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DofE Silver - 3 months

This course is for participants who have completed the Bronze Award and are aiming to gain more in depth gardening knowledge for their Skills. Participants can continue to grow from balconies, patios and small gardens in a range of containers, a simple grow bed or both. Those with access to a larger outdoor space will benefit from gardening in full soil. The course duration is three months and is spread out over the 6 to 8 months to give your plants time to grow and produce a harvest.

Course Schedule

 

  • Planning your plot

  • Introduction to growing outdoors - making plant cover

  • Growing on a grow bed - planting out young plant

  • Sowing string beans in pots or modules      

  • Starting off kale in a cool room or in situ

  • Planting raspberry canes

  • Sowing beetroot for a continual harvest

  • Maintaining your plot - building veggie support

  • Controlling garden pests with a bug bat 

  • Harvesting and storing - creating a storage net for cucurbits

  • Growing for the environment - building a bug wall 

  • Preparing for winter - making a compost heap

DofE Silver 6 months

This course is for participants who have completed the Bronze Award and are aiming for a more intense gardening course to gain a consistent wider depth of gardening knowledge for their Skills. Participants can continue to grow from larger balconies and small gardens. Those with access to a larger outdoor space will benefit from gardening in full soil. The course duration is six months and is spread out over 8 to 10 months to give your plants time to grow and produce a harvest.

Course Schedule

​

  • Planning your plot

  • Introduction to growing outdoors - making plant cover

  • Growing on a grow bed - planting out young plants

  • Sowing string beans in pots or modules      

  • Starting kale indoors and/or outdoors

  • Planting raspberry canes in autumn

  • Transplanting leek with a dibbler   

  • Sowing lettuce early or in succession

  • Herbs - growing dill

  • Sowing and pinching beetroot 

  • Growing tomato outside

  • Trailing pumpkin on a tepee

  • Planting rhubarb in autumn

  • Companion flowers - growing marigold 

  • Growing turnips as a winter crop

  • Managing tricky peas  

  • Transplanting seedlings and young plants   

  • Maintaining your plot

  • Controlling garden pests with a bug bat

  • Harvesting and storing - creating a storage net for cucurbits 

  • Growing for the environment - building a bug wall 

  • Preparing for winter - making a compost heap

  • Digging a vegetable trench

  • Getting ready for Gold  - extending the grow season

  • DofE Silver 3 Months

    60£
    Valid for one year

  • DofE Silver 6 Months

    110£
    6 month course
    Valid for one year
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