Hello everyone, I hope your week is off to a great start! The gardening season is winding down, but it’s not over yet. This week, we’ll spend time reviewing what we’ve learned and beginning to wrap up our garden spaces.
We will meet at the farm at Loyola Campus if it is not raining and at the Hive Cafe if it is raining.
Class 11 – Closing and Preparing Gardens for the Off-Season
In this session, participants will learn how to prepare garden and farm spaces for the end of the season. We will discuss strategies for overwintering plants, explore what can still be planted at this time of year, and plan the steps needed to wind down the Loyola garden spaces. Participants will also review key material from previous classes and carry out hands-on tasks in their own plots to prepare them for the off-season.
Schedule:
Welcome & Check-In
– Reflection on the growing season: highlights, challenges, and what participants are proud of
Seasonal Transitions
– Discussion on how to close a garden or farm at the end of the season
– Overwintering practices: protecting soil, perennials, and other crops
– What can still be planted at this stage
Planning the Garden Take-Down
– Group discussion and task planning for wrapping up the Loyola garden spaces
Review & Reflection
– Recap of key lessons and skills from previous sessions
– Open Q&A for participants to share insights and lingering questions
Hands-on Garden Work
– Students work directly on their own plots
– Tasks may include preparing beds, mulching, tidying plant material, and caring for overwintering crops
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