Sow & Grow – Winter Garden
Course aims
Join this exciting new course which will teach you all you need to know about sowing and upkeeping a garden or other green space. The course aims to give you a sound basis for garden planning, planting and upkeep. By the end of the course you will know how to sow and propagate plants, how to plan garden borders, care for houseplants, identify plants and weeds and even make a bug hotel or learn to cook from herbs or vegetables you might grow!
Course length
20 guided learning hours over 8 weeks
Who is this course for?
This course is for you if you wish to learn and improve your gardening skills and learn the basics of sowing, growing and upkeeping a garden or other green space as well as to support you with your health & wellbeing and looking for employment in the green sector.
Will I gain any qualifications?
No. You will gain a BAES certificate of attendance.
Do I need any prior knowledge, skills or qualifications?
You don’t need any prior knowledge but an interest in gardening and a willingness to learn are important.
Course content
By the end of the course learners will ….
- Understand about Health and Safety in the garden
- Be able to mulch and compost soil
- Harvest seeds and sow and propagate plants
- Be able to prune and deadhead plants
- Know how to look after houseplants
- Create a winter herb basket
- Companion planting e.g. making a ‘bulb lasagne’
What could this course lead to?
Opportunity to move onto a more advanced gardening course, including those with the RHS.
How will I learn?
Learning will take place initially in a classroom and outdoor environment. You will also have access to Birmingham Adult Education Services Virtual Learning Environment (VLE - Moodle) which is a secure online tool to support you with your studies. It has been designed to complement teaching and offers a flexible addition to studying with us. Various other tools like Microsoft Teams & Padlet will be used to enhance teaching & learning.
You will be able to access resources, engage in online activities, study independently, and participate in group discussions with your teacher. You will record your own progress and have your work checked regularly throughout the course. Once you are enrolled, your teacher will provide you with an enrolment key and show you how to access the resource.
What materials or equipment will I need to provide?
You will need to have access to:
- Comfortable clothes suitable for outdoors and possibly wet weather
- Suitable footwear such as waterproof boots
- Notepad and pen – you will need to take notes during sessions and a folder to store hand-outs and completed exercises.
What we require of you as a learner?
- Regular attendance is essential for you to succeed.
- Work at home will need to be completed punctually and sent to your tutor for marking.
- You will need to ensure that you allow sufficient time for self-study and complete any homework set.
- You will be expected to complete the full course.
Support if you are registered unemployed, looking for a job or a better job – Route to Work
As part of your programme of learning, we will support you to develop the skills you need to get a job or a better job, such as CV writing, application forms, interviews and working in a team. Your tutor will discuss your individual learning and development needs to agree with you which of our Route to Work short courses will best suit your needs and enrol you on these modules.
