One-day horticultural workshops run by the Sustainability Institute
Workshops run by the Sustainability Institute in 2012:
Woodland and Coppice Management for Fuel Production
Successfully Growing Tree Fruit
Fruit Tree Pruning and Maintenance
Nut Propagation, Cultivation and Maintenance
Fruit Tree Grafting
Growing Unusual Fruit
Practical Soil Fertility for Organic Gardeners
Advanced Fruit Tree Grafting
Successfully Growing Tree Fruit
A well cared for fruit tree has the potential to live for one hundred years or more, with an annual yield – once properly established - of anything up to 100 kilos, so it makes sense to do the job right. This mainly outdoor workshop looks at choice of varieties and rootstocks, site and soil assessment, drainage, shelter and other aspects of site enhancement, ground preparation, planting procedures, staking, and tree aftercare. The varieties covered include apples, plums, damsons, pears, and cherries. Detailed workshop notes are provided.
Date: Saturday 3rd March and Saturday 12th May
Location: Westport
Price €40.00
Nut Propagation, Cultivation and Maintenance
This workshop will now take place in the autumn (see below).
Fruit Tree Pruning and Maintenance (apples, pears)
This workshop will cover all the main features of successful fruit tree pruning and maintenance, including renovation of old fruit trees. Much of the workshop is hands-on, with workshop participants getting ample opportunity to hone their pruning and tree-care skills under expert supervision in a real-life situation. The tree care aspect of the workshop will cover site enhancement, shelter, drainage, treatment of weeds, pollination, tree nutrition, prevention/treatment of pests and diseases, and treatment of old trees and orchards. Detailed workshop notes are provided. This workshop also covers the maintenance and pruning of cobnuts.
Date: Saturday 24th March 2012
Location: Westport
Price €30.00
Fruit Tree Grafting
This workshop offers participants to learn and practice the art and science of grafting. The first part of the workshop looks at general principles, types of rootstocks, selection of graftwood, grafting methods and aftercare. The second part of the workshop is completely hands-on and allows participants to try their hand at grafting. Participants have the opportunity to do up to 8 grafts, choosing from a wide range of varieties of apple cultivars and rootstocks. Participants can take home their completed grafted trees to plant out in their own gardens.
Dates: Saturday 31st March 2012, Saturday 14th April 2012
Location: Westport
Price €50.00
Advanced Fruit Tree Grafting
This is a practical, hands-on, fully tutored session for those with some previous grafting experience interested in carrying out paid grafting work. Participants will complete 20-40 grafts under controlled conditions. The completed grafts will be carefully labelled and planted out in the Sustainability Institute trial plot. Take rates will be compared with grafts carried out on the same cultivars at similar dates by Sustainability Institute personnel. Participants achieving take rates above two-thirds of the take rates of the Institute (typically about 85 percent for apples) will be offered piece-work employment the following year. A good grafter can easily earn €100.00 a day. Workshop participants will also have the opportunity to take some grafts home. The workshop will be limited to four participants. The graftwood (scionwood) is held in carefully regulated refrigerated conditions in order to maintain dormancy until the workshop takes place.
Venue: Westport
Date: Saturday 28th April 2012
Price €80.00
Woodland and Coppice Management for Fuel Production
This workshop will examine the possibilities for domestic and/or small scale commercial fuel production from sustainably managed woodland or the wooded margins of gardens or fields. While emphasis will be on domestic fuel production, the methods outlined are also applicable to larger scale production. The two systems examined - micro-management of mixed woodland and coppicing - are both suited to low-tech as well as mechanised methods of harvesting. Also covered in the workshop is the drying and storage of wood, resource assessment, choice of species, and use of wood-burning stoves.
Date: Saturday 5th May and Saturday 3rd November
Location: Westport
Price €50.00
Fruit Tree Pruning and Maintenance (cherries, plums and damsons)
This workshop is similar in style to the one covering apple and pear trees held earlier in the year. However, cherry, plum and damson trees require different treatment to apples and pears, and are best pruned in the summer months. The workshop will cover all the main features of successful fruit tree pruning and maintenance, including renovation of old fruit trees. Much of the workshop is hands-on, with workshop participants getting ample opportunity to hone their pruning and tree-care skills under expert supervision in a real-life situation. The tree care aspect of the workshop will cover site enhancement, shelter, drainage, treatment of weeds, pollination, tree nutrition, prevention/treatment of pests and diseases, and treatment of old trees and orchards. Detailed workshop notes are provided.
This workshop will also look briefly at the pruning and maintenance of cobnuts.
Date: Saturday 19th May 2012 (evening)
Location: Westport
Price €20.00
Practical Soil Fertility for Organic Gardeners
Most organic growers know that peas and beans can add nitrogen to the soil but very few understand the wider general principles underpinning soil fertility, and as a result may inadvertently degrade their own land resource over time, leading to reduced crop yields and other problems. This workshop demystifies the world of green manures, mulches, nitrogen fixation, fertilisers, nutrient accumulation/uptake/depletion, soil micro-organisms, composting and crop rotations. It examines in easy-to-follow language what the organic gardener can do to maintain or enhance the long term fertility of their land. A must for anyone serious about land stewardship. Detailed workshop notes provided.Date: Saturday 26th May 2012
Location: Westport
Price €60.00
Growing Unusual Fruit
This workshop covers the cultivation of less common fruits such as blueberries, goji berries, sea buckthorn, Cornelian cherries and mulberries. The classroom part of the workshop will look at general principles, choice of species and varieties, plant nutritional and environmental requirements, and the prevention and/or treatment of diseases. The outdoor part will cover site assessment, planting, pruning and propagation techniques. The workshop also examines the commercial opportunities for blueberries and sea buckthorn. Detailed workshop notes are provided.
Date: Saturday 30th June 2012
Location: Westport
Price €40.00
Nut Propagation, Cultivation and Maintenance
This workshop covers all aspects of successful nut cultivation in Ireland. While the main focus of the workshop is on cobnuts (commercial cultivars of the common hazelnut), other nuts covered in the workshop include walnuts, heartnuts, and sweet chestnut. Both walnuts and sweet chestnut are already successfully grown in many parts of Ireland, including many western locations.
The workshop includes site and soil assessment, site enhancement and development, choice of species and varieties, pollination, planting, pruning, feeding and maintenance, and nut tree propagation. The workshop also examines the commercial opportunities for nut crops. This is the only nut-growing workshop to be run in Ireland. Detailed workshop notes provided.
The outdoor part of the workshop will take place at Ireland's first large-scale nut orchard (800 cobnut trees). The classroom part will take place at a nearby community hall.
Date: Saturday 27th October 2012
Location: Co. Wicklow
Price €75.00
Further information
All workshops begin at 10am sharp and run until about 4.30pm. There is a one hour break for lunch. Participants should make every effort to arrive in good time. Participants should bring their own packed lunch and come dressed for the Irish weather. Hot drinks will be provided. In the event of poor weather, workshops may finish a little earlier. Most workshops are part outdoor and part classroom. Directions to the venue will be provided upon receipt of payment.
Booking and Payment
Advance booking is essential. Please send deposit of €20 per workshop (made payable to the Sustainability Institute) to:
The Sustainability Institute
Cooloughra
Ballinrobe Rd
Westport
Co. Mayo
Please note that in the event of intending workshop participants cancelling, deposits can only be returned if more than 14 days notice is given (in order to have time to re-allocate the workshop place to someone else).
Workshops in 2013
Most of the 2012 workshops will run again next year. There will be some changes to the format of the grafting workshops, as the number of participants per workshop will be reduced to a maximum of 8. This will allow a greater degree of individual supervision and tuition, and facilitiate more grafts being completed per session. There will also be the option to do half-day workshops as well as full days.
A number of the other workshops will be offered as half-day or evening options.
Further details will be provided later this year.
Enquiries and further information
Tel 087 6714075
email: office@fruitandnut(dot)ie