In cooperation with the city of Nanaimo, our society offers horticultural workshops year round. Check out the city’s spring/summer 2024 Activity Guide for registering for the following workshops (find listed at Adult – special interest workshops – gardening and horticulture), Youth are also welcome.
Garden Planning Basics
Learn about how to choose from different varieties of vegetables to help you achieve the results that you want to achieve. Learn how much to grow for your size of family, and considerations for infrastructure, like trellises and cold frames. Learn how to plan for a rotation of crops that will keep you in vegetables all year round. This is especially important with prices of food rising. It is totally achievable to have at least some fresh food to eat all year round in our climate with the right planning. This course goes well with the Crop Protection Class.
Cost: $20 per person
Location: Beban Learning Gardens, Beban Park, 2300 Bowen Rd (between the VIEx grounds and the golf course)
Date: Sun March 10, 1pm – 3pm
Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
Laugh at the Weather – Crop Protection for Gardeners (Learning Greenhouse and Cold Frame Basics)
Learn about different types of crop protection including protective cloth, cold frames, shading, and greenhouses. Learning to control the environment is one of the most beneficial things you can do as a grower, especially with our changing and unpredictable climate, and the extremes of weather that can come with it. We will talk about different types of materials to use, and some tips and tricks for good environmental control. This class goes well with the Garden Planning Class.
Cost: $20 per person
Location: Beban Learning Gardens, Beban Park, 2300 Bowen Rd (between the VIEx grounds and the golf course)
Date: Sat March 23, 10am – noon
Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
Saving Seeds
Plan now to save seeds this summer and fall. By knowing what varieties to grow, which plants to save seeds from, and which ones are more difficult you can set yourself up with an abundance of your own seeds for the following year that are locally adapted to your garden. Learn about the difference between open pollinated, and hybrid seeds, and which seeds are best and easiest to save and grow on the following year. Also covered will be seed viability and germination tests.
Cost: $20 per person
Location: Bowen Park
Date: Sat April 20th, 2024 1-3pm
Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
Feeding Your Soil, Feeding Your Garden
Sometimes takes a while to have good, built-up soil. When you are just starting your garden or under stressful environmental conditions, plants may benefit from some supplemental feeding. Learn about the benefits of natural liquid fertilizers, and how to make some of your own, using compost, weeds, and other readily available materials. We will talk about compost teas, inoculating your soil with beneficial microbes, and making herbal teas for your plants. Liquid teas and fertilizers are easy to use and can give your plants that boost they need to ripen sooner, produce bountifully and provide your family with lots more food. If you ever watched your garden stall, or wondered what to do to get it to produce more food, this class is for you.
Cost: $20 per person
Location: Pine St Community Garden, 271 Pine St (behind the parking lot)
Date: Saturday May 4th 1-3pm
Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
Basic Fruit Tree Pruning
Our expert pruner will show you how to care for young and old fruit trees and grape vines in your yard. This is the workshop to attend to get hands-on learning in basic pruning techniques. Bring a camera or notebook and questions for this hands-on workshop.
Cost: $20 per person
Location: Beaufort Park Food Forest
Date: Sunday March 24, 2024 10am-noon
Instructor: Scott Wiskerke
Summer Pruning
If you thought pruning was just a winter activity, you have to try summer pruning! Besides the beautiful weather, your trees can get many benefits from a summer shearing including less sucker growth and possibility of disease. Be prepared to be outside for 2 hours. Bring your pruners and questions for this workshop.
Cost: $20 per person
Location: Beaufort Park Food Forest
Date: Sun July 7, 2024, 10am-noon
Instructor: Scott Wiskerke
Scott gets up in the tree to discuss the pros and cons of specific cuts and the resulting growth next year after pruning.