Organic Plant Culture

Become an Expert at Organic Growing

• Learn to grow plants organically and naturally - both ornamentals and crops.
• Minimize pest problems, and creating productive farms and healthy gardens without relying upon artificial chemicals -but all that takes knowledge, and sometimes a little more hard work.
• Through this course you can lay a foundation in the skills needed to be an effective organic gardener or farmer.
• This courses has been developed by a team of organic experts including John Mason (author of Sustainable Agriculture) and Maggi Brown (former Education Officer with Garden Organic /HDRA). It is a very solid training ground for anyone who is serious about growing organic vegetables, herbs or other plants.

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction A look at the various organisations that are involved with the organic movement.
2. Plant Culture- Learn about the basis of good plant and soil health with no dig principals and crop rotation.
3. Understanding Soils- If your soil is not good, the plants will not perform. Understand soil profiles, identify soil types, and the requirements to keep plants healthy.
4. Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition- Organic fetilisers such as manure based ones and how to use them.
5. Soil Management- Green manure crops, cultivation techniques for minimising soil disturbance and composting techniques to enhance the soil.
6. Pests & Diseases-Understanding pests and diseases and environmental problems with organic production.
7. Mulching- This lesson looks at the importance of mulch and methods to useit when producing organic crops.
8. Seeds - Collecting, storing & sowing your own seeds.
9. Vegetable Growing in your locality- The importance of selecting a suitable site and planning your crop. The A-Z of various vegetables you could look at growing.
10. Fruit Growing in your locality-Establishing an orchard and the production aspects to consider. A-Z of various fruit tree types you could look at growing.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims:

Explain the concepts and principles of organic growing, including the common techniques used in organic growing systems.

• Explain the concepts and principles of organic growing, including the common techniques used in organic growing systems.
• Determine soil management procedures, which are consistent with organic growing principles.
• Determine soil management procedures, which are consistent with organic growing principles.
• Determine soil management procedures, which are consistent with organic growing principles.
• Explain how pests and diseases are controlled using organic growing principles.
• To determine appropriate mulches for use in different organic growing situations.
• Determine the appropriate use of seed propagation, in organic plant culture.
• Plan the production of an organically grown vegetable food crop
• Plan the production of an organically grown fruit crop

Interested? Request a free information pack today!