Learning about Gardening: Mid-week Middle Schoolers

​Andrew, Jake, and Annelisa all tried the pilot program for learning about gardening that was offered by Julia Ferguson in July.  Plot C-30 on the east side became the temporary site for this weekly gardening and learning. We used the following checklist options for each lesson:

• Connect: Close your eyes, listen & breathe, then walk a bit and observe
• Compost: Check, add, turn, or spin
• Grow: Plant seeds, thin seedlings, "dead head", weed, or water
• Clean: Rake, sweep, care for and store tools
• Observe: Measure, draw, look around & breathe​

Students planted radishes, lettuce greens, marigolds, basil seedlings, zinnias, cosmos, and a wildflower mix.  They learned to identify certain plants, harvested green beans and squash, and measured sweet corn growth. They learned about compost and tried both sifting and the trammel. One big question that came up was about pollinators and bees.  What do these insects actually do to help plants and vice versa? So we looked up details about plant fertilization and reproduction. Ecological concept connections included cycles, interdependence, diversity, and flow. Despite the summer heat, we made lavender wands, a plant wreath, and were able take home some herb cuttings or plants in pots. Stay tuned for more news from late August and possible September classes.

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