Tips from Yeo Valley for Organic Gardening at Home
Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival Promises a Weekend of Sustainable Gardening
Get ready for a weekend of gardening inspiration as the Yeo Valley Organic Garden hosts its annual three-day festival in Somerset, taking place from the 18th to the 20th of September.
This year's event promises to be a hub of knowledge and practical tips for creating and maintaining a thriving, chemical-free garden. The festival will feature talks, panels, and workshops from a diverse range of gardening voices, including Charles Dowding, Sarah Mead, Georgie Newbery, Arit Anderson, and RHS Gold Medallist Tom Massey.
One of the key focuses of the festival is the importance of organic gardening practices. Sarah Mead, co-owner and gardener at Yeo Valley, and the experienced team leading their organic garden efforts, have shared their top tips for going organic. These include choosing organic nurseries, focusing on soil health, embracing natural pest control methods, practicing crop rotation and diversity, and saving money by reusing materials.
The festival will also delve into the science of pollination, with Dr Daniel Robert & Dr Heather Whitney from the University of Bristol leading a session. Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers will share tips on growing pollinator-friendly cut flowers, while letting lawns grow freely for a month can provide ten times more nectar for bees and butterflies than a regularly cut patch.
In addition to these sessions, the Garden Organic team will share compost tips from their 'Compost Corner' throughout the festival. Visitors can also learn about low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants like lavender, nepeta, erigeron, and echinacea, verbena bonariensis, monarda, and asters, which offer a pollen-packed feast for pollinators.
The festival will also touch on the importance of sustainable watering practices, with tips on watering wisely to conserve water in the garden. Simple shifts in lawn care, such as mowing less, can have big rewards for wildlife, while catching rainwater with water butts or troughs near thirsty spots can help conserve water.
The festival's closing session will be led by Charles Dowding, the UK's no-dig gardening guru, who will focus on boosting soil, nourishing it, and growing more with less effort without lifting a spade. RHS Waterwise Garden expert Tom Massey will share smart, sustainable ideas from his latest book on the 20th of September.
Lastly, the festival on the 19th will have themed sessions on People & Pollinators, emphasizing the vital role pollinators play in our ecosystem and the steps we can take to support them in our gardens. The event will provide a comprehensive guide on attracting wildlife into the garden.
So, whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, the Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival promises to be a valuable and enjoyable experience for all. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn, share, and be inspired by the best in organic gardening practices.
[1] Sarah Mead, co-owner and gardener at Yeo Valley [3] The experienced team leading their organic garden efforts [4] Charles Dowding, the UK's no-dig gardening guru
- Sarah Mead, a co-owner and gardener at Yeo Valley, shared her top tips for going organic, such as choosing organic nurseries, focusing on soil health, and practicing crop rotation.
- The experienced team leading Yeo Valley's organic garden efforts are also sharing knowledge on sustainable gardening practices throughout the festival.
- Charles Dowding, known as the UK's no-dig gardening guru, will lead a closing session on boosting soil and nourishing it, and growing more with less effort without lifting a spade.
- In addition to gardening experts like Sarah Mead and Charles Dowding, the festival will feature talks from other gardening voices, including Arit Anderson, RHS Gold Medallist Tom Massey, and more.
