May the Garden

Seasonal tasks in a regenerative edible garden

Thursday 4 May 2022

with Alison Jenkins

9.30 - 12.30

£60

Group Size - 6 people

The surge of growth is palpable as we pass the Celtic festival of Beltane on the first of the month. The lanes froth up with cow parsley and the apples and hawthorn break into blossom.  The threat of frost still lingers until the end of the month though, so there is a dance between potting on, hardening off and planting out as tender young plants jostle for space on the greenhouse bench.

The edible garden becomes a sea of pale blue forget me not as the self sown seedlings from last year rise up to flower.  Their roots supply food  for the microbial life in the soil and they provide protection from the compaction of winter rain as well as forage for early pollinators.

However well I plan, May always brings a crescendo of activity and despite the lengthening days there never seem to be enough hours.   Every gardener I know feels the same at this time of year so I will share some tips that might help you feel more on top of things.

Tasks we’re likely to be discussing include:

• What to sow now in the edible and cutting garden

• Hardening off and planting out

• What to harvest now and how to plan ahead for next year’s ‘Hungry Gap’ as well as summer and winter crops

• Natural fertilisers and pest control

• Container planting

• Making natural structures to protect and support your plants

Refreshments

Tea or coffee will be served on arrival and there will be a break during the session for tea and home made cake. If you have any specific dietary requests do let me know on the booking form.  

What to Bring

Check the weather forecast before you travel and ensure you bring appropriate clothing, whether that’s waterproofs or sun hats, or possibly both!  You may wish to bring a notebook and camera too.

Getting Here

I will send directions a couple of weeks before the workshop. Use Damson Farm rather than the postcode on Google Maps.

Cancellation policy

As a small business it’s not sustainable to offer refunds. However if you need to cancel your place up to 28 days before the event you will be offered a credit towards another workshop. After that time, the offer only applies if I’ve been able to re-sell the place. It’s not possible to promote cancelled places for re-sale less than 4 days before the event.