Wrigglers at Work (Grades 1-3)
December 18, 2024
Worms worms worms! Learn all about them and their role as nature’s recyclers and create a worm composting bin to keep in your classroom.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopCategory: Workshop
Seed Specialists (Grades 4-8)
December 18, 2024
Why do seeds come in so many shapes and sizes? How do they know when to sprout? Uncover the secrets behind seed anatomy through exploration.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopWorms Eat My Garbage Harvest (Grades 4-8)
December 18, 2024
If your worm bin is starting to look like soil, it’s time for a harvest! This follow-up workshop revisits the compost recipe and worm anatomy through the exploration of the finished compost.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopSoil Stewards (Grades 4-8)
December 18, 2024
Dive into the world of soil as we unearth the many things soil tells us and explore what it means to take care of this important habitat.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopWorms Eat My Garbage (Grades 4-8)
December 18, 2024
Learn all about worm anatomy, the red wriggler worm’s role in the compost cycle and create a worm compost bin to keep in your classroom.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopSustainability Site Tour (Grades 4-8)
December 18, 2024
Explore the Compost Education Centre Teaching Gardens and Demonstration Site, with explorations of composting, native plants and pollinators, veggie gardens, aquaponics, and more. The tour offers inquiry-based education and applied learning allowing students to relate our gardens to the surrounding world.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopExploring Citizen Science (Grades 6-12)
December 18, 2024
What is citizen science? How can we connect with the biodiversity in our neighbourhoods? In this workshop, students will conduct a biodiversity survey near their school and publish their data using the iNaturalist platform.
Posted in Child & Youth Workshop, WorkshopPutting the Garden to Bed
December 12, 2024
Fall is the time to put the garden to rest. Whether you have overwintering crops in the vegetable gardens, perennials that need pruning back and tucking in, autumn is the time to ensure the soil is protected from winter winds and rains.
In this workshop we’ll cover the following:
- the best techniques for building soil all winter long
- preferred mulches to protect soils
- vegetable crops that overwinter well
- which crops need which type of insulation and winter care
- making compost in cooler temperatures
- wintertime garden maintenance
Cultivating Healthy Soil in the Garden
December 12, 2024
In this workshop we’ll explore the basis of all life on earth: Healthy Soil! We’ll explore what soil is made of and the vast importance of soil microbes. We’ll answer these questions and many more:
- What is soil made of and why does soil chemistry matter for growing healthy gardens?
- What is the function of beneficial soil microbes?
- What are some gardening methods that can help my garden thrive with beneficial soil microbes and healthy soil chemistry?
- How can I compost like an expert, mulch like a superstar and build soil organic matter every day of the year?
- Check out on site composting operations in the demonstration gardens: Earth machines, hot compost, tumblers, sheet mulches and worm bins! Together we will build a compost pile.
Come learn why soil is so important for plant growth and how to build incredible soil.
Posted in Adult Education, WorkshopPlan & Prepare Your Garden
December 12, 2024
It’s the time of year when gardeners get excited about plotting and planning what they will be planting in their garden. Here on Southern Vancouver Island, good planning makes it possible to harvest produce from our gardens during every month of the year. In this workshop we will cover:
- Why garden in the first place?
- Get to know your garden site, sun, soil, temperature
- Time and money budgeting
- Choosing what to grow, when to plant it, and when to transition to other crops for year-round growing
- Draw a garden plan!
- Take a mini tour of the Compost Education Centre’s annual veggie garden to see how we’ve planned things out for the season