Horti-Hub Garden Shop Update
Letter of thanks from Gavin Gardner and the Horti-Hub horticulture team:
Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to The Goed Life for their continued support and most recently for their generous donation that has allowed us to invest in a much needed irrigation system for the plant display area and the poly tunnels.
We reported in our last update, two areas of development around Horti-Hub - the allotment and wildlife area however, due to the recent inclement the weather, slow progress has been made on this. But fear not! The students are determined and have been avidly collecting pine cones and other natural materials from around the site in readiness for early spring, when they will start to construct a range of wild life habitats for different species.
Jobs we did manage to complete were - putting our soft fruit area to bed by using a layer of hay to keep them happy over the winter months. The students have also prepared an area for their potatoes, which they will plant out once they have chitted and the ground has dried out a bit and warmed up! This is a great opportunity for our students to learn about specific techniques and improve their skill sets by actively engaging in the seasonal tasks we set that are essential when growing so many varieties of their own crops.
Other skills they students have learnt this term include preparing our raised beds for over wintering and the planting up of bare root roses. This task taught them the importance of: PPE when handling thorny plants; root compaction and pruning methods to ensure the healthy development of the young plant. The students worked extremely well on these tasks and it was clear they understood my instructions! As well as the roses, we have been busy planting up 100’s of spring flowering bulbs that are now patiently waiting to burst into colourful displays once the warmer weather arrives!
Finally, we would like to report that the run up to Christmas has been one of our most successful to date! The team and I have worked tirelessly, running around like Santa’s elves on Christmas Eve! The wreaths have proved as successful as ever and thanks to the power of social media and my seasonal offers, they, along with the planted hyacinth containers have flown off the shelves. We have had lots of positive feedback on the new lines of giftware and many of our customers are returning and highly recommending us!
The images you see in this report are evidence of the hard work the team have put in to ensuring Horti-Hub continues to grow season on season. Having the opportunity to spend quality time with the students teaching them valuable skills that they can put to good use in industry or their own gardens makes it all worthwhile. Next year, we are planning to widen the range of plants we grow, nurture and sell to our customers. This means the work experience we offer our students can be expanded. Horti-Hub prides itself on the opportunities we have on offer to those students who wish to seriously consider a career in the horticulture, plant production and retail sectors.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2022!