Garden Development by Lala Kumar Horticulture Specialist

Choosing the Best Location The success of your school garden depends to a great extent upon site. Even though you are probably limited in your choice of location, you should keep the following point in mind.

Choosing the Best Location Sunlight is absolutely necessary. Spot that receives full sunlight for at least 8-10 hours is the best. If school building is tall the garden site should be located in between South East to South West side of the building.

Choosing the Best Location If possible, plant your garden a distance from trees and shrubs at least equal to their height.Trees and shrubs compete with garden crops for sunlight, plant food and moisture. Never locate a garden next to walnut trees. Walnut tree produces toxin which prevent many vegetables to grow.

Choosing the Best Location A loose fertile, well –drained soil is the most desirable for a garden. If soil is compact and drainage is poor raised beds are preferred. Watering is important at all stages of growth. Access to an outdoor water faucet is must. A good garden hose delivers water 100 feet or more from an existing water hydrant.

Site selection criteria CriteriaPoints Possible Point Actual Sun/Shade40 Access to water25 Site Security20 Proximity to users15

Wooded Raised Bed Construction 4’x8’, 8” tall Source: KCCG

Raised Bed Construction 4’x8’, 8” tall Source: KCCG

Cost of Raised Bed 4’x8’, 8” tall Use rough cut cedar 2”x8” 3 boards--2”x8”, 8’ per board= $80.01 Use Garden Mix: 50% soil and 50% compost 1 cubic yard of Garden Mix =$34.95 Delivery fee around $40.00 for 15 cubic yards 4’x8’, 8” tall uses.75 cubic yards of soil = $26.21 Total cost $ $26.21=$ delivery Source: KCCG

Reinforcement

Retaining Wall Stone Raised Bed Stone Size 12¨wide, 8¨deep and 4¨ tall. Average price is $1.75/Stone A 4 ′ x 8 ′ x1 ′ bed on level ground would take about 70 stones =$ 123 Soil 1.2 cubic $34.95 = $42 Total cost $123+$42+delivery

Cinder Block Raised Beds Blocks are generally 8 ′′ x 8 ′′ x16 ′′ $ coat $1.31 each Blocks for 4'x 8', 1.3 foot tall bed on level ground will cost around $ Cubic Total cost $57+56+delivery

Container Gardening

Cost Estimated for ½ Barrel Half-barrel container= 5 cubic feet 3.6 cubic feet compressed bale(7cubic feet loose)= $ cubic feet perlite = $ cubic yard garden mix (27 cubic feet) = $ Cost 0f half –barrel =$10.00

Cost Estimated for ½ Barrel Perlite = $4.49/square foot Pro-mix = $3.64/square foot Garden mix soil= $1.29/square foot 2 cu ft of pro $3.64= $ cu ft $4.49 = $ cu ft mix $1.29 = $2.58 Total = $24.3

Planting Layout

Plot Layout

Greenhouse Layout

Garden Tools Spade & spading fork for turning the soil Iron rake for leveling the soil Hoe for chopping weeds, cultivating soil, making furrows or planting holes Hand Trowel for planting & transplanting Sprinkler can Wheelbarrow

Soil test Analyze the presence of major plant nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium & magnesium pH level (measurement of active acidity) Percentage of organic matter

Growing seasons and School year School year August 3 rd week to May 4 th week Summer vacation--June, July & August Winter holidays- Mid December-Mid January June, July & August active time for growing and harvesting vegetables.

Growing Seasons for School Gardens September 1 st and 2 nd weeks for fall crops Beets, Radish, Spinach, Lettuce, Collard Greens, Turnips, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cabbage Harvest by end of November February 2 nd week Seed starting- Grow Lab

Growing Seasons for School Gardens March 2 nd –April 2 nd plant spring crops Radish, Carrot, Spinach, Lettuce, Onion bulbs, Chards*, Potato* Strawberry* Day neutral (Tribute & Tristar) May 2 nd week plant summer crops Sweet Potato*,Tomato* * Harvested after summer vacation

Planting Material Seeds/Direct seeding or Seedlings/Transplanting Hybrid Non-hybrid (open pollinated) Old open pollinated (heirloom varieties)

Site preparation

Too many seeds

Source: Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest

Vegetable varieties Beets: ‘Early Wonder Tall Top’- 45 days Broccoli: ‘Premium Crop’- 56 days Cabbage: ‘Stonehead’- 65 days Carrot: ‘Mokum’ - 52 days Collards- ‘Georgia’ days Kale- ‘Vates Blue Curled’- 56 days

Vegetable varieties Mustard Greens- ‘Tendergreen Mustard’- 40 days Green onion -onion sets-40days Potatoes – ‘Red Norland’ – Radish- ‘Cherry Belle’ -25days, ‘Easter Egg’- 30days

Vegetable varieties Lettuce- ‘Allstar Gourmet Mix’ -28 days Spinach- ‘Space’ 39 days. Peas – ‘Sugar Bon’- 56 days Sweet potato – ‘Beauregard’

Watering Average gardener water too frequently and too lightly or shallow A light watering of garden every day is bad practice Leafy crops in general needs more water than root crops 1-1½ ′′ per week

Watering Irrigate early morning Apply water to the soil Adapt your watering schedule to weather & changing season Deep watering to a depth of 6-8¨ Watering cans (1 gallon of water is 8 lbs.) 1¨water on 32 Sq. ft. bed = 20 gals.

Mulching Keep down weeds Conserve moisture Maintain soil temperature Improve plant growth & yield Improve soil structure Keep vegetables clean Thickness 3-4 ′′

Weeding Remove weeds before they go to seed Shallow cultivation Mulch Proper plant densities, correct planting time

Garden Operations Tilling Planting Watering Thinning Weed control Mulching Insect Control Fertilizing Caging/trellising Harvesting Mowing/trimming Trash pick-up

Growing problems

Other Resources MU Extension Garden ‘n Grow Program (MP 737 & MP 738) Kansas City Community Gardens- Beanstalk Children's Garden Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis- Doris I. Schnuk Children’s Garden Botanical Garden Springfield- MG Demonstration Gardens

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