We want to thank all our customers and Friends for visiting, shopping, participating in courses and training and generally supporting our work. We wish you a great growing season in 2012!
Our theme for 2012 is Skills for Life and The Organic Centre team has come up with seven ideas for the new gardening year matched to a new course, which can make a huge difference:
- Develop a low maintenance garden
Gardening is addictive and as soon as the days get longer and the weather warmer and the garden centres and plant suppliers offer the latest new variety, that new seed and the must have plant this year, we go over board and buy or order, but are we prepared? So if you think you won’t be able to resist the latest trends, prepare your special bed now, 10sqm, for all the impulsive buys and try to develop a low maintenance garden. You won’t regret it!
New course: Garden set-up and useful structures March 4th - Harvest all year round
Self-sufficiency is a great idea, but to come even close to produce all your vegetables all year round you need a specific and detailed plan for sowing, planting and harvesting and you need to start in February.
New course: Plan a year’s harvest: start now on February 18th - Propagating flowers and border plants can help reducing cost
To save money as a gardener the best way is to improve your skills in sowing, composting, propagating and grafting. Grafting your own fruit trees does not only save you money it can become a very exciting and rewarding hobby. Dividing perennials can produce fantastic presents for other gardeners.
New courses: Grafting workshop February 26th and Propagating perennials 6th October - Save water and harvest rain water
Water as little as possible in the outside garden and you will save money (water charges are looming) and time. Mulch your beds, hoe in dry weather and so keep evaporation down, have good soil that enables plants to send their roots deep down and find water. Try to harvest rainwater for all your garden needs and for domestic use.
New course: Rainwater harvesting systems 10th June - Get your compost right and be a real pro
Collect green and brown materials separate and mix 2 to 1, once you have enough for a compost heap of 1m×1m×1m. Cover the top with plastic. Speed up the composting process by rebuilding the heap from top to bottom after 3 month Good compost is the wonder elixir for gardeners.
Courses: The complete organic garden course starting 11th February and Organic Gardening for beginners 3rd March - Grow food organically and cook food nutritionally
Grow only what you like to eat and work on your cooking skills. Prepare meals in the most nutritional way.
Courses: Soups, dips and breads 29th April, Cooking without 12th May, Raw food un-‘cooking’ 16th June - Try something new
Make your own beer, felt your own scarf, make your own soap, learn about micro greens, bake glutenfree.
Please note we are closed for business from the 23rd of December 2011 to the 2nd of January 2012 inclusive. If you book courses or buy seeds and sundries online during that time we will start shipping goods and confirming courses from the 3rd of January 2012 onwards. Thank you!
