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Heidi Rader

Unlock the secrets to growing your own food with our comprehensive course designed for gardeners of all levels. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a small urban space, this course will guide you through the essentials of productive and sustainable gardening.

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Unlock the secrets to growing your own food with our comprehensive course designed for gardeners of all levels. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a small urban space, this course will guide you through the essentials of productive and sustainable gardening.

Key Highlights:

  • Personalized Garden Planning: Tailor your garden to your specific needs, considering your available space, family size, and self-sufficiency goals.
  • Hands-On Skills: From planting to harvesting, gain the essential skills needed to nurture a thriving garden.
  • Soil and Fertilization: Understand how to assess and improve soil quality, and learn the best fertilization practices to ensure healthy plant growth.
  • Efficient Irrigation: Discover the benefits of drip irrigation and how to implement it in your garden to save water and enhance productivity.
  • Extended Growing Season: Learn techniques to extend your growing season, allowing for a longer harvest period and increased yield.
  • Pest Management: Equip yourself with strategies to manage pests naturally and maintain a healthy garden ecosystem.
  • Global Relevance: While the course examples are tailored to short growing seasons and cool climates, the skills and techniques are applicable worldwide.

Our structured four-week syllabus ensures a step-by-step approach:

  • Dream It!: Get inspired and design your ideal garden.
  • Plant It!: Prepare your soil and plant with confidence.
  • Grow It!: Optimize growth and manage your garden efficiently.
  • Eat It!: Harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Join us to gain the knowledge and confidence to grow your own food, reduce your carbon footprint, and enjoy fresh, homegrown produce all year round. This course is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their gardening skills and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • How to make a plan to grow your own food based on your space, tastes, and family size, tastes, and goals for self-sufficiency.
  • Basic skills needed to plant, grow, and harvest food from your garden.
  • You will also learn the basics of assessing your soil, fertilizing your soil, drip irrigation, and season extension techniques.
  • Although many of the skills you will learn in this course can be applied to gardens anywhere in the world, the examples used are from a short growing season and cool climate.
  • The course will focus on growing vegetables, herbs, and berries.

Syllabus

Week 1: Dream It!
Why grow your own food?
What can you grow where you live?
Designing your garden space
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Week 2: Plant It!
Preparing the solid
Is your soil good for growing?
Compost and fertilizer
Vegetative propagation
When should you plant?
Week 3: Grow It!
Growing basics
Ways to help you grow more efficiently
Drip irrigation
Season extension techniques
Managing pests
Week 4: Eat It!
When should you harvest?
From your garden to your table

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Provides foundational skills for those new to gardening
Incorporates sustainable practices for reducing carbon footprint
Offers techniques for extending growing seasons in cooler climates
Course examples focus on a short growing season and cool climate, which may not be applicable to all learners
Focuses on growing vegetables, herbs, and berries, excluding other types of gardening

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Grow Your Own Food with these activities:
Review Basic Botany and Plant Biology
Strengthen your understanding of plant biology to grasp the concepts of plant growth, nutrient uptake, and photosynthesis.
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  • Review basic plant anatomy (e.g., roots, stems, leaves).
  • Understand the processes of photosynthesis and nutrient uptake.
  • Learn about plant growth cycles and environmental factors that influence growth.
  • Identify common plant pests and diseases and their management strategies.
Attend Local Gardening Workshops
Connect with fellow gardeners, share experiences, and learn from experts in your local gardening community.
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  • Research and identify upcoming gardening workshops in your area.
  • Register for and attend workshops that align with your interests.
  • Engage with other participants and share your knowledge and experiences.
  • Seek advice and guidance from workshop instructors.
Seed Starting and Propagation Techniques
Master the art of seed starting and propagation to increase your plant yield and expand your garden.
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  • Learn about different seed starting methods (e.g., direct sowing, transplants).
  • Prepare seed trays or containers with the appropriate growing medium.
  • Sow seeds at the correct depth and spacing.
  • Provide optimal conditions for seed germination (e.g., temperature, light, moisture).
  • Practice plant propagation techniques such as cuttings, grafting, and division.
Three other activities
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Garden Design Plan
Develop a comprehensive plan for your garden layout, optimizing space and maximizing productivity.
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  • Determine the available space and assess sunlight conditions.
  • Research different garden layouts and select the one that best suits your needs.
  • Plan the placement of vegetable beds, plants, and companion plantings.
  • Consider factors such as crop rotation, spacing, and water accessibility.
  • Create a detailed diagram or sketch of your garden design plan.
Vegetable Growing Journal
Foster self-reflection and reinforce knowledge by documenting plant growth, observations, and insights.
Show steps
  • Choose a format for your journal (e.g., notebook, spreadsheet).
  • Record basic information for each vegetable planted (e.g., variety, planting date).
  • Regularly observe and record plant growth, including any unusual observations.
  • Note any challenges encountered and research potential solutions.
  • Reflect on your observations and identify areas for improvement.
Integrated Pest Management Techniques
Enhance problem-solving skills and gain practical knowledge in managing pests without relying solely on chemicals.
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Show steps
  • Identify the different types of pests that can affect your garden.
  • Learn about organic and eco-friendly pest control methods.
  • Implement integrated pest management strategies in your garden.
  • Monitor your garden regularly for signs of pests and diseases.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of your pest management practices and make adjustments as needed.

Career center

Learners who complete Grow Your Own Food will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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