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Students Dig It.... Gardening with Youth. Kiki Fontenot, PhD Home, School and Community Gardens. Benefits of Gardening. Gain Responsibility Acquire new skills Eat healthier (try new foods) New learning environment Appreciate nature. Are School Gardens Really Making a Difference?.
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Students Dig It.... Gardening with Youth Kiki Fontenot, PhD Home, School and Community Gardens
Benefits of Gardening • Gain Responsibility • Acquire new skills • Eat healthier (try new foods) • New learning environment • Appreciate nature
Are School Gardens Really Making a Difference? • Challenge youth to learn new skills • Increase science scores • Increase environmental stewardship
Before You Start… • Principal • Seek permission • Participating teachers • Time restraints • Curriculum • Class information • School Staff • Holiday schedules • Volunteers • Sustainability • Patrons • $$$ • STUDENTS!!! • Interest
Garden Site Selection • Space limitations • One vs. multiple gardens • Proximity to classroom(s) • 6-8 hrs of sunlight a day • Water source • Good drainage • Room for expansion • START SMALL …. then have a 1st…..5th year plan
Garden Design • Assign garden space to participants • Raised beds vs. in-ground • Theme Gardens • Pizza garden • Alphabet garden • Multiple purpose gardens • Vegetable • Cut flower • Herb • Ornamental • Native plant • Connecting the green space with hard-scape
YOU CAN EVEN PLANT A REALLY ….. small garden
Seeking Help • Students are the #1 owners and workers • Parents • School Staff • Janitorial • Cafeteria • Shop teacher • Master Gardeners • Local college faculty and students
Design Considerations • Let students design • Think about: In ground beds vs. raised beds or container gardening • Row/ Bed widths • Row = 3ft • Between rows 4-5ft • Row/ Bed heights • 8-12 inches • Seating, composting, greenhouse areas
Soil Sample • Take 5 to 6 shovels of soil from garden beds • Mix in a bucket • Select one pint of soil out • Send to LSU Soils Lab • ($10/sample- basic analysis only) • Heavy metal analysis • http://www.stpal.lsu.edu/
Planting the Garden • Plant and harvest crops within the school year
Maintaining the Garden Fertilize • Pre-plant fertilization • Side dressing • Irrigate • Invest in a timer! • Drip hoses • Weed Control • Hand pull, hoe, cultivate
Harvest • Have a harvest party • Keep it simple: • Pick, Wash, Eat • Materials Needed: • Bowls and dressing
Connecting the Garden to the Classroom • Use the garden as a classroom • Reading area • Math and measurements • Science (pollination, photosynthesis, life cycles) • Art (customize benches, borders, signs, paintings, murals, etc.)
Create a bulletin board about your garden 1. Read The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller 2. Have students look through garden/flower magazines and books. Note the differences in flowers petals, stems, and leaves 3. Create paper flowers out of construction paper to decorate the bulletin board Reading Activities
Learn the importance of scientific and common plant names. Learn the rules in writing them Create permanent labels for plants in the garden Science/ Art Activities
Basic Knowledge • Plant sunflower seeds with students observe them with your five senses
Fundraising Solicit Funding • Grants • Captain Planet Foundation • Gardenburger™ • Target • Home Depot • Welch’s Grape Juice • Personal endowments • Fundraisers • Donations • Local nurseries and hardware stores
School Garden Resources • Facebook • Louisiana School Gardens Facebook Group • http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=205990085731 • LSU AgCenter • www.lsuagcenter.com • Lawn and Garden – Master Gardener – School Gardens • Veggie Bytes School Garden Newsletter • www.lsuagcenter.com/veggiebytes • Steps to a Successful School Garden • California School Garden Network • http://www.csgn.org/page.php?id=120
Questions? Contact Kiki Fontenot, PhD LSU AgCenter kkfontenot@agcenter.lsu.edu