Plant Propagator Workshop: April 19 10am-12pm, Sunnycrest Farm, Londonderry, NH

Do you believe that the status quo of the suburban lawn needs to be challenged? Do you dream of replacing your boring old lawn with a cornucopia of flowers and fruits and vegetables? Do you want to take care of the land where you live in a way that will nourish your soul and your body and the entire ecosystem that surrounds you?

Let’s do it!

If this is your dream, you’re going to need plants… a lot of plants. After all, plants are the foundation of life on this planet.

In this workshop, we will learn to propagate plants by:

1. Starting seeds

2. Transplanting seedlings

3. Rooting cuttings

The skills you will learn in this workshop will completely revolutionize your gardening game, and literally change your life. I actually tried to write this less dramatically, but you need to feel the drama, because it’s absolutely true. Knowing how to start your own plants from both seed and cuttings is … a big deal.

The cost-savings of being able to propagate endless plants is very enticing, but also, the feeling of watching a seed germinate and grow into a little baby and eventually a full-grown, blooming flower. Priceless.

You’ll save money on seeds now, because seeds are included in the worksop, and you’ll save money on seeds later when you learn how to store seeds properly to keep them viable as long as possible.

In this workshop you’ll learn:

• what type of plant light to choose for your own set up, what equipment and special tools you might want (and why or why not), and where to get the best seed starting soil

• 3 methods of sowing seeds (winter sowing, soil blocking, and plastic cell trays), my preferred techniques for different types and sizes of seed, and trouble shooting some common pitfalls

• the difference between cool-season hardy annuals, and warm-season tender annuals, and how to find the best time to sow each variety

• the answers to tricky topics like soil temperature, cold stratification, scarification, light or darkness required for germination, and which flowers to start indoors vs direct sowing outdoors

• how to pot up seedlings safely, and the ins and outs of what different varieties of plants prefer and why

• how to propagate perennial plants from cuttings, truly one of the most thrilling plant propagation skills to learn

While you let the lesson wash over you, you will be able to actually put your hands in the soil and plant your own choice of seeds and pre-sprouted seedlings in a 128-cell seedling tray to take home with you. You’ll also get a copy of the lesson plan to refer back to anytime, so you won’t have to worry about cleaning your hands off to take notes at any point, just enjoy the day.

After we get our seeds and seedlings in our trays, we’ll take a literal “field” trip out into the new flower bed area at Sunnycrest Farm and learn how to build a simple and effective raised garden bed.

My goal with this workshop is that you will leave feeling empowered to go out and fill your world with flowers!

Can’t wait to have you! Let’s propagate some plants!!!!

If you have any questions at all, please let me know. Email me at beth@foodandbloomsfarm.com

Here’s a list of most of the flowers you’ll have access to in this workshop. This workshop series will focus on flowers, but the skills you learn will be applicable to veggies as well.

• Achillea (yarrow)

• Ageratum

• Amaranth

• Ammi green mist

• Snapdragons

• Columbine

• Sweet Annie

• Butterfly weed

• Aster (perennial and annual varieties)

• Basil

• Broccoli

• Calendula

• Celosia

• Bachelor Buttons

• Feverfew

• Coreopsis

• Cosmos

• Dill

• Gomphrena

• Gypsophila (baby’s breath)

• Helenium

• Heliopsis

• Lupine

• Marigold

• Millet

• Nasturtium

• Tall phlox

• Scabiosa

• Statice

• Stock

• Strawflower

• Sunflower

• Zinnia

• Anise hyssop

• Monarda (bee balm)

• Apple mint

• Sedum (stonecrop)

• Caryopteris (Bluebeard)

• Forsythia

• Montauk Daisy