A free workshop on lasagna beds next weekend will help beginner gardeners get started.
Lasagna beds or sheet mulching, explains organizer Madeleine Dwyer, are layers of material right on the ground and can be a much simpler, cheaper way to start a garden than a raised or constructed box.
"They can be cheap, or even free if you find the materials and it helps improve the soil," said Dwyer, a Vancouver Island University student and Kwalikum Secondary grad who works with the Qualicum Beach Farmer's Market and runs the KSS garden program.
People can learn about the system and get their gardens ready for the winter to be ahead of the game next spring. They will also talk about permaculture, compost, soil and cover cropping for soil fertility.
There will also be information about the upcoming community food course in the spring at the KSS gardens and Dwyer will update people on the progress of the school garden.
She said the change in season means she has been harvesting a lot of food and not having to water as much, and now that school is back in session the students and teachers are getting involved again.
The workshop will be an hour or so at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at the KSS garden, to the left of the roundabout.
For more information contact Dwyer at madeleinedwyer@gmail.com or call
250-240-6236.