School is back in session, but it’s not too late to catch up on the 2022 School Gardening Summer Series. Our first speaker Dilafruz Williams, Ph. D., shared some of the promising practical pedagogical tools embedded within the acronym G.A.R.D.E.N.S. Her presentation focused on engaging all students in garden-based learning. Using photos and stories, she shared […]
I usually grow the same staple vegetables in my garden year after year. Tomatoes. Cucumbers. Zucchini. Peppers. Don’t get me wrong – I love growing them, and they are delicious! But this year, I decided to mix things up a bit and grow some less traditional vegetables – fennel and pineapple tomatillo. I started my […]
Cleaning up a school garden after a prolonged absence or period of neglect can seem like an overwhelming task, particularly now as schools are working out how to reopen safely. Although it seems the world has changed in many ways, school gardens still offer students hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that cannot be found inside four […]
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)is an herb garden staple in our household. A popular ingredient in cooking and so easy to grow, many varieties are also so beautiful they can be used as ornamental plants in the landscape! Basil is a warm-season, annual herb that is easy to start from seed indoors. In the coastal region, we […]
Thyme is a low-growing, perennial herb from the Mediterranean with small, oval leaves that produce a strong aroma when crushed. Thyme features clusters of lilac flowers that attract bees and butterflies. While used for cooking primarily, it also works well as an edging or groundcover because of its low height, mounding nature, and attractive flowers. […]
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a feathery herb great for cooking and attracting pollinating insects. It tops out at around 3 feet tall with yellow umbel shaped flowers. Swallowtail butterflies use dill and other members of the carrot family (Apiaceae) to feed their young. So if you are trying to attract more butterflies to your landscape, […]
Many warm-season vegetable crops will need support as they grow. Sprawling plants such as vining cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes will quickly overrun our 4’x8′ raised bed if they are not corralled. To save space, I decided to build a trellis for my garden, which will allow the cucumbers and zucchini to grow vertically. Here’s how […]
Planting flowers, vegetables, and herbs from seeds is an excellent family-friendly activity. There are so many lessons to be found in the simple act of starting seeds. If you plan on growing a large garden or you prefer a wider variety than found at the garden center, starting a garden from seed can be more […]
An informal survey on our Facebook page this week revealed that many educators are interested in teaching composting to their students. Composting is a fun “real world” activity with many cross-curricular connections. We have compiled a few favorite curriculum links and some general composting information here. Curriculum K-5 National Agriculture in The Classroom: “The Rotten […]
Before learning we would be spending the next few weeks at home, our office was experimenting with growing vegetables and herbs using hydroponics. Hydroponics is a growing method that uses mineral nutrients in the water to grow plants either horizontally or vertically. We chose to learn about vertical hydroponics since it is compact and with […]
