Growing Nutritionally Rich and Pest & Disease Resistant Plants

This workshop, organised by Cecil Sharp House LAND Project, is the third of a series of three workshops about the soil-food-web, and how we can work with it to build healthy, productive soil. You can attend all three, or just one or two.

As the popular phrase goes, ‘feed your soil and let the soil feed the plants’ is the foundation of ecologically enlightened growing practices. Good health starts in the soil however there are many benefits to be gained in paying attention to the plant and optimising plant health in the short term alongside building soil health in the long term. In the final session of this 3-part series, we will specifically focus in on plant health and unpack and understand specifically the notion that a healthy plant is more resilient to pest and disease, has greater nutritional value and longer shelf life/storage properties. These aspects of plant health are all connected and optimising plant nutrition is the key to achieving these. What is a healthy plant? How do we create the conditions for plants to grow healthy and thrive? This session will focus on plant nutrition and the role of essential nutrients for plant immunity and quality. We will also draw on our learning from parts 1 and 2 of the series and attendees will understand the role of soil life in supplying minerals to the plant for optimum health. And protecting the plant from disease. Attendees will gain an understanding of:

• Photosynthesis
• The role of essential nutrients for:
  • Nutrient density, taste and quality
  • Shelf life
  • Disease immunity
  • Insect resistance
• Beneficial nutrients
• Mobility of plant nutrients and diagnosing leaf symptoms
• The use of in-field meters to monitor plant health
• Integrated Disease Management
• Microbes for disease management
• Addressing root causes and treating symptoms
• Lawn care, disease management and thatch management

The Cecil Sharp House garden is a Permaculture LAND (Learning And Network Demonstration) project. We have established an awarding winning low maintenance, decorative, ecological and edible design for the permaculture garden highlighting the soil-food-web, permaculture guilds and edible perennials while creating a variety of wildlife habitats. The garden won Camden in Bloom Best Business Garden in 2016.

You are welcome to join at for lunch in the Cecil sharp house Cafe at 12 noon

Joel Williams is an independent farming educator and crop and soil health adviser. His workshop at the London Permaculture Festival 2016 was full to bursting. He is also the grower for Growhampton – an edible campus at the University of Roehampton; growing organic vegetables to inspire and teach students, staff and local community about food growing. He has a keen interest in soil health, agroecological food production systems, urban farming and plant-microbe interactions. Through educating and engaging both farmers and consumers around food production and consumption, Joel is motivated to improve the sustainability of our food systems. More information about Joel on his website soilandfood.com