strategies are provided. You will be introduced to the theory of the economic threshold to take action which can save you both time and money. During these sessions we will be on the hunt for bugs to view under the USB microscopes. Kazel brings her expertise from being a Crop Monitor to the class, with strategies for both commercial and home garden situations.
Saturday 10 April 2021 9.30am – 2.30pm
Propagation – Autumn Semi-Hardwood
This workshop is part of the Garden Essentials workshop series.
Propagation
This is a “hands in the dirt” course, with a theory session followed by putting it into practice. There will be a lot of plant material after each class to share, take home and start growing.
We find this course is best delivered over four sessions, one each season. In Winter, we do the “hardwood” cuttings: grape, plum, fig, hydrangea, blueberry, currant and the like. In Spring, we’ll look at seed raising: seed saving, seed raising mix, germination, and appropriate containers. Summer, is the best time to collect and root “soft” cuttings (sage, salvias, scented geraniums) and some “semi-hardwood” cuttings (lavender, rosemary, Chilean guava). Once we get to Autumn, we are dividing of plants like rhubarb, comfrey, mint, thyme and berry canes, with more “semi-hardwood cuttings.”
Tree propagation will also be covered. You’ll learn about grafting theory and get practical experience using a grafting tool; rootstock production of apple and quince; how to grow rootstocks by mound layering; and how peaches and plums can be grown from seeds.
Saturday 21 March 2020 from 9.30am to 2.30pm
Register for this workshop and other Garden Essentials workshops here
Painting Night: Mount Maunganui
Would you love to be an artist ? This is your opportunity !
Create a beautiful painting with art markers amongst a small group of like-minded people.
All materials will be provided : Paper and art markers
Place : 13E Sagewood Road. Whakamarama, Tauranga
Date and time : Friday 19th of March from 5.30 to 9.30 pm
Price : 90 dollars per person
Conditions : Places are limited – Payment in advance.
Summer Fruit Tree Pruning
This workshop is part of the Plenty Permaculture Garden Essentials workshop series.
Summer pruning follows hot on the heels of the summer fruit season, and is typically the best time to prune plums and peaches which are susceptible to winter diseases. We will review the techniques and theories covered in winter and you will have an opportunity to see the orchard in full flush, taste some of the heritage apples you pruned earlier in the year, and practice your pruning. We will also look at how to prune evergreen fruit trees including citrus, feijoa and avocado.
Saturday 13 March 2021
Register for this workshop and other Garden Essentials workshops here >>
Companion Planting, plants for bird and insect retention
This workshop is part of the Garden Essentials workshop series.
The benefits of biodiversity are explored in this creative and fun day, where you will gain a deeper understanding of different plant families and how they interact. The rich resources provided will give you the ability to quickly plan either a garden or a shelterbelt to attract native birds and insects. We will play with crop rotations to demonstrate how simple it is to plan a combined garden, but also look at the science that supports growing multiple species for plant and soil health. This is a busy day with a lot of information so be prepared to do some pre-reading and video watching so we can hit the ground running.
Saturday 27 Feb 2021: 9.30am – 2.30pm
Register for this workshop and other Garden Essentials workshops here
Painting Night “Coloured Flowers”
Would you love to be an artist ? This is your opportunity !
Create a beautiful painting with art markers amongst a small group of like-minded people.
All materials will be provided : Paper and art markers
Place : 13E Sagewood Road. Whakamarama, Tauranga
Date and time : Friday 19th of February from 6.00 to 9.00 pm
Price : 80 dollars per person
Conditions : Places are limited – Payment in advance.
Pests & Diseases
This workshop is part of the Garden Essentials workshop series.
When plants are sick or being attacked it can be devastating for a grower. During these two days, we cover how to be a super sleuth to identify the cause of the problem, evaluate what actions should be taken and a range of organic pest and disease management strategies are provided. You will be introduced to the theory of the economic threshold to take action which can save you both time and money. During these sessions we will be on the hunt for bugs to view under the USB microscopes. Kazel brings her expertise from being a Crop Monitor to the class, with strategies for both commercial and home garden situations.
Saturday 13th February 2020
Register for this workshop and other Garden Essentials workshops here
Painting Night ” Your Last Fishing”
Would you love to be an artist ? This is your opportunity ! Create a beautiful acrylic painting amongst a small group of like-minded people.
Place : 13E Sagewood Road, Whakamarama, Tauranga
Date and time : Friday 22nd of January 2021 from 6.00 to 9.00 pm
Price : 60 dollars per person
Conditions : Places are limited – Payment in advance.