Starting a Garden at School

Everything you need to know you can learn in a garden. There is much truth in this sentence. In an earlier article I said:

"Every school needs a garden. Many of the subjects on the curriculum can be taught in a garden whether that garden is indoors or out. We posses the technology to create indoor teaching gardens at a reasonable price. The garden, to be an effective learning tool, does not have to be large; it just needs to be accessible."

What is a school garden and how do you start one?

Simply put a school garden is a garden on the school property. It may be a flower garden or a vegetable garden or both. The choice is up to the people who plant and tend the garden; the students with guidance and advice from teachers and parents.

A school garden is an excellent way for the parents to become involved in the school that their child(ren) attends. The garden can be a container garden, raised bed or planted directly into the ground, once again the choice belongs to the gardeners taking into consideration the available resources, such as the amount of land available and the type of land as well as the amount of time that can be dedicated to gardening.

The school garden can complement the learning experience as there are many lessons that can be based upon the garden. For one thing, students can learn how to work together to plan, plant and care for the garden.

How to get started?

The impetus for the garden may come from a teacher, a parent or a student. For the garden to work all must be involved. Regardless of who initiates the project, the school principal must be involved and the principal’s permission is essential.

If a teacher starts the project and gets the principal on board then the next step is to rally other teachers and plan a public meeting.

The students’ parents are invited to that meeting in order to inform them about the project and get them interested. Have them bring their children as well so all the concerned parties are in the room.

You will need to give them information such as the size of the garden and where on the school grounds it will be located. Having a clear purpose for the garden may help; for example will it be an edible plant garden, that can provide fresh food for the cafeteria; or will it be a native plant garden designed to introduce native plants into the area and encourage birds and butterflies.

The meeting begins with a quick overview of the project which includes the benefits that the students will receive from being involved. Then a question and answer period follows.

Be sure to have a sign up sheet handy for any parents who want to help with the garden, their assistance will be invaluable over the summer months.

If a student or group of students is eager to start a garden on the school grounds, the first step is to talk with a teacher and get his or her support; once that is done then the process becomes the same as the above for the teacher initiated garden.

If a parent or parents are interested in starting the garden, then the first step is to contact the school principal and any teachers you may know and arrange a meeting to discuss the project. A parent initiated garden may not need to hold a community meeting, as parents are already in the loop.

Once you have the principal’s permission and have students, teachers and parents o board, the final gardening decisions can be made. Decisions such as organic or not; what to plant can be worked out by the gardeners.

A school garden can provide an outdoor classroom, a source of healthy food or habitat for local wildlife or the best, all three. There are enough examples of successful school gardens around to know that it is a win win situation for your child’s education.

Gardening can help build a child’s confidence, engage their imagination, make new friends and enhance the school property.

Waterwise Gardening

[caption id="attachment_14962" align="alignleft" width="300"] watering a garden - wikimedia commons[/caption]

Bob Ewing - There has been no rain or snow for that matter for almost two weeks. In the late spring and early summer this could spell problems for the garden especially in zones where water use is restricted. If you are planning a vegetable garden, making sure the plants get sufficient water to produce is vital. Often you cannot count on the weather to take care of this, nor can you simply switch on the tap and let the water flow.

The following two methods will keep your garden from going thirsty and suffering and will make wise use of the rain when it does fall.

Mulching:

Covering your garden bed with an organic mulch, such as leaves or straw, serves several purposes. It can keep weeds in check and it also mulch will keep water and nutrients close to the soil. Mulch also keeps the soil bed from drying our because it protects the soil from the direct rays of the sun. In addition, mulch slows down the rate of evaporation and thus helps the soil retain the moisture that it needs

In order to thrive, plants need strong and healthy roots and water is important to their development, mulch helps the plant develop the roots system that will produce healthy vegetables and fruits. If you want to enhance the beauty of your vegetable garden, it is possible to purchase hardwood chip mulch. It lasts throughout the season and comes in a variety of colours. I have used both red and yellow in gardens.

Rain Fall Harvesting:

The second method collects the rain that nature provides so that it can be sued when periods of no rainfall or drought happen. If your house has eaves troughs you can purchase a rain barrel and attach this to the down sprout. Rain barrels are especially designed to keep out mosquitoes and only let the rain in. You can run a hose from the barrel to the garden bed.

The most effective way to water your vegetable garden, when you must, that lies at the base of the plants. Set it on a timer for the early morning before the sun rises. Be sure you can turn it off on rainy nights. Water deep and long. You want the water to get to the roots.

Do not take water for granted, simply because you can turn a tap on and it flows does not mean this will always be the case. Water is essential to life, not just the garden so use it wisely and conserve the supply.

Get Your Garden Growing

Bob Ewing - It is snowing outside as I type this, for some, it may seem a bit too early to begin thinking about gardening; however, even though planting out season is four months away, it is time to make a plan. The garden plan does not have to be fancy. You do not need to be an artist to create one. All you  need to know is the size of your plot and what you want to grow.

My favourite gardens are a mix of vegetables, berries, herbs and flowers. If you include plants that are native to your area in the flower choices, you increase the odds of inviting the garden helpers who are needed to make you garden bloom. Herbs add fragrance to the air and flavour to the cook pot. Flowers add fragrance, beauty and call in the bees and other pollinators that all the plants in your garden need. When it comes to vegetables grow what you like to eat. Once you have tasted a tomato picked fresh off the vine, you will know what truly fresh food tastes like.

If you do not have a yard use your deck or balcony. All the plants I am referring to can be grown in containers, which can then be placed handily in your home so that maintenance is easy. Just take a few steps to water when necessary or harvest or examine the plants for unwanted creatures or diseases. Early detection is vital to keep your garden healthy.

If tomatoes a favourite but space minimal then choose cherry tomatoes. They can be grown in a three gallon container or any container that is at least 24 inches across and 18 inches deep. In fact most tomatoes can be grown in a pot this size. Add basil to the pot, tomatoes and basil make excellent companions both in the garden and in the kitchen. Nurture them and you will be able to enjoy tomatoes fresh from your own garden. As well as tomatoes, it is possible to grow cucumbers, green peppers and zucchini in the same size (24x18) containers.  A trellis is likely to be needed for both zucchini and cucumbers.

Organic soil is always the best and even if you have a container garden, you can add compost from a compost bin to the soil, just less than you would a garden bed. If you need to buy soil then buy organic. This way the plant roots will get fed properly right from day one.

If you are new to gardening and just setting out your first one, then start small. What are your three favourite vegetables, three herbs and three flowers. This gives you a total of nine containers or a small garden bed.
A garden journal is essential. This is where you put the garden plan, plant lists and any observations( what did well, what did not, for example) that you made over the season. Gardening is an interactive experience and the gardener need to take regular strolls through the garden to see how all is doing.
As your skills, time and interest grow so can your garden.

Happy growing!