Healthy Soils

There is increasing understanding that owing to intensive growing practices, especially in agriculture, the health of our soil is under threat, which directly links to declining food security and biodiversity.

This new course led by Michael Kennard (Compost Michael) and Michael Wachter (Great Dixter Gardener and primitive skills practitioner), will delve into the theory of soil health and help you to understand soil biology, food webs and soil cycles.

The course will include practical steps you can take to improve the structure of your soil, improve beneficial microbes, understand pests and diseases and learn how to amend your compost for better plant growth and overall garden and soil health.

As well as looking at scientific methodology and results, you will gain insight into basic observation skills that you can apply at home to indicate whether a soil is healthy.

The course will include a morning lecture session looking at the theory of the subject in detail, and an afternoon looking at case studies from across the Great Dixter estate. This course is aimed at professional gardeners, amateurs, and anyone interested in investing in the health of soil.