Organic Medicinal Herb Growing – One Day Workshop
A practical introduction to growing medicinal herbs at the Core College campus in Castlecomer. Spend a day in the herb gardens learning how to cultivate, care for, and harvest the plants used in herbal medicine.
📅Date: Friday 4th September 2026
🕐Time: 9.30am to 5 pm
📍Location: Core College, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny
💳Cost: €115 to IFA Countryside Members.
The Organic Medicinal Herb Growing workshop is a one-day course at the Core College campus in Castlecomer. It is a practical introduction to organic medicinal herb growing, designed for anyone who wants to start growing herbs at home, work more confidently with the plants they already have, or understand how medicinal herbs are cultivated and used.
You will spend the day in the Core College medicinal herb gardens with Heiko Klee, head gardener at the college, and Klaus Laitenberger, a specialist in organic gardening and author of three gardening books. You will learn how to prepare the ground for healthy growth, design a garden that supports medicinal plants, propagate from seeds, cuttings, and divisions, and care for established herbs through the seasons. The day includes a tour of the Core College herbal dispensary, where you will see how the plants are used in clinical practice.
No previous experience is needed.
What the day covers
A practical introduction to the foundations of organic herb growing, starting with soil. We will look at how to prepare the ground for healthy growth, how to design a garden that supports medicinal plants through the seasons, and how to build confidence with propagation techniques such as seeds, cuttings, and division.
A central part of the day is the care of established herbs and seasonal approaches to harvesting. You will see how well-known medicinal herbs are grown and tended, and how they are used in herbal medicine. A highlight of the day is a tour of the Core College herbal dispensary, where you will see how the plants you have been learning about are prepared into remedies for clinical use.
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The principles of organic medicinal herb growing
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Preparing the ground for healthy growth
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Designing a medicinal herb garden
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Propagation from seeds, cuttings, and division
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Care of established herbs through the seasons
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Harvesting and preserving medicinal plants
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Profiles of well-known medicinal herbs and their uses
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A tour of the Core College medicinal herb gardens
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A tour of the Core College herbal dispensary
Participants are encouraged to come prepared with gardening gear so they can take part fully in the practical elements of the day.
Who this course is for
The workshop is open to everyone. Beginners, home gardeners, herbal enthusiasts, and anyone wanting to start a small medicinal herb garden are all welcome. You do not need any background in gardening or herbal medicine. The day is designed to be practical, encouraging, and useful from the first hour to the last.
What you will take away
By the end of the course, you will:
• Understand the key principles of organic vegetable and fruit growing
• Learn how to build healthier, more fertile soil
• Gain confidence planning and planting a productive garden
• Leave with practical steps for growing food through the seasons using organic methods
Your Teachers
A one-day workshop is only as good as the people running it. The Organic Medicinal Herb Growing day is led by Heiko Klee and Klaus Laitenberger, two experienced gardeners who have spent years working with organic methods in Ireland.
Klaus Laitenberger
Author of three gardening books and a regular contributor to Irish Garden magazine, played a
central role in creating the Core College gardens. He is widely known in Ireland for his passionate teaching and commitment to organic growing and soil health.
Heiko Klee
A horticulturist with over a decade of experience, Heiko has spent the past seven years focusing on medicinal herb cultivation in Ireland. He leads the development of the College’s medicinal herbgrowing
project, with a strong focus on organic methods suited to the Irish climate.
Join us for an inspiring day in the gardens and learn how to grow abundant, healthy food usingorganic methods.
Membership Access
Access to IFA Countryside training courses is an exclusive member benefit. If you are not yet a member, joining means you can take part in this course and other subsidised training opportunities.
🐝 Members can book the course here.
☎ For questions or support: 0818 924 982
Organic Medicinal Herb Growing
If you are interested in this course, please complete the expression of interest form.