Edmonton Permaculture: Soil & Composting Workshop Apr 9, 2026
TL;DR: This guide explores practical soil-building techniques, focusing on composting, mulching, and soil amendments for productive gardens.
- Master composting basics for nutrient-rich soil.
- Learn diverse soil-building strategies.
- Discover solutions for challenging soil types.
- Implement regenerative practices for waste reduction.
- Connect with local permaculture community.
Why it matters: Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden, impacting plant health, nutrient cycling, and water retention, and reducing the need for external inputs.
Do this next: Start a small compost pile with kitchen scraps and yard waste, ensuring a balance of "greens" and "browns."
Recommended for: Home gardeners, community garden enthusiasts, and anyone interested in sustainable soil management and waste reduction.
This event listing from the Edmonton Permaculture Guild showcases upcoming workshops on soil building techniques, compost biology, and practical methods for creating healthy Edmonton gardens, scheduled for April 9, 2026. The featured session, 'How-to Compost & Build Nutrient Rich Soil with Mark Stumpf-Allen,' delves into composting fundamentals, explaining how compost improves soil structure, facilitates nutrient cycling, and enhances plant health. Mark Stumpf-Allen, with experience as a residential landscape designer and former board member of the Edmonton Horticultural Society, shares insights from the 90s onward on making high-quality compost piles. Topics include the microbiology of compost, balancing greens and browns, monitoring temperature and moisture, troubleshooting common issues like odors or pests, and scaling systems for backyard or larger plots. Soil building strategies cover double-digging alternatives like hugelkultur beds using woody debris, chop-and-drop mulching with local plants, and integrating worm bins for continuous nutrient supply. The presentation addresses Edmonton's clay-heavy soils, offering amendments like gypsum for drainage and biochar for water retention. Practical demonstrations include building a three-bin compost system from pallets and layering techniques for rapid decomposition. Attendees learn to assess soil biology through simple tests like the shovel test for earthworms and structure. The guild promotes regenerative practices aligned with permaculture ethics of earth care, people care, and fair share, encouraging reduced waste and closed-loop systems. Additional events listed include family-friendly orchard days with cider pressing, Green Drinks networking at breweries for sustainable living discussions, and free permaculture movie recommendations via Edmonton Public Library resources. The calendar also features submissions for homesteading workshops and resilience festivals, building community skills in urban food production. This platform serves as a hub for Edmonton's permaculture enthusiasts, providing actionable knowledge for resilient, nutrient-dense gardening in northern climates.