Raised bed gardening: hugelkultur, in-ground worm farming and biodynamic methods (to be rescheduled after lockdown)

Long gone are the days of weeding before you start a garden.

And the traditional practice of double digging? NO WAY!! 

There are so many benefits to raised bed gardens, and the most disturbing reason for gardening with this method is that you may not trust the ground under your feet to grow healthy food... I'm sorry to say it, but decades of toxic chemicals are likely to be in the soil, some of which will transfer into your precious vegetables, and then onto your plate. 

This is why more and more people are taking control of their soil, and building above the ground. 

So you have your raised beds, and now you need to fill them with soil... 

Did you know you don't have to fill them up with expensive garden mix? 

A smarter way to go is to adopt the 'hugelkultur' method - come and see how this is done as I rebuild my three raised beds, which have now been relocated from Titirangi to Te Atatū South. 

As well as hugelkultur, you'll also learn about in-ground worm farming, and see how to set one up. 

The third method we'll look at is how to use the Biodynamic Cow Pat Pit (CPP) preparation. 

Just one of the three beds will get the CPP, just one of the beds will get an in-ground worm farm, but all three beds will be planted with identical crops. 

The interesting thing is to watch what happens over the next few months. Which plants grow faster? Which are crunchier, juicier, sweeter? Which baby seedlings cope best with transplant shock, drought and heat? 

The hosts of this workshop are novice gardeners interested in meeting other home gardeners in Te Atatū South and surrounding areas - you may be able to pop back to see the difference in these three beds, swap seeds & seedlings, or even share a meal from the food we plant on the day. 

It's a true example of what I call 'Gardening Communities' - different to a community garden, because everyone is gardening in their own space... but sharing their skills, resources and enthusiasm with each other in a creative way. 

What you'll get: 

• Two online courses from the Blue Borage Online School: 'In Ground Worm Farming' and 'Hugelkultur Gardening' (Value $50 each)
• Two hour hands on workshop in Te Atatū South (Value $100) 
• Follow-up Zoom call within a month of the workshop to answer any questions you have about implementing the methods in your own space (Value $75)

This is for you if: 

• You're interested in getting raised beds or refreshing existing raised beds, and you want to work on establishing a solid foundation of healthy soil.
• You have a strong sense that we can solve a lot of gardening challenges by mimicking nature.
• You are interested in helping to set up an objective experiment, making the conditions of the three beds as similar as possible in a home setting. 
• You have tried worm farming and it didn't work, and you want to have another go. 
• You like learning in a group setting and getting stuck in with immediate hands on application of a method. 
• You'd like to meet other home gardeners in the Te Atatū South area.

This is not for you if: 

• You believe all research belongs in universities and labs funded by multinational companies. 
• You want scientific proof and detailed instructions before you start an experiment. 
• You are philosophically opposed to gardening in raised beds. 
• Your preferred solution to any gardening challenge is to use synthetic pesticides, insecticides or fertilisers. 

About Katrina: 

I'm a self taught gardener, and believe that home gardens play a crucial role in urban biodiversity - feeding people, bees, pollinators, and turning household food scraps and garden waste into top quality healthy soil. 

I've been using biodynamic methods in my home garden for over 10 years, and am passionate about seeing biodynamics become a mainstream option for home gardeners looking for holistic, organic solutions.

A certified Gardenary garden consultant, I'm very much invested in the 'Kitchen Garden Revival', and would love to help you visualise and actualise your dream edible garden - at home, at work, and in your community. 

'Good food for all, grown in healthy soil'