Seed saving: why not? A first timer finds saved seed adapts to her own garden, germinates readily and is generally thrifty. Here’s an introduction in the Guardian, with videos. More advice on our Seed Saving page.
Composting Resources
* an excellent booklet on home composting by Nicky Scott can be downloaded free from http://dccn.typepad.com/home_compostingpage/, (you want Comp4All), or £2 hard copy ordered from https://www.greenbooks.co.uk/composting-for-all
* same site has schools composting, lots of downloads - http://dccn.typepad.com/school_compostingpage/
* Nicky Scott also has a hard copy book, £10, at http://www.greenbooks.co.uk/Book/120/How-to-Make-and-Use-Compost.html
* Green Guides: Compost, by Rachelle Strauss, reviewed at http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/gardening-book-reviews/green-guides-compost.htm and available from The Works, at £3 plus p+p - http://www.theworks.co.uk/p/gardening-books/compost/9781783617197
* an excellent booklet on home composting by Nicky Scott can be downloaded free from http://dccn.typepad.com/home_compostingpage/, (you want Comp4All), or £2 hard copy ordered from https://www.greenbooks.co.uk/composting-for-all
* same site has schools composting, lots of downloads - http://dccn.typepad.com/school_compostingpage/
* Nicky Scott also has a hard copy book, £10, at http://www.greenbooks.co.uk/Book/120/How-to-Make-and-Use-Compost.html
* Green Guides: Compost, by Rachelle Strauss, reviewed at http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/gardening-book-reviews/green-guides-compost.htm and available from The Works, at £3 plus p+p - http://www.theworks.co.uk/p/gardening-books/compost/9781783617197
Composting at the Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
Compost books, Criw Compostio’s library
Key to the Earthworms of the UK and Ireland, Emma Sherlock, FSC
Comfrey for Gardeners, Garden Organic
Liquid Gold, the logic and lore of using urine to grow plants
The Little Book of Compost, Allan Shepherd
The Science of Compost, Julian Doberski
Compost Teas for the organic grower, Eric Fisher
How to Make and Use Compost, Nicky Scott
Cool Composting: a fresh approach, CAT factsheet
A Guide to Home Composting, The Organic Centre
How to Make Soil and Save Earth, Allan Sheperd
Worms Eat My Garbage, Mary Appelhof. How to set up and maintain a worm composting system.
Earthworm Biology, John A Wallwork (Studies in Biology No 161)
Earthworms Unlimited, Backyard Earthworm Breeding, Amy Brown, 1995. Openlibrary.
Harnessing the Earthworm, Thomas J Barrett
Home Gardener’s Compost, Specialist Guide, David Squire
Compost. Essential Know-How and expert advice for gardening success (Dorling Kindersly Grow)
The Woodchip Handbook. A complete guide for farmers, gardeners and landscapers. Ben Raskin, Chelsea Green. How to source, manage and efficiently use woodchip to mulch growing beds, build soil carbon, propagate plants, raise profitable mushroom crops and more. Excerpts on Google.
Criw Compostio operate a compostables collection and processing service in Machynlleth: see https://sway.office.com/KXgZlEMYXGTovxoF
Key to the Earthworms of the UK and Ireland, Emma Sherlock, FSC
Comfrey for Gardeners, Garden Organic
Liquid Gold, the logic and lore of using urine to grow plants
The Little Book of Compost, Allan Shepherd
The Science of Compost, Julian Doberski
Compost Teas for the organic grower, Eric Fisher
How to Make and Use Compost, Nicky Scott
Cool Composting: a fresh approach, CAT factsheet
A Guide to Home Composting, The Organic Centre
How to Make Soil and Save Earth, Allan Sheperd
Worms Eat My Garbage, Mary Appelhof. How to set up and maintain a worm composting system.
Earthworm Biology, John A Wallwork (Studies in Biology No 161)
Earthworms Unlimited, Backyard Earthworm Breeding, Amy Brown, 1995. Openlibrary.
Harnessing the Earthworm, Thomas J Barrett
Home Gardener’s Compost, Specialist Guide, David Squire
Compost. Essential Know-How and expert advice for gardening success (Dorling Kindersly Grow)
The Woodchip Handbook. A complete guide for farmers, gardeners and landscapers. Ben Raskin, Chelsea Green. How to source, manage and efficiently use woodchip to mulch growing beds, build soil carbon, propagate plants, raise profitable mushroom crops and more. Excerpts on Google.
Criw Compostio operate a compostables collection and processing service in Machynlleth: see https://sway.office.com/KXgZlEMYXGTovxoF
Forest Gardening talks. Recordings of 8 talks:
2020 summer seminars, 8 of 30-60 mins, at https://nationalforestgardening.org/2020-summer-seminars/
1. Medicinal forest gardening – Simon Miles
2. Permaculture principles of forest gardening & how to forage a super salad – Jo Barker
3. How and why to advocate for forest gardens in your area – Daniel Scharf, Hannah Gardiner, Jane Morris
4. The guilds of a forest garden – Tomas Remiarz
5. The easiest way to get started with a forest garden – Jake Rayson
6. A tour of Marston Forest Garden, Oxford – Antony Melville and Richard Luff
7. Working with ground cover in your Forest Garden – Rakesh ‘Rootsman Rak’
8. How can we push forward the forest gardening movement? Opportunities and ideas for 2020
And Winter 2021:
Seminar 1 (20th January 2021): Green Social Prescribing and Forest Gardens
Seminar 2 (27th January): Healthy’ health environments: using land in healthcare facilities for forest gardens and well-being.
Seminar 3 (3rd February): Designing and Delivering Forest Gardens for Well-Being
Seminar 4 (10th February): Open discussion building on themes drawn out from previous seminars.
Sign up at https://nationalforestgardening.org/winter-seminars-forest-gardening-for-well-being-mind-body-and-ecology-coming-together/
2020 summer seminars, 8 of 30-60 mins, at https://nationalforestgardening.org/2020-summer-seminars/
1. Medicinal forest gardening – Simon Miles
2. Permaculture principles of forest gardening & how to forage a super salad – Jo Barker
3. How and why to advocate for forest gardens in your area – Daniel Scharf, Hannah Gardiner, Jane Morris
4. The guilds of a forest garden – Tomas Remiarz
5. The easiest way to get started with a forest garden – Jake Rayson
6. A tour of Marston Forest Garden, Oxford – Antony Melville and Richard Luff
7. Working with ground cover in your Forest Garden – Rakesh ‘Rootsman Rak’
8. How can we push forward the forest gardening movement? Opportunities and ideas for 2020
And Winter 2021:
Seminar 1 (20th January 2021): Green Social Prescribing and Forest Gardens
Seminar 2 (27th January): Healthy’ health environments: using land in healthcare facilities for forest gardens and well-being.
Seminar 3 (3rd February): Designing and Delivering Forest Gardens for Well-Being
Seminar 4 (10th February): Open discussion building on themes drawn out from previous seminars.
Sign up at https://nationalforestgardening.org/winter-seminars-forest-gardening-for-well-being-mind-body-and-ecology-coming-together/
Apple Tree Maintenance, 3.5 hours of masterclass. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t2TTqn7vsE
Slug ID
https://www.jic.ac.uk/research-impact/technology-research-platforms/entomology-and-insectary/slugwatch/slug-identification-guide/ - 12 species
Comprehensive pdf: https://www.wildlifebcn.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/Identifying%20British%20Slugs%20v%203.1%20%20iv2018_0.pdf
RHS doing a survey of Yellow Cellar Slugs and Green Cellar Slugs. https://www.rhs.org.uk/slugssurvey
https://www.jic.ac.uk/research-impact/technology-research-platforms/entomology-and-insectary/slugwatch/slug-identification-guide/ - 12 species
Comprehensive pdf: https://www.wildlifebcn.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/Identifying%20British%20Slugs%20v%203.1%20%20iv2018_0.pdf
RHS doing a survey of Yellow Cellar Slugs and Green Cellar Slugs. https://www.rhs.org.uk/slugssurvey
A Guide to Gardening without Pesticides, by Pesticides Action Network, helped by Garden Organic. Pests and diseases one-by-one, how to deal with them. https://www.pan-uk.org/gardening-without-pesticides/
Paraquat and Parkinsons: https://www.thenewlede.org/2022/10/secret-paraquat-papers-reveal-corporate-tactics-to-protect-weed-killer-linked-to-parkinsons-disease/ PAN newsletters: https://www.pan-uk.org/pesticide-news/ |
Courses past.. may happen again
Midwinter:
Orchard Pruning Workshop: learn the theory then get some hands-on practice. 10am – 1pm, Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn, £25, tools provided for the session. Booking on Norton Priory website, enquiries to Katie Lowe, of Heathfield Orchards, 01244 335059, 07870 140520.
Early Spring
Grafting Workshop: learn the theory then get some hands-on practice. 10am – 1pm, Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn, £25, tools provided for the session, come away with 2 apple trees you’ve grafted. Booking on Norton Priory website, enquiries to Katie Lowe, of Heathfield Orchards, 01244 335059, 07870 140520.
Wirral Gardening Courses, Spring 2017
Your Garden, Past, Present and Future. Discover the history of gardens, with outings to local [Wirral] gardens, parks and places of interest. Find out what you should be doing week by week in your garden and join in a gardeners’ question time every week. 10 week course starting Wednesday 19th April, 10am – 12.
A-Z of Gardening – Ornamental and Productive. Will look at a new subject every week which will help you in your garden and find out what you should be doing week by week in your garden. 10 week course starting Wednesday 19th April, 1-3pm.
Cost of each course is £55 for each 10 week term. You can do one term or as many as you like, all are different!
To be held at Wirral Environment Network, Sandon Building, Falkland Road, Seacombe, CH44 8ER. Info and booking 0151 639 2121 or carolseery1[at]btinternet.com
See https://wirralenvironmentalnetwork.org.uk/sustainable-wirral-projects
Midwinter:
Orchard Pruning Workshop: learn the theory then get some hands-on practice. 10am – 1pm, Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn, £25, tools provided for the session. Booking on Norton Priory website, enquiries to Katie Lowe, of Heathfield Orchards, 01244 335059, 07870 140520.
Early Spring
Grafting Workshop: learn the theory then get some hands-on practice. 10am – 1pm, Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn, £25, tools provided for the session, come away with 2 apple trees you’ve grafted. Booking on Norton Priory website, enquiries to Katie Lowe, of Heathfield Orchards, 01244 335059, 07870 140520.
Wirral Gardening Courses, Spring 2017
Your Garden, Past, Present and Future. Discover the history of gardens, with outings to local [Wirral] gardens, parks and places of interest. Find out what you should be doing week by week in your garden and join in a gardeners’ question time every week. 10 week course starting Wednesday 19th April, 10am – 12.
A-Z of Gardening – Ornamental and Productive. Will look at a new subject every week which will help you in your garden and find out what you should be doing week by week in your garden. 10 week course starting Wednesday 19th April, 1-3pm.
Cost of each course is £55 for each 10 week term. You can do one term or as many as you like, all are different!
To be held at Wirral Environment Network, Sandon Building, Falkland Road, Seacombe, CH44 8ER. Info and booking 0151 639 2121 or carolseery1[at]btinternet.com
See https://wirralenvironmentalnetwork.org.uk/sustainable-wirral-projects