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Craig Castree: Edible Gardens
Jenny Trevitt welcomed guest speaker Craig Castree, an experienced horticulturalist and author.
Craig encouraged members to ‘take up the edible garden challenge.’ He explained that regenerative gardening rather than monoculture is a more sustainable practice where companion planting of vegetables and flowers helps maintain a healthy microbiome and brings beneficial insects to the garden. He stressed that the soil’s function is to feed the plants, so soil must be improved for optimum plant growth. Craig showcased his own garden which was productive and colorful with fruit trees underplanted with a variety of vegetables and flowers such as marigolds, alyssum and nemesia. He recommended successive planting of veges, feeding the soil from above and ensuring that every possible space can be used to grow edibles.
Door prize: Don was the lucky recipient of one of Craig’s books.