Issue 20

Gardening Skills Course

The Basic Horticulture and Gardening Skills course was made up of seven modules

Basic Tools and their Care and Maintenance
Introduction to Clearing and Weeding a Garden
Developing Skills for Sowing and Growing Plants
Introduction to Propagation in a Seed Tray
Introduction to Propagation of Plants
Introduction to Pricking out Seedlings
Identify Parts of a Plant

Sowing, harden-off, pricking out, propagation from cuttings, or root, layering and by division were all covered and will be expanded upon next year. As was crop rotation and the three sisters, Planting Runner- beans with corn and squash. Do you remember the reasons for this, lads? Before I go on, I must send a sincere thanks to the OT Department for their support and faith in me and a personnel thank you to Paul F. of the OT dept for all his very hard work and support, encouragement and his feedback. Together we made it happen.

I am already starting to plan next year's course, which will I hope include garden design, fence building and hopefully allowing the group to take the lead. This means that they will be telling me what needs to be done and I will be on hand to help and give advice. I know that they can do it, the foundations have already been laid this year. Plans are a foot to also plant out two new herb gardens, edged by box in a formal setting. There is also talk to put in a pond, subject to the powers that be, giving us the OK and this could also be included in next years OCN course, which I hope will give the group skills that they can take with them and use, once they are a part of the community.

High hopes, with backing and money we can do it. But with success or failure, it is time well spent and we have all learned lessons and that is why I am so very pleased with the members of the group that have taken part this year. I hope many more will join us and take part in next year's course. I am trying to design the course in order that you will learn skills that you can take with you and used in the community. I thank the patients for their trust and support in me and I thank the management for giving me the opportunity to do what I have been allowed to do over these past few months.

AlanT