Workshop: Digging into Soil
Did you know that there is more life in one teaspoon of soil than there are humans on Earth? Just a single teaspoon of healthy soil can contain over 8 billion microorganisms; these life-forms create an underground ecosystem that is fundamental to life as we know it. Often overlooked, it plays an absolutely vital role in our environment as a living, breathing system that supports the growth of plants, cycles nutrients, filters water, stores carbon, and even helps regulate the Earth's climate. This delicate balance of biology is essential for healthy ecosystems and for human survival yet it's under constant threat from erosion, pollution, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices.
During this workshop we will be going down a worm-hole (pun intended) and digging deep into the subject of soil: what it is, how it is formed, how to manage it, and how to repair it. We will also be getting our hands dirty and testing soil samples for soil type, pH, and nutrients, and discussing the importance of soil biology and the necessity for living organisms to promote healthy soil.
This workshop will be mostly a theoretical and discussion based session, but there will be practical demonstrations and an opportunity to learn how to take and test soil samples.
You are welcome to bring along a small soil sample (100g or approximately a large handful) from you garden for testing. If you do so, please follow the following method for collecting a sample suitable for testing;
Collect your sample from at least six inches below the soil surface
Dry the sample (by placing it near a warm windowsill, or putting it in an oven on medium-heat until the soil feels dry to touch
(you may wish to collect several samples from across your site and combine these into one to achieve a representative sample of your site)
Meet Charlie
Charlie (he/him) is a Peckham local who is passionate about both the community and the environment. With a background in health and social care management, he is invested in promoting community involvement and environmental issues through organic gardening. Charlie is dedicated to landscape and planting design within urban environments, and is currently teaching the next generation of horticulturalists as a Garden Education Officer here at Walworth Garden.
Price: £85/ Free for Southwark residents
Free places are available for Southwark residents aged 19+. Each resident can claim 1 place per academic year (Sept 25- Jul 26). To check whether you are eligible, please click here.
To claim your free place, click ‘Book Here’ below, and enter code ‘SOUTHWARK26’ under ‘Redeem Coupon’.
You will then be charged a £10 deposit in order to claim your place, this deposit will be refunded to you after you attend the workshop.
Please note that you will be required to fill in a Southwark Council form, including some personal information, in order to confirm your place on a workshop. Your place will not be confirmed until this has been completed in full.