Big Harvests in Small Spaces: Backyards, Balconies & Beyond

Big Harvests in Small Spaces is the first workshop in FED Urban Ag’s Spring Workshop Series! Join us in FED’s Urban Learning Garden (in the courtyard of the Central Branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library) to brush up on your gardening know-how.

 

You don’t need a big backyard or acreage to enjoy the benefits of growing food! Whether you live downtown, have a small yard, or just want to increase production, this in-person, hands-on workshop will help you make the most of your precious space, and transform your landscape into a powerfully productive, multi-layered, edible ecosystem. Participants will each receive a take-home garden kit including a grow bag, seedling, and seeds, to put into practice what they learn.

No matter how small your space, as long as you have a window, you can grow enough food to make a real difference. This workshop will explore ways to maximize your harvest in a minimal area and produce a nutrient-dense and abundant year-round harvest that gets better every year.

This workshop might be for you if:

• You live in an urban or suburban environment OR you are focusing on a small area of your larger property.
• You have limited space, so you want to make sure you get it right.
• You have always wanted to start growing your own food, but don’t know where to start. You have tried growing food but were unsuccessful.
• You are afraid to start because you are worried about all the hard work, time, and expenses.
• You are already gardening but want to increase production and get more from your limited space.
• You feel like your space is too small to make a difference, but are willing to be surprised.

In this workshop, we will explore:

• Maximizing minimal space
• Indoor edible plants
• Bountiful balconies
• Edible perennials for pots
• Raised beds → Choosing, growing & maintaining
• Vertical gardening → Veggies, vines, and vital opportunities
• Edible hedges & edges
• Picking powerful plants → What to grow and what to buy?
• Beyond square foot gardening → Square inch gardening
• Beyond your backyard → A foodshed approach to gardening

Participants will leave with take-home materials to help them start their own small-space garden.

 

About Edible Landscapes Design

Edible Landscapes Design is run by a team of passionate professionals serving home-owners, businesses, farms, and diy-ers to design, install and maintain edible landscapes that nourish the body, feed the soul, and regenerate the land.

Based in Victoria, BC, their team leverages 25+ years of combined experience and education in design, organic horticulture, tree care, market gardening, farming, restoration ecology, water management, and urban development.

Their lead instructor, Joshua Clae Wagler, is a passionate and sought-after instructor, having offered his educational services to over 2500 students since co-founding Edible Landscapes Design in 2013. He helped developed the Food Forestry curriculum for the Growing Young Farmers Society, and has been invited to speak at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, for the Victoria Hardy Plants Group, Victoria Seedy Saturday Speaker Series (2018, 2019, 2020), The Haven on Gabriola Island, and the Victoria Master Gardeners Association.

 

About FED Urban Agriculture

FED Urban Ag is a registered charity that is working to address food security in southern Vancouver Island by promoting sustainable food systems and enhancing community engagement. FED does this by creating garden spaces, delivering educational programs, and advocating for urban agriculture within our community.

By partnering with growers, restaurants, community organizations, and beyond, FED is transforming our cityscape into a vibrant foodscape.

 

IMPORTANT: Please get in touch if you are no longer able to attend so we can make your space available to someone else.