This Berkshire Botanical Garden course, for serious home vegetable gardeners as well as professionals caring for vegetable gardens, is an overview of how biological systems function and support you in addressing limiting factors in your garden. Examine soil testing and mineral balancing, biological inoculation, seed sizing and sorting, potting soil, tillage, fertility, in-season plant and soil monitoring and supplemental feeding based on plant needs. In-season monitoring will be based on conductivity and Brix monitoring with appropriate solutions including nutrient drenches and foliar spraying. The objective of this course is to support gardeners in growing vegetables that are pest- and disease-resistant as well as very flavorful and containing high levels of nutrition. The course will take place Friday, October 7, from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, and will be repeated in the spring, on Friday, March 23.
Dan Kittredge is an organic farmer and cofounder of the Real Food Campaign. As the son of two prominent leaders in the organic farming movement, Dan has been an organic farmer since childhood. His experience managing organic farms and developing sustainable agriculture techniques has connected him to farmers in Central America, Russia, India and the United States. Dan is passionate about raising the quality of nutrition in our food supply. This hands-on workshop will cost $185, plus an additional $35 soil test fee, payable directly to the instructor. Participants are requested to have their soil test completed prior to the first class. For information on specifics, contact the garden, 413-298-3926, four weeks prior to the course. To register, visit www.berkshirebotanical.org.
