Introduction to Sustainable Gardening

About this course

This course introduces approaches to productive, organic food growing across garden, allotment and community settings. Classroom teaching covers soil improvement, composting, wormeries and water management, followed by garden design and crop planning. Participants explore propagation and care for root, leafy and fruiting vegetables, alongside the selection and maintenance of fruit trees and soft fruit. The course also addresses pests and diseases, and considers culinary herbs and edible flowers. It concludes with an end-of-course quiz.

What you'll learn

• Explain methods for improving and managing soil organically
• Plan a productive kitchen garden by matching crops to suitable growing areas
• Propagate and care for root, leafy and fruiting vegetable crops
• Select and maintain fruit trees and soft fruit
• Identify approaches to managing pests and diseases affecting edible crops
• Grow culinary herbs and edible flowers

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for beginners as well as people already growing in a garden, allotment or community setting who want to improve their understanding. Participation is classroom-based and covers a broad range of edible plants and organic growing methods.

• Relevant to garden, allotment and community growing settings
• Suitable for learners at different stages of growing experience