Organic Pest and Disease Control (on-farm workshop)

Description

Pests and diseases are responsible for most fruit losses from organic fruit trees, but many of them are preventable.

This informative half-day workshop provides you with the knowledge and skills to identify, prevent, and treat many common pests and diseases of fruit trees.

You’ll also learn the key principles to grow a healthy, balanced, biodiverse garden that is less likely to attract pests and diseases.

This workshop covers the common categories of fruit tree pests and diseases, with suggestions for the prevention and treatment of each one.  You’ll also learn how to monitor your trees, how to identify pests and diseases, and how to decide when (or if) to take action.

The workshop includes a practical session demonstrating and testing various home spray units. You’ll learn about appropriate safety gear and spraying techniques. If you’ve got a great organic home remedy that’s worked in your garden, bring it along and share your experience.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to recognise most common pests and diseases of fruit trees and know how to prevent them. You’ll also understand the keys to building a resilient ecosystem in your garden.

Who is this workshop for?

• People who are already growing, or want to grow, their own fruit
• People who are renting houses with fruit trees in the backyard
• People who look after fruit trees in the community
• People who are interested in organics, permaculture, growing their own food, or food security
• People who already grow, or are interested in growing fruit commercially

What does this workshop cover?

• Descriptions, prevention, and treatment of Fruit fly and other common pests like Codling moth, Pear and cherry slug, Aphids, Earwigs, and Bugs
• How to avoid common diseases like Leaf curl, Brown rot, Black spot (apple scab ), and Gummosis
• How healthy soil helps to prevent pest and disease outbreaks
• Pest prevention activities by season
• How to discourage birds, possums, and fruit bats
• Biodiversity – what is it, and how does it help prevent pests and diseases
• The relationship between backyard pest control, commercial growers, and food security, and why we all have a responsibility to keep our trees healthy

What’s provided?

• Pest and disease reference books to help identify samples you bring along
• Workshop notes
• Morning tea

What you need to bring:

• Got a pesky pest or unidentified disease? Bring along a sample or a photo
• A pen for note taking
• Appropriate warm and outdoor clothing.

Workshop presenters:

The workshop is taught by Katie & Hugh, who have learned through 20+ years of fruit growing that when it comes to pest and disease control the two most useful mantras are “Be prepared” and “Don’t panic”.

What others have said about this workshop:

“Thanks, we will definitely put into practice the advice on controlling pests in the orchard and garden.” — Judy and Phillip Hopley, Harcourt

“Great session, informative, hands-on, and practical. 10/10” — Bernie Lincoln, Melbourne

SPECIAL NOTES

1. Grow Great Fruit members receive a 50% discount on all on-farm workshops. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
2. If you’re staying for both workshops on September 24, please bring something to share for lunch. We’ll provide soup and bread.
3. Please do a COVID test before coming to the workshop, and if you have a positive result or are feeling unwell, stay home (refunds will be available for non-attendance due to illness).
4. A reminder email will be sent out in the week before the workshop, which will also give location details.