STARTING A SCHOOL GARDEN PRESENTED BY 1

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STARTING A SCHOOL GARDEN 3

FORM A GARDEN COMMITTEE Coordinate the garden program Who will be responsible for the Garden Work? Finding funds to support the garden? Scheduling educational activities? Finding and training volunteers? Researching and disseminating information? What resources do you have available to you? Dedicated people – Teachers, Parents, Students, Maintenance Workers,, Local Residents 4

DEFINE THE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE GARDEN What objectives do you want your garden to achieve? What grade levels will work in the garden? How will you incorporate the lessons of the garden into state and county learning objectives? 5

Educational Goals What are your educational goals? Will it be for Food production, beautification, or native plant restorations? How will the garden support the State and County educational standards? How can the garden meet the learning objectives of a particular lesson or unit Incorporate activities in the garden for: Science (Life, physical and earth ) Math Social Science Nutrition 6

LAYOUT STUDENT GARDEN ACTIVITIES Prepare ahead of time for educational exercises and activities. Determined which grades will be doing what and when. Determined how bed space will be allocated. Schedule specific activities at specific times. Assign certain tasks. 7

DEFINE A YEAR ROUND GARDEN PLAN What happens in the summer to the garden? Who will maintained the garden during the summer when school is out? How do you want the garden to look on the first day of school? What Vegetables will be suitable for the school year? What will be growing when the school convenes in the Fall? 8

Steps to A Successful Garden 9 Step 1 - Planning Your Garden Step 2 - Selecting Your Site Step 3 - Prepare Your Soil Step 4 - Planting Your Crops or Flowers Step 5 - Taking Care of Your Garden Step 6 - Evaluate

Step 1 - Planning Your Garden Put your ideas on paper. Make a simple map of your garden plans on graph paper. Be sure to allow space between rows so you can water, fertilize, weed, and harvest! Taller crops on the North or West side to not shade smaller crops Group plants by season and maturity date Early, short-season crops, like lettuce, can give way to late season crops after harvest. 10

Step 1 - Planning Your Garden Start small Will there be assigned areas for each class? Where will you house the tools? Will a fence be necessary? Will it be Handicapped assessible? In-ground garden or raised beds? 11

GARDEN TOOLS NEEDED RAKE WHEELBARROW HOEBUCKETS SPADE SPADING/TURNING FORK HAND TROWEL WATERING CAN/HOSES GLOVES RULER PLANT LABELS 12

Step 1 - Planning Your Garden What Type of Garden? In-ground - convert turfgrass/existing landscape to vegetables Containers - on back step, deck, or balcony or along driveway Edible landscape - pepper, cabbage, Swiss chard, etc. mixed into ornamental beds Combination of the first three? Flower

In Ground Gardening 14

GARDEN ALTERNATIVES 15 CONTAINER GARDENING USING POTS SALAD BOXES AND TABLES HERBS BOXES AERO GARDENS TERRARIUMS

Container Vegetables 8 cu. ft. of growing media Whiskey barrel plant capacity

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EarthBox - “Self-watering” Container

Univ. of MD Salad Table: Growing Salad Greens at Waist Height March-November

Univ. of MD Salad Box

Vegetable Planting Sacks 21

Raised Beds s ome advantages… Warm up quickly in spring Drain well; less compaction and erosion Increase available rooting area Can produce greater yields per square foot and some disadvantages… Up-front labor and expense Dry out quickly if weather is hot and dry Don’t work on slopes, unless terraced

Raised Beds 23

Step 2 Choose A Site And Design Site should: Be in an area that receives plenty of sunlight for 6 to 7 hours Has good drainage Close proximity to water Close proximity to electricity Easily assessible to students, volunteers and teachers Room for the garden, tool storage, compost bin large enough for the time and energy you will want to spend in it. 24

Step 3 - Prepare Your Soil Have your soil tested to determine nutrient levels and pH, and to be sure it is safe to plant in (low lead level). The pH level should be in the range.soil tested Add organic matter –Compost, Leaves and grass clipping and, manure 25

GARDEN TOOLS NEEDED RAKE WHEELBARROW HOEBUCKETS SPADE SPADING/TURNING FORK HAND TROWEL WATERING CAN/HOSES GLOVES RULER PLANT LABELS 26

Step 4 - Planting Your Crops Seed –Seeds are cheaper –More variety than with transplants –Can start indoors –Wait time Transplants –Transplants are quicker to grow –Cost effective –Less of a variety –Instant gratification 27

Vegetables for the School Garden Start Crops that can be harvested in 90 days or less after planting (Check the variety): Leaf lettuce 50 – 60 days Spinach 35 – 50 days Beans ( Pole and Bush ) 40–50 days Cucumbers 50 to 70 days Carrots 75 to 100 Peas 60 to 90 days Beets days Herbs Plant Vegetables that you like to eat. 28

Step 5 - Taking Care of Your Garden Fertilize Water Weed 29

Step 6 - Evaluate What was successful? What was not successful? Did you get the support you needed? Students need to evaluate also What changes are needed for next year? 30

Indoors Activities Make a terrarium Plant bulbs in a pot Make a herbarium Press flowers Make a garden journal Make a worm bin and talk on composting Create a salad table to grow lettuce Plant in raised beds Plant a United States flower bed Examine soil textures Do leaf rubbings Make recycle paper and add flower seeds 31

Resources FUNDRAISING – BULBS GARDEN CENTERS -- Home Depot, Lowes GROCERY STORES -- Giant, Safeway, Shoppers, Food Lions, etc. WEB SITES CATALOGS -- Oriental Training, 32

WEBSITES University of Maryland Extension –Master Gardener Program –4-H Youth Program –Grow It Eat It Program –Home and Garden Information Center Garden Mosaics – National Garden Association Kidsgarden – School Garden Wizard – 33

34 This program was brought to you by The Prince George’s County Master Gardener Volunteers University of Maryland Extension Thank you