Sustainable Soil Management: Improving Fertility and Plant Health

UBC Farm Soils workshops

What does it mean to have ‘sandy’ soil? Do I really need fertilizer? How do I improve the soil at my urban garden site? In this two-part soils workshop series, co-instructors Lis Thomas and Melissa Iverson will draw on their years of experience in horticulture and soil science to provide practical information about soil health and management. These hands-on workshops will provide you with the technical knowledge and experience you need to optimize your production this season while improving long-term soil health.

Part 1 registration information: http://soilspart1.eventbrite.ca

Workshop Two: Sustainable Soil Management: Improving Fertility and Plant Health

Date: Saturday, February 23th 2013
Time: 1:00-4:00 pm
Location: UBC Farm Centre, 6182 South Campus Rd, Vancouver BC, map: http://goo.gl/maps/MMO1
What to Bring: Pen, paper, weather-appropriate clothes that can get dirty

Whether you are an experienced gardener or getting ready to break ground for the first time, this workshop will provide you with the necessary tools to assess the fertility of your soil, helping you to choose organic fertilizers and amendments tailored to what you want to grow. We will start with learning how to take a soil sample, conduct a simple nutrient analysis, and interpret the results. We’ll discuss organic soil amendments, nutrient cycling, and a variety of management and cultivation strategies. After taking this workshop you will be ready to give your soil its annual check-up and prepare for a productive growing season!

Soil Nutrient Assessment
o Soil sampling and nutrient analysis
o Interpreting results
Factors Affecting Plant Growth: Deficiencies and Troubleshooting
o Do I need to fertilize? (when, what, and how much?)
o Organic fertilizers and soil amendements
Management Techniques
o Nutrient cycling (crop rotation, compost)
o Mulches, mushrooms, and green manures
o Erosion control, tilling, waterlogging, and sheet mulching