Growing From and Saving Seed with Peni Ediker (1.5 days)

About This Event

Day One
Seed saving is both an ancient skill and a vital one for the future of gardening. This full-day, hands-on course is designed as a clear, accessible introduction for gardeners who want to begin saving their own seed, but aren’t sure where to start.

The day will cover the core principles that underpin good seed saving, without overwhelming detail, giving you a solid foundation to build on over time.

You’ll explore:
Why saving seed matters – for resilience, diversity and self-reliance
How much space is needed to save seed successfully
The basics of pollination and what it means for seed purity
Isolation distances and simple strategies for small gardens
How to rogue plants to select for health and vigour
When and how to harvest seed
Drying, cleaning and storing seed so it lasts

Teaching will move between short theory sessions and practical work in the market garden. A shared lunch is included, made using as much produce as possible from the Grange Project’s market garden.

Day Two
A practical half-day focused on the fundamentals of seed sowing, watering and early plant care – ideal for gardeners who struggle to get consistent results from seed.

You’ll cover:
How seeds germinate and what they actually need
Compost choices and container basics
Sowing depth, spacing and timing
Watering well – how much, how often, and why it matters
Light, temperature and airflow
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
How to read seedlings and respond early

Both days take place at the Grange Project, an 80-acre rewilding site in Wales, where we are passionate about growing food in harmony with nature.

You’ll be learning within:
A working market garden, designed around permaculture principles
The Grange Hub, a purpose-built education and community space with kitchen, showers and relaxed communal areas
Wide, open views across the rewilding site

The setting supports learning that is grounded, practical and unhurried, with time to ask questions, share experiences and connect skills to a wider ecological context.

Staying On Site
Participants attending Day 1 are welcome to:
Camp on site on Saturday night at no extra charge
Use the Grange Hub’s showers, kitchen and relaxation spaces
Alternatively, book one of the Grange Project’s cabins for overnight accommodation (please contact us directly for discounted rates)

This makes the course feel less like a workshop, and more like a shared learning retreat, with space for informal conversation and reflection.

Course Facilitator
Peni Ediker is a highly experienced grower, educator and seed saver, known for her clear, practical teaching style and deep knowledge of plants in real-world growing systems.

With decades of experience in organic and ecological horticulture, Peni has worked across market gardens, community food projects and training settings, supporting people to develop confident, resilient growing skills. Her teaching bridges theory and practice, helping learners understand not just what to do, but why it works.