According to Carmela, a Woodlawn School 3rd grader, here are the steps to grow a garden:
- Find a sunny spot!
- Clear grass away.
- Add compost.
- Make a furrow.
- Plant seeds!
- Cover with soil!
- Water regularly.
- Sit back, watch!
- Be amazed!
- Wow! Cool!
At Woodlawn School, the organic vegetable and flower garden serves as an outdoor classroom for gardening and science classes. Lower School students spend time in the gardens each fall and spring growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Students plant, weed, harvest, add compost, and have fun learning science concepts in the gardens. Students frequently take home organic produce they have grown themselves to enjoy around the dinner table with their family.
Plant An Indoor Garden
Using what we’ve learned from Carmela, now it’s time to plant your own garden. Since many people might not have a place outside where they can plant a garden, we’re going to plant in a cup or flower pot.
Here’s what you need:
- a container for your garden – a recycled plastic cup or similar or maybe an old flower pot
- a tray to hold the container – the tray will catch any water that drains from the container
- potting soil – organic potting soil from a garden center or even better some rich, dark soil from your backyard
- seed – decide what you want to plant and get some seeds. This could be lettuce, grass, or flowers. For a small container, you’ll need just a few seeds.
Once you have your materials:
- Place your container in the tray.
- Pour the potting soil in your container. Don’t overfill the container. Leave a little room for watering.
- Following the instructions on your seeds make small holes and plant a few seeds.
- Cover the seeds with soil.
- Gently water.
- Place the container and tray in a sunny window.
It will take few days for your seeds to germinate and start poking out of the soil. Give your plant a little water each week or more often if the soil is dry.
- Did you plant your own garden in a pot? What kind of seeds did you plant and what did you find for the container?
- Do you or your neighbors have a vegetable or flower garden? Is there a community garden near where you live?
- If you planted a vegetable garden in the spring what would you plant? What are your favorite vegetables? How about your favorite flower?
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Community Gardens
Want to help plant a garden but don’t have a yard? Many communities have shared gardens were you can volunteer or maintain a section of the garden. Here’s a picture of the Davidson, NC community garden ready for planting. You can find a community garden near you home by searching google or start your own. The American Community Gardening Association is a great starting point.
