How to Grow Your Own Produce (Five Class Series)

"Timing is Important"

-Masanobu Fukuoka

This workshop series is designed to help you maximize your yields and endeavors in the garden by providing an overview of key activities to engage in at the right time each month from February through June.

Facilitator Marisha Auerbach has spent many years observing and interacting in her garden and in the greater bioregion. Each month, she will provide participants with a road map for the month ahead. Each class will end with interactive time for expanding on your garden design and recieving feedback both from Marisha and your classmates.

These classes are available here as an entire series ($100) or as individual events ($25 each). RSVP on this page for the full series, or click on any of the individual class titles to sign up for that event individually.

February 5th - Planning, Design, & Framework (https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Permaculture-Meetup/events/97709872/)

This opening session will focus on garden planning and design. From the Macro perspective to the microclimate, we will discuss Permaculture design strategies that can maximize your yields and diversity of crops throughout the season. Fruit trees, berry bushes, and other large landscaping elements will be discussed as the framework for creating the context for your space. Each participant is encouraged to come with a base map of their site. Please contact Marisha if you need support before class to have this available.

March 5th - Indoor Seed-Starting, Early Season Plantings, and Perennial Crops (https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Permaculture-Meetup/events/97710812/)

In March, it is time to begin planting seeds both outdoors and indoors. This session will focus on those early plantings and the varieties that perform best for our climate. Perennial vegetables can be transplanted at this time. Since many perennial vegetables are new to gardeners, Marisha will share about growing and cooking some of her favorite types. Seed catalogs and other resources will be available for each participant to make a personalized planting calendar. Please come with a list of foods that your family eats throughout the year.

April 2nd - Cole Crops, Greens, & Soil-Building (https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Permaculture-Meetup/events/97710982/)

April is a key time for all of the Cole Crops, such as Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Collards, and Cabbage. It is also a time of planting greens. As many plants are going in during this month and the months to come, we will highlight soil building strategies in this class. Please come with a list of items that you have access to for building soil fertility. You will leave this class with a soil fertility management plan.

May 7th - Warm-Season Crops, Edible Flowers, and Attracting Pollinators (https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Permaculture-Meetup/events/97711142/)

In May, the weather typically gets warmer and many flowers begin to bloom. We will discuss reliable varieties of warm season crops to grow in your garden and ways to maximize microclimate and production. Many of these plants require insects for pollination. You will learn about pollination, pollinator insects, and flowers that are useful for attracting these special critters. Many of these flowers have multifunctions. We will highlight edible flowers, their functions in landscapes, and recipes. Each participant will leave with a planting plan for their warm season crops and a personalized strategy for attracting pollinators in their garden.

June 4th - Maintenance and Harvest (https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Permaculture-Meetup/events/97711222/)

June completes our planting of the summer vegetable garden and then it is time to focus on maximizing the harvest. For the urban gardener, this may mean optimizing a small space to produce as much food as possible. We will discuss strategies for optimizing yield of your vegetable crops throughout the growing season. We will highlight the best types of trellises for plants that like to grow up. Each participant will leave with a maintenance plan for the upcoming month in their garden.

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