With the publication of every City of Nanaimo Activity Guide, the Nanaimo Community Gardens Society offers a number of gardening workshops designed to help you increase your horticultural skills. This year we offer a number of new workshops. Check them out below and sign up on the city’s website Activity Guide (nanaimo.ca) in the Special Interest section.
- Plan Ahead to Save Your Seeds (#138800) – Saving seeds is a great way to save money and develop varieties of plants. It can also help you grow stronger, healthier plants and minimize insect and disease problems. Learn how to deal with cross pollination issues. Cost: $20, Location: Beban Learning Gardens, Date: May 3, 1-3pm Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
- Building a Sheet Mulched Bed (#138804) – Building a new garden? Don’t dig up that sod. Instead, turn it into compost right in place by building a sheet mulched bed. Layering organic materials suppresses weeds, feeds your soil and saves a lot of effort. With some basic materials, these gardens can be planted into right after you build them right on the ground or a raised bed. This will be a hand-on class, so bring your garden gloves, and dress for the weather. Cost: $20, Location: Pine Street Community Garden (271 Pine St), Date: May 10, 1-3pm Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
- Build a Willow Garden Structure (138810) – Make your own 6’ tripod willow garden structure. This beautiful, rustic piece can be used in your garden as a useful structure for growing beans, peas or flowering vines or you can decorate it. See www.willowway.ca for photos of this charming project. This is a hands-on workshop. Just bring your own gloves and make sure your vehicle is large enough to take your project home. Cost: $60, Location: The Willow Way (13571 Circle 0 Place, Ladysmith), Date: April 12, 9:30am – 12:30pm, Instructor: Andrew Kent
- Spring Plant Propagation (#138801) – Now is the time to propagate all the spring blooming shrubs and also take cuttings of some annual plants like basil and peppers to increase your numbers of plants more rapidly than if growing by seed. Come learn the basic techniques of propagation and how to adapt them to different plants and different seasons. This is a hands-on class. You will go home with some cuttings and instructions for care of your baby plants. Cost: $20, Location: Beban Learning Gardens, Date: May 31, 1-3pm Instructor: Connie Kuramoto
- Food Security with a Year-Round Garden (#138808) – Spring is the best time to plan food gardens that you can harvest all fall and into winter when local food is scarcer and imported food are more expensive. Once established, a winter garden doesn’t need as much care. It helps preserve topsoil and increases seed saving opportunities while maximizing the use of your garden space. Cost: $20, Location: Pine Street Community Garden (271 Pine St), Date: Jan 7, 1-3pm Instructor: Connie Kuramoto