Dig in and get growing Saturday mornings on Avling's Rooftop Farm with our new Green Thumb 101 Gardening Workshop Series!
From seeds to soil, learn tips and tricks from Avling's Rooftop Farmers Micheline and Lindsay to grow a happy, healthy and productive garden from the ground up at this four-part and hands-on workshop series geared towards growing food in the city.
This series of Green Thumb 101 Gardening Workshops are tailored to farming in the city, including growing containers on your balcony and community allotment gardens, and will give you the foundations to make your garden a success.
Saturday Mornings, Starting April 29
Start Time: 11:30
Workshop Length: 60-90 mins
*Cost
$220 for the 4-Part Workshop Series | Save $20
$60 per Workshop
WORKSHOPS
Part 1 | Get to Know Your Ecosystem
Saturday, April 29
A great garden starts with a great plan! From creating a Sun Map to choosing the right crops for your space based on sunlight, shade, wind, drainage and more, Avling Farmers will teach you how to plan your garden for a fruitful growing season and beyond.
This workshop will cover creating a Sun Map, crop selection, growing materials and special considerations for your garden. Get a comprehensive idea on how to plan and set up your garden before you even plant a seed!
Part 2 | Dig In & Get Dirty: From Seed To Plant
Saturday, May 6
Get your hands dirty as Avling’s Farmers guide you through the planting of your very own seedling to take home. Learn the difference between transplanting versus direct seed, how to start your own indoor seedlings and how to prep your garden for planting your seedlings. We will also go through basic soil knowledge and irrigation techniques.
Participants will go home with one seedling and seeds to plant in their garden.
Part 3 | Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants: DIY Soil Amendments
Saturday, May 13
Learn to build a healthy garden from the soil up, plus tips and tricks to enhance your soil the natural way with plant fertilizers made from common kitchen and garden scraps. Dig into the macronutrients and micronutrients needed to keep your plants growing happy and healthy all season long.
We will demonstrate how to make your own DIY Soil amendments, how and when to apply fertilizers and the variety of different amendments you can use in your garden. Each participant will take home a natural fertilizer that they can use to feed their plants.
Part 4 | Pest Management
Saturday, May 27
Now that you’ve planned and planted your garden, it’s time to protect it! At this workshop, you will learn how to identify and manage common garden pests and diseases using natural DIY pest control, and better yet, how to attract beneficial insects to your garden.
This workshop will cover how to keep your garden growing all season and best techniques to minimize pest pressure, including crop rotations and putting your garden to bed in the winter.
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GOOD THINGS TO KNOW
- Your Proof of Purchase is your ticket
- Workshops will run Rain or shine on our Rooftop Farm and will be rescheduled for thunderstorms or extreme weather
Please Note: Wear clothes you don't mind getting a little messy in. We will be up on the outdoor Rooftop Garden in the elements: Dress for the weather with proper sun care: hat, sunscreen, water bottle.
Accessibility: There are 3 flights of stairs to reach the Rooftop Farm with no accessible access. Accessible bathrooms can be found on the Main floor.
A BIT ABOUT OUR FARMERS
Micheline she/her | Farming for 8 years in rural and urban areas, Micheline has been a vital part of the Avling Rooftop Farm since 2019. Trained in using agroecological growing methods, Micheline has recently been dipping her toes into Korean Natural Farming. Favourite Vegetable: Potato.
Lindsay she/her | Lindsay has been growing food in rural and urban areas in Ontario for 6 seasons.
Before joining the team in 2019, Lindsay spent time learning and practicing ecological growing techniques on the rooftop farm at the Toronto Metropolitan University.
Lindsay studied horticulture at Guelph University and loves making compost! Favourite Vegetable: Cabbage.
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*If you are Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour, and/or have experienced financial hardship, we reserve spaces for those who want to learn about urban agriculture. Get in touch with us at events@avling.ca and let us know why you are interested in Urban Agriculture.