Organic Urban Gardening 101 by Cedarhills Garden Center

I love plants.  I love gardening.  Let it be clear.  But I think gardening hates me.  I can count in one hand alone the number of plants that grew when I plant them.  Some of them die.  Most of them don’t really want to live after I plant them.  Sadly, I don’t possess a green thumb. L

This is one of the reasons I gladly accepted Cedarhills’ invitation to attend their Organic Urban Gardening 101 workshop.  The workshop was held at Cedarhills Garden Center in Quezon City. 

I arrived at the venue a couple of minutes before the start time and was able to roam around Cedarhills first.  The workshop started at exactly 1pm, which was really good because as Gerald, our facilitator, said he doesn’t want to punish the early bird by starting late.

This greeted me at my table in the workshop.

The workshop consists of everything you need to learn to start your own garden and maintain one.  We started in sequential order of gardening.

Seed Soaking.

To help seeds boost their moisture content. 

Using EM Technology.

The answer to your black-thumb: EMAS.

Sprouting.

Because I love salads, I need to learn sprouting too.

Seed Planting.

For planting, it should be Soil -> Water with EMAS -> Seed -> Water with EMAS.

Transplanting.

Wait for 2-3 true leaves before transplanting. 

Fertilizer Application.

Applying fertilizer by Banding and Circling.

Bed Planting.

Busy decorating my bed planter. 

Pest Management

Spray liquid fertilizer under the leaves instead of in front.

In the middle of the workshop, we were given time to take our snacks at Hillside Café.  I especially like the Tanglad Juice (Lemon Grass Juice) and the breaded pickled.

Our snack from Hillside Café.

Before the end of the workshop, we were given a chance to design our own bed planter.   I won this design contest for our table and was given Php100 GC as a prize. J

My decorated bed planter.

By the end of the workshop, we were given certificates and Php100 GC each for us to use in shopping at Cedarhills Garden. 

With our facilitator, Gerald Sioco.

What I like about this workshop aside from learning a lot during the 4-hour flow are:

1)    There are only 16 participants.  The workshop area has 4 tables, so that makes 4 participants in each table.  Each table has an assistant that will help participants during the workshop.

2)    Hands-on activities.  This workshop is 85% hands on. You learn more while doing it yourself.

3)    Complete kits.  Everything you need during the hands-on activities are provided.  Soil, water, soft pots, and everything.  You don’t need to ask.  It is already provided.

4)    Attentive to the participants need.  Aside from the snack, which was part of the package, participants were given bottled water (so we won’t get thirsty), apron (so we won’t get dirty), OFF Lotion (so mosquitoes won’t come near us), bag basket (so our things are safe and won’t be dirty), and lovely assistants (so all our needs and questions are taken cared of).

5)    Take home kits.  All the things we did in the workshop were given to us to take home.  We were also given a soft copy of the entire workshop lecture (so we really don’t need to jot down notes).

6)    Post-Workshop Assistance.  A week after the workshop, Cedarhills sent me an email asking how have my “garden” been and if I have questions, they are more than willing to answer and help me. 

Together with my workshop-mates, facilitator Gerald, and assistants. J

This workshop is held every month.  It costs Php1995 inclusive of snacks and starter kits.  I encourage everyone who wants to start their own garden (small or big one) to attend this workshop and learn.  This maybe your key to being black-thumb no more! J

For more information, you can call 02-926-2707.  Or visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cedarhillsgardencenter