Regenerative Edible Gardening with Janet Melrose

In these days of uncertainty, it is nature that draws us for the essential grounding we need for our health and wellness. Edible gardening not only provides food for our stomachs, it also boosts our resiliency and ability to be self-reliant on ourselves and our local communities.

The perception can be that edible gardening in Calgary is difficult, but the reality is that once you learn the fundamental concepts and practice for regenerative edible gardening together with knowledge of how to apply them in our shorter growing season and variable weather we can grow a bounty of tasty, nutritious edibles, plus benefit our environment at the same time!

In the first session learn the fundamentals for successful regenerative edible gardening

• Our climate and environmental factors
• Regenerative edible gardening concepts and principles
• Soil and water requirements
• Seeds versus seedlings
• Techniques for seeding and transplanting
• Early Protection

We will be working in the garden: assessing the soil texture and structure, preparing the soil for sowing, direct sowing early season crops and more.

In the next session learn about:

The scope of the edibles for people and wildlife that grow best in Calgary, from fruit to vegetables, herbs and edible flowers;

• Planting planting systems to maximize productivity and the growing season;
• We will be planning, then laying out the garden area for intensive sowing and planting for mid and late season growth
• May include transplanting seedlings depending on the weather

In the third Session learn cultural practices:

• Care of those growing edibles;
• Introducing Integrated Plant/Pest management
• Some common disease, insect and weather damage that we may encounter
• Protections against the elements- biotic and abiotic
• Harvesting know how
• Techniques for storing and preserving the harvest

Resources provided by instructor:

• Recommended books & websites
• Detailed handouts