Practical Permaculture Gardening
Level 0 (CQFW Level 3), 10 Credits.
Available Dates:
- Dates:
- No upcoming courses.
Register interest in this course...
Let us keep you up to date about when the course will run again.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Classroom at the Centre for Lifelong Learning: 8th February, 1st March, 21st June and 19th July 2013
Includes visits to Edible Landscaping Garden in Dinas Powys; Fridays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm 22nd February, 22nd March, 12th April, 26th April, 7th June and 5th July 2013
Learn how to grow food using permaculture and organic food growing techniques. Course includes: seed sowing, transplanting, potting on, natural soil management, natural pest management, weed management and more.
Topics to be covered include:
- What is a seed?
- Understanding germination
- Aids to germination: understanding seed compost, damping off, optimum watering for germination, optimum germination temperatures for different plant species
- Different seeds – why different depths?
- Practical: sowing activity in pots, modules & trays
- Practical: Making your own seed compost
- Soil – what is it?
- Understanding the soil ecosystem & soil food chain
- Aerobic / Anaerobic bacteria cycle
- The importance of mycorrhiza and its role in the soil ecosystem
- No dig systems – sheet mulching
- Composting
- Practical: sheet mulching
- Practical: composting
- Integrated Pest Management
- Natural Pest Management
- Rotating your veg groups
- Garden visit: Natural Pest Management observation exercise
- Understanding the garden as a food growing ecosystem
- Practical: outdoor sowing direct in drills, patches & single seeds
- Understanding transplanting seedlings: why prick out / pot on?
- Constituents of potting compost
- Practical: Make your own potting compost
- Practical: potting on session
- Observation exercise: what is affecting your garden?
- Planning a food garden: best places for different plants
- Perennial food plants
- Self seeders: in situ self seeding, easy germinators, using your own self seeding plants for salad cress
- Weeds: using weeds for food, fodder & forage
- Weed control techniques
- Practical: make a weed liquid fertiliser
- Practical: propagation techniques cuttings, layering.
- Our vegetables: origins of our common vegetables
- Seasonal vegetables
- Vegetables for storage
- Growing for winter: hardy species, storing vegetables
Who is this course for?
Anyone with interested in either growing their own food, or in managing a garden naturally – whatever the size.
Learning and Teaching
The course is a mixture of hands on practical sessions and the theory which lies behind the practice. Theory sessions will consist mostly of short talks with PowerPoint presentations.
Coursework and Assessment
To award credits we need to have evidence of the knowledge and skills you have gained or improved. Some of this has to be in a form that can be shown to external examiners so that we can be absolutely sure that standards are met across all courses and subjects.
The most important element of assessment is that it should enhance your learning. Our methods are designed to increase your confidence and we try very hard to devise ways of assessing you that are enjoyable and suitable for adults with busy lives.
Reading suggestions
- Whitefield, P. (1993) Permaculture In A Nutshell . Permanent Publications.
- Whitefield, P. (1997 ) How To Make A Forest Garden . Permanent Publications.
- Crawford M. (2010) Creating a Forest Garden: Working with Nature to Grow Edible Crops . Greenbooks
- Bell, G. (1994) Permaculture Garden . Harper Collins.
- French, J. (1992) The Wilderness Garden . Aird Books. (Australia)
- Fern, K. (1997) Plants For A Future . Permanent Publications.
- Hessayon D.G. (1997) The Fruit Expert . Expert.
- Larkcom, J. (2003) The Organic Salad Garden . Frances Lincoln Ltd.
- McVicar, J. (1997) Good Enough To Eat Kyle Cathie Ltd.
- Baines, C. (2000) How To Make A Wildlife Garden . Frances Lincoln Ltd.
- Crawford, M. (1998) Edible Plants For Temperate Climates . Agroforestry Research Trust.
- Kourik, R. (1986) Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally. Metamorphic P., U.S.
- Ruppenthal R.P. (2008) Fresh Food from Small Spaces . Chelsea Green Publishing Company US
- Warren P . (2008) How to Store Your Garden Produce . Greenbooks
- Stickland S. (2008) Back Garden seed Saving . Eco-Logic Books
- Toogood A. (2004) The Royal Horticultural Society Propagating Plants . Dorling Kindersley
- Brickell, C. and Joyce, D. (1996) The Royal Horticultural Society Pruning and Training. Dorling Kindersley
- The Royal Horticulture Society Encyclopaedia of Gardening
- Flowerdew, B. (2003) Bob Flowerdew’s Organic Bible: Successful Gardening the Natural Way. Kyle Cathie.
- Greenwood, P. and Halstead, A. (1997) The Royal Horticulture Society Pest and Diseases. Dorling Kindersley
The Collins Gem series for identifying:
- Wildflowers; Moths & Butterflies; Insects; Birds; Pond species; Trees
For plant identification and design aid:
- Brickell, C. (ed.) (2003) Royal Horticulture Society New Encyclopaedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley
- Bown, D. (2003) The Royal Horticulture Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley.
Magazines:
- Permaculture Magazine and Organic Gardening.
Library and Computing Facilities
As a student on this course you are entitled to join and use the University library and computing facilities. You can find out more about these facilities on our website www.cf.ac.uk/learn under Student Information, or by ringing the Centre on
(029) 2087 0000.
Accessibility of Courses
Our aim is access for all. We aim to provide a confidential advice and support service for any student with a long term medical condition, disability or specific learning difficulty. We are able to offer one-to-one advice about disability, pre-enrolment visits, liaison with tutors and co-ordinating lecturers, material in alternative formats, arrangements for accessible courses, assessment arrangements, loan equipment and Dyslexia screening. Please contact the Centre on (029) 2087 0000 for an information leaflet.
Further Information
A range of further information can be found on our web site www.cf.ac.uk/learn or in Choices. This includes the times and dates of courses and an explanation of accreditation and credit levels.