Gardens and Allotments - A Course for Growing Your Own - £195

What You Will Study

Have you always wanted to grow your own fruit and vegetables but aren’t sure where to start? Whether you’ve recently acquired an allotment, want to make the most of your garden or are starting with a blank canvas, this two-day course will give you the knowledge and confidence to get growing.

Explore how to plan, prepare and maintain a productive growing space, learn practical growing techniques and discover how to get the best from your plot throughout the year.

• Day 1: Getting Started and Planning Your Plot - Discover the benefits of growing your own food and what to expect when starting an allotment or creating a productive growing space at home. Learn how to tackle an overgrown plot or start from scratch, identify and manage common weeds, and explore both traditional digging and no-dig methods of soil preparation. You will look at how to plan your plot, arrange paths and beds, choose suitable fruit, vegetables and flowers, and make use of companion planting. The day will also cover protecting your crops from pests such as rabbits and deer, with time to begin planning your own growing space.
• Day 2: Growing, Maintaining and Harvesting - Build on your knowledge by exploring crop rotation, soil health and the use of compost and manure throughout the growing year. Learn practical seed-sowing techniques, including how to grow successfully without a greenhouse, protect young plants and use successional sowing to extend your harvest. You will also explore growing fruit and vegetables in containers, incorporating fruit into your plot and developing a seasonal maintenance plan to keep your growing space healthy and productive throughout the year.

This course is ideal for beginners and anyone looking to develop your confidence in growing your own fruit and vegetables, whether you have an allotment, a home vegetable plot or a garden. No previous growing experience is needed.

This course will run on 13th and 20th March 2027.