How can we grow international food staples in the UK? This workshop will look at how to create the conditions to grow things such as okra, callaloo, chilli, and Mediterranean herbs in a cold, wet climate with heavy clay soil. The UK climate is changing, and it’s possible to work with that in order to grow plants that traditionally haven’t thrived in this country. This workshop will look at practical adjustments that can be made to growing spaces in order to support a greater diversity of crops, as well as using coldframes, greenhouses, cloches and horticultural fleece to protect warm-weather plants from colder and wetter climates.
An important part of growing a wider range of crops in the UK is sharing skills and knowledge, and also learning how to effectively save seeds and propagate so that plant material can be shared with others. This will all be covered in this workshop, and there will also be an opportunity for allotment members to share knowledge and suggestions around different crops that they use in home cooking and how to cultivate them here.
