Get to know the living and nonliving components of native soils, and learn about how to support the health of the soil in your own space. Explore the relationship between soils and local flora, and come away with a set of practices and resources to work with as you build your native plant growing practice from the ground up. This Native Plant Trust webinar on January 15 at 5 pm will be led by Alexis Doshas, the Nursery Manager at Nasami Farm. $10. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/introduction-to-understanding-and-managing-soils/
This Berkshire Botanical Garden online course on Soil and Soil Amendments will explain how plant growth is affected by soils, from drainage to pH and nutrients. Learn how to evaluate soils, improve those that are less than ideal, and amend soils for specific garden uses. Fertilizers, soil amendments, making and using compost, moisture management, and the pros and cons of mulching will be covered. Students need to get a soil sample before class and bring the results to the first class. This course meets for 4 weeks on Tuesdays, October 29 – November 19, 5:30 – 8:30 pm Eastern.
Taught by Monique Bosch, trained in landscape design, horticulture and soil biology, who is a community leader focused on healthy soil/healthy food. In the last 15 years she has worked with volunteers and students to build over 40 edible school and community gardens, and a two-acre urban farm in Bridgeport CT. These days she works as a Soil Health Program Manager for CT NOFA, and runs a worm composting business with her son Justin. She also teaches Soil Management for Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In 2023 Monique worked with staff and students at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, to launch a Food and Resilience center. She studied ‘The Soil Food Web’ under Dr. Elaine Ingham, and teaches microscopy, soil health and composting to farmers and organizations. Through microscopy and test trials, Monique explores the relationship between living soil and healthy, nutritious food.
This two day Native Plant Trust online intensive on September 15 & 22 online with Alexis Doshas explores the biotic and abiotic components that create native soils and explains how these factors inform local flora. We will take a closer look at soil structure and soil biology in miniature lab experiments. $108 for NPT members, $132 for nonmembers. This class is sold out but click the Register button at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/understanding-and-managing-soils/ to be redirected to the waiting list.
Soil is alive with microorganisms that help provide garden plants with the all-important nutrients they need. Learn the basics of soil science (texture, structure, pH), how to foster and maintain soil health, and why a soil test is a great starting point. Discover how to create a living soil and reap its benefits for years to come. Led by Duncan Himmelman. This April 22 Berkshire Botanical class will take place at the garden in Stockbridge from 10 – noon, and is $15 for BBG members, $20 for nonmembers. Register HERE.
Duncan Himmelman earned his doctorate at Cornell University and taught horticultural science at the college level for 24 years. He recently retired as the Education Manager at Mt. Cuba Center, a public garden in Delaware devoted to native plant advocacy. He continues to enjoy teaching, designing landscapes and promoting ecologically focused gardening practices.
There are an estimated nonillion (1030) microbes on the planet and these organisms play a critical role in plant health. This presentation will take you below ground to explore the microorganisms beneath our feet and the role they play in the nutrient cycles critical to plant growth and ecosystem sustainability. How global change is altering the Earth’s microbiome will also be discussed.
In this April 28 Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation, Dr. Serita Frey will explore how the quality of the soil determines the capacity of land to support natural ecosystems and human society. As humanity becomes increasingly urbanized, the researchers have observed that fewer people have close contact with the soil, and individuals tend to lose sight of the many ways in which they depend on soils for their prosperity and survival. This presentation will explore the roles soils play in ecosystems, with a focus on how they affect plant health.
Dr. Serita Frey is a microbial ecologist with over 30 years of experience studying microbes in the environment. She received her Ph.D. in Ecology from Colorado State University and is currently a professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of New Hampshire where she teaches and advises in the environmental sciences program. Her research examines how environmental change is altering the structure and function of forest ecosystems, with an emphasis on soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling processes. She is specifically interested in how anthropogenic stressors (e.g., climate change, nitrogen deposition, invasive species) affect the composition and diversity of soil microbial communities and microbial-mediated carbon and nitrogen cycles. Her research group works at the interface between ecosystem science, microbial ecology and global change biology, combining microbiological and -omics tools with stable isotope analysis and a variety of soil physical and chemical approaches to examine structure-function linkages.
This Native Plant Trust and Ecological Landscape Alliance July 16 session with Trevor Smith from 10:30 – 1:30 at Garden in the Woods discusses soil history, soil composition, soil health, soil’s impact on plants’ health, soil’s role in sustainability and combating climate change, and more. We will provide you with the information needed to use soil regeneration to capture carbon, reduce flooding and drought conditions, and grow healthy plants resistant to disease and stress. $45 for NPT and ELA members, $54 for nonmembers. As with all events during the pandemic, please confirm before the session in case the class is switched to an online format. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/soil-solution-beneath-our-feet/
This Native Plant Trust one-day intensive on September 14 at Nasami Farm in Whately explores the biotic and abiotic components that create native soils and explains how these factors inform local flora. The class, taught by Alexis Doshas, takes a closer look at soil structure and soil biology in miniature lab experiments. $108 for NPT members, $132 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/understanding-and-managing-soils/
With a backyard garden, you can grow sweeter and more nutritious produce than anything you can buy in the supermarket. It’s essential that you start with soil that is healthy and rich in micro-life. Learn what it takes to develop and maintain soil that produces bumper crops. In this Tower Hill Botanic Garden class on September 5 from 6 – 8 with Ben Barkan, we’ll discuss soil properties including texture, pH, plant nutrients and organic matter. Learn how to test your soil and interpret the results. We’ll also discuss how to cope with soil contamination and ensure food safety and nutrient density. The class is especially suited to those interested in growing food in an urban/suburban landscape while using sustainable and organic practices. $26 for THBG members, $31 for nonmembers. Register at www.towerhillbg.org
Inspired by working on more than 35 organic farms in New England, California, Oregon, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and Costa Rica, Ben applies lessons learned to HomeHarvest’s unique custom garden installations. Ben earned a degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture (4.0 GPA), is permaculture-design certified, and started HomeHarvest with just a bicycle and shovel in 2008. Ben is licensed in Massachusetts as a Construction Supervisor, Home Improvement Contractor, and enjoys designing and selling beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration.
Maintaining living plant cover is one of the essential practices of building soil health. This Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop on April 13 from 10 – 12 provides practical guidance on using cover crops in a small-scale, non-mechanized, no-till context to improve soil health both for growing more nutritious food and for sequestering atmospheric carbon into the soil.
Whether you are an experienced gardener or a novice, this New England Wild Flower Society class at Garden in the Woods will help you develop a better understanding of the importance of soil to your garden. Learn how to evaluate and improve your garden’s soil, how to choose the right plants for your soil conditions, and how to maintain soil health and fertility through organic practices. Bring a bag lunch. Mark Richardson leads this three session event, on Wednesdays, February 7, 14 and 21 from 10 – 1:30. $138 for NEWFS members, $163 for nonmembers. Image from www.ofrf.org. Register at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/understanding-and-managing-soils
