NEW! All our sessions will soon be available online.
Curriculum:
Seed Saving | ||
Propagation of Winter Hardwoods | ||
Understanding Soils 1 | ||
Winter Fruit Tree Pruning | ||
Fruit Tree Grafting | ||
Understanding Soils 2 | ||
Propagation of Spring Seeds | ||
Understanding Soils 3 | ||
Propagation of Summer Softwoods | ||
Weed Management | ||
Understanding Soils 4 | ||
Pest Management | ||
Companion, Bird & Insect Planting | ||
Propagation of Autumn Semi-Hardwoods | ||
Summer Fruit Tree Pruning | ||
Disease Management | ||
Crop Management |
(Scroll to the bottom of this page for full descriptions of each session)
Start anytime: Each session stands alone and is not dependent on what came before, you are welcome to watch one, two or all 17 sessions. There is benefit to watching them in order, as they do follow the seasons and there is some reference to previous topics.
Course format and Time commitment: The sessions range from 2-4 hours of video with colour course notes in PDF form. Once you have watched your video, you are welcome to schedule a 45-60 minute Zoom with Kazel to get individual questions answered, show Kazel your work, and have her demonstrate topical skills. We are happy to record these Zoom sessions and send you the recording.
For those signing up for the whole course, (80 hours), there is an optional crop research project that will help you develop a production plan for a crop of your choice, with Kazel’s support (Always wanted to grow kumara? Want to try an avocado orchard?) Depending on your enthusiasm, that plan could take 0-10-30 hours.
Location: Until our online school set up is ready, all participants will need to have Dropbox or Google Drive, Youtube, and Zoom apps or software on your device. Dropbox or Google Drive to receive your copy of the professional handouts; Youtube to watch the presentation videos and Zoom for the interactive session with Kazel.
Payment: As a very small business, we appreciate direct deposit to avoid credit card fees, however Paypal is available if you need to pay by credit card. Once you register, you’ll be directed to a payment page.
What you’ll learn in detail:
Companion planting, bird and insect retention
The benefits of biodiversity are explored, you will gain a deeper understanding of different plant families and how they interact. The rich resources provided will give you the ability to quickly plan either a garden or a shelterbelt to attract native birds and insects. We will play with crop rotations to demonstrate how simple it is to plan a combined garden, but also look at the science that supports growing multiple species for plant and soil health.
Fruit tree grafting
In another great addition to our propagation section, this video demystifies grafting and budding. Topics covered include the reasons we graft and using the best tools for the job. You’ll learn about grafting theory and get practical experience using a grafting tool in a follow up zoom session with Kazel.
Pests & disease management
When plants are sick or being attacked it can be devastating for a grower. During these two sessions, we cover how to be a super sleuth to identify the cause of the problem, evaluate what actions should be taken and a range of organic pest and disease management strategies are provided. You will be introduced to the theory of the economic threshold to take action which can save you both time and money. During these sessions you will see USB microscopes being used to ID insects and pests. We have these available for purchase. Kazel also brings her expertise from being a Crop Monitor to the session, with strategies for both commercial and home garden situations.
Propagation 1-4
We find this course is best delivered over four sessions, one each season. In Winter, we do the “hardwood” cuttings: grape, plum, fig, hydrangea, blueberry, currant and the like. In Spring, we’ll look at seed raising: seed saving, seed raising mix, germination, and appropriate containers. Summer, is the best time to collect and root “soft” cuttings (sage, salvias, scented geraniums) and some “semi-hardwood” cuttings (lavender, rosemary, Chilean guava). Once we get to Autumn, we are dividing plants like rhubarb, comfrey, mint, thyme and berry canes.
We’ll also cover tree propagation, with budding and grafting addressed in its own session. Topics covered include rootstock and scion selection and care, rootstock production of apple and quince; how to grow rootstocks by mound layering; and how peaches and plums can be grown from seeds.
Pruning – winter
Winter is the key pruning time for deciduous fruit trees, but specifically for apples and pears. Kazel teaches the French Central Leader pruning method, which has been proven to give the best yields while also being the quickest and easiest method to learn and practice.
This session starts with understanding the theory of correct cuts and orchard hygiene, tool care and selection, understanding the fundamentals of what to cut and why, including methods of tying down branches to maximise fruit production. We cover the collection of bud wood for grafting, and using the grafting tool to graft onto rootstocks or to make trees with different fruit on each branch.
Pruning – summer
Summer pruning follows hot on the heels of the summer fruit season, and is typically the best time to prune plums and peaches which are susceptible to winter diseases. We will review the techniques and theories covered in winter. We will also look at how to prune evergreen fruit trees including citrus, feijoa and avocado.
Seed saving
As an introduction to plant propagation we have added a session on saving seeds. You’ll learn and practice the basic techniques for seed extraction and storage. We’ll delve into the different plant families, how to identify and select for the best genetic traits. There will also be some in-depth discussion around plant breeding and protecting heritage plants.
Understanding soils 1-4
Soil components and dynamics can seem complex, however soil is a critical element to understand if you want to grow nutritious food, successful plants, vibrant trees and healthy livestock. If you also want to cut down on buying and hauling soil amendments, spending hours weeding, hoeing, and digging, this comprehensive course will make all the difference in helping you get your soils into a healthy, sustainable cycle.
Soil “beginners” are welcome as well as those of you who would like a “soil” refresher to fill in any gaps in your knowledge.
The first and second soils sessions focus on the physical properties of soils. The third is primarily about soil chemistry and the fourth covers soil biology.
A follow up Zoom session with Kazel an excellent opportunity to learn about your specific soil by bringing along samples from your property. If you have a soil test you can show that to Kazel too. By the end of these sessions you’ll know what all those chemical abbreviations and numbers actually mean and what you might do about them!
Topics covered will include:
- Why soil texture matters, and how to identify soil types easily.
- Reading the soil profile.
- Learning what weeds can tell you about the soil.
- Monitoring the health of the soil.
- Using S-Map to identify NZ mapped soil types to be able to research different soils without a sample or test.
- How to take a soil test sample, understanding Soil Test results and how to interpret and take appropriate actions.
- The Soil Food Web– what is it, how to support it and enhance plant health and production.
- pH scale. Testing, interpretation and subsequent actions.
- What soil can offer to climate change – storing carbon in the soil.
- Humus, the essential ingredient.
- Importance of covered soil, minimising digging and soil disturbance.
- Soil amendments: compost, vermicast, compost teas, ocean products.
Practical skills covered include soil testing, Visual Soil Assessment, earth-worm counts, using a microscope to look for soil biology, making hot compost, making compost tea, and making a mini worm bin.
Weed management
How you deal with weeds in your garden situation can be the difference between the success and failure of a crop. In this engaging session, we redefine what a weed is, and look for potential to harness the power of their wild growth to improve our soils. This session covers and evaluates a raft of organic weed control techniques including innovative technologies and ideas for suppressing weed growth – aiming to provide a range of practical and real solutions. Sources for weed identification are provided and a system to evaluate the potential of a weed to harm your crop.
Crop management
During this last session of the course, we bring it all together for a holistic overview of managing production on the land. Combining our deeper understanding of soils, pests and diseases, and propagation with the needs of our specific crop, this is the part where students can really start to feel like confident gardeners and demonstrate how they would deal effectively with different scenarios. This session allows students to consider a specific crop, in combination with their land situation and make a specific plan for propagation, growing, harvesting and caring for the crop through all of its stages of growth. A follow up Zoom session with Kazel is highly recommended to check your work.