Permaculture Design for Drought-Proofing Gardens, Orchards and Food Forests Workshop

New Zealand’s native forests flourish in poor, clay soils thanks to mycorrhizal fungi, which do much of the hard yakka in supplying plants with water and nutrients. Orchards, gardens, and pasturelands also benefit from these fungi - yet  the past use of synthetic fertilizers has often suppressed or killed them.

This workshop will focus on building a simple Johnson-Su bioreactor that generates high-quality, fungal-rich compost to re-inoculate soils with these beneficial fungi.

Bring lunch and gumboots.

Participants will learn:

• Why soil disturbance, done correctly, can build deep, fertile topsoil 

• How fungi and biochar help sequester carbon and build resilience

• How to construct a Johnson-Su bioreactor using a simple wire ring

• How City to Farm can come to your property and fill three cubic metre bioreactors in just a few hours

• How to prepare for and receive compost ingredients for a home setup 

• Tour a Permaculture property (1.30-3pm - bring gumboots)