Two separate day courses on Saturday 3rd August and Sunday 4th August. Gardening is often made to sound more complicated than it is, especially with regard to feeding plants and coping with weeds. I will empower you with understandings of methods which you can then adapt to your own garden. Day Course Curriculum Getting started – clearing grass and weeds by mulching rather than digging. Making soil clean of weeds – a prerequisite to having time for creative work. Different composts and manures - when and how to use them for best results. Different ways of making compost - what ingredients work best. Sowing and propagation – directly in modules, pricked out, or into surface compost. Seasonality and timing of sowing for strong, healthy, growth. Energy influencers - the moon, biodynamic preparations, copper tools. Uses of fleece and mesh to speed growth and protect from pests. Reducing slug numbers, protecting crops from other pests. How and when to pick crops for healthier, long lived plants. Advice on polytunnels – size to use, orientation, and what to grow in them. Light refreshments and a lunch with produce from the market garden will be served also on the day.