Regenerative Growers Workshop Series
Revitalize your garden—and go beyond organic—by making your own biologically diverse innoculants and mineral-rich amendments using local ingredients: leaf mold, weeds, eggshells, bones, seashells and other materials available for little or no cost. Close the waste gaps!
In this innovative online Garden Program Nigel Palmer, author of “The Regenerative Grower’s Guide To Garden Amendments” and instructor at TIOSN, will expand on many of the concepts and recipes outlined in his book. Learn about the local, low-cost materials available in your community and how to turn these into biological and nutrient-rich amendments. Program classes will form a cumulative understanding. A soil-plant model will be introduced and built on in each successive class to correlate defined terms and practices used to sustainably regenerate the soil year after year.
The program will consist of five, two-hour classes, Saturday mornings from 10:00 – 12:00 PM EST
on Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20, 2021. All workshops will be recorded and available for viewing.
Each class will include an interactive presentation, a demonstration activity, usually the making of a biological or mineral amendment, and plenty of time for questions and answers. Classes are designed to accommodate the introductory needs of the novice as well as detailed information for the experienced grower. The large amount of data and reference material provided in the book make it a recommended reference to accompany and expand the learning presented in this program.
Next Workshop Dates
Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20, 2021
Workshop Description
Class 1 - Plant Soil Models and Soil Characteristics:
A model of the rhizosphere is presented which forms a framework for understanding plant-soil interactions. Exchange capacity, soil tilth, soil tests, mineral proportions and biological functions are discussed and summarized. This will be the foundation to be built upon throughout the program. Making vinegar extractions will be discussed and demonstrated.
Class 2 - Plant Health and How to Measure Plant Health:
Healthy food comes from healthy plants. Healthy plants come from healthy soil. As plant health improves the ability to thwart pathogens and insect pressure improves. Truly healthy plants manufacture secondary metabolites like antioxidants, the compounds we look for in foods. Plant health can be measured using a refractometer. The use of a refractometer will be discussed and demonstrated.
Class 3 - Mineral and Biological Amendments:
A sustainable, regenerative, mineral and biological amendment toolbox is presented and discussed. Learn to harness the materials in your community to make these effective amendments for a free or low cost. Close the waste gaps. Leaf mold fermentation is discussed and demonstrated.
Class 4 - Plant Sap Circulation Models, Foliar Spray and Drench:
There are two plant sap circulation pathways. Understanding these flow paths helps to effectively feed plants using foliar sprays and drenches throughout the growing season when soil mineral proportions or other stresses negatively affect plant health. Short and long-term mineralization and biological amendment strategies are discussed. Making fermented plant juices will be discussed and demonstrated.
Class 5 - Garden Tools:
Compost, cover crops, mulch and weeds are the tools that nature has used for millennia to regenerate the soil sustainably. These are the tools of sustainable regenerative agriculture and carbon sequestration. Learn to use what you have. There is always enough. Making leaf mold biology will be discussed and demonstrated.