Gardens provide valuable learning opportunities for students. They create opportunities for:
- responsibility
- decision making
- fun
- well being
- connection
- enthusiasm
- pride
- developing skills and understanding natural systems
Vegetable gardens provide students with a sense of wonder, enjoyment and deep satisfaction at growing things they can then cook and eat.
What do plants need?
What do kids need?
- Varieties of plants-
- tough and tasty- silver beet
- interesting, healthy- kale, artichokes
- quick growing- radishes, lettuce - Sense of responsibility
What do teachers need ?
- A garden that is easy to manage- start small
- Safe environment
- Curriculum links
Where do you think it fits into your curriculum? Art and design, literacy, numeracy, science, health, systems?
How can it link to whole school sustainability?
To begin with students could writer or draw about their vision for the garden. There could be a competition to come up with a name for the garden. Examine the site. Where is north?
Key Questions- Where do I start?
Start small and with what you think you can easily achieve. Choose a site that is accessible, easy to manage and is visible. Many school gardens begin with some big pots outside the classroom.
1. What do I want the food garden to be?
Develop a shared vision for the garden. Seek ideas from parents, staff and students.
2. What do I want to grow?
Find out from students what they want to grow. What vegetables and fruit do they like? Check out the student garden survey.
Do you want each class to have their own bed and then have other common areas? Some children enjoy working in a team making decisions and creating their own patch. This requires a lot of room and often leads to wild patches. Community beds for the whole class or school are more simple to manage. Theme gardens provide opportunities for variety. Asian vegetables, herb gardens and indigenous food gardens provide diversity.
3. We don't have much space so how can we maximise the opportunities to grow food?
Fruit and nut trees could be planted around the school, particularly the oval. Figs, persimmons, grapes, mulberries, gooseberries, passionfruit, raspberries are all possible.
4. What are the key elements I need to consider?
How do I ensure my soil is fertile? Every garden needs to be complimented with a composting system. There are a range of options to suit the size and location of your garden. The simplest compost system is a pile of layered green and dry organic matter piled to more than a cubic metre in size and turned regularly. Schools need to have compost system that is vermin proof and easy to manage.
What tools do I need?
Starting with old forks and spoons from the op shop can work well particularly for maintenance of raised beds. Little garden mattocks are also useful as multipurpose tools for getting rid of weeds. There are more sophisticated tools available such a trapezoidal hoes and scuffle hoes which are fun to use and can take the burden out of weeding on larger in ground beds. (www.allsun.com.au).
Use of gloves is an option. It can provide children with a prop so that when they wear the gloves they "become gardeners". Some garden leaders prefer to let students feel the soil and feel maintaining gloves, finding pairs etc. is not worth the bother!
What do I plant and when?
Tasmania has a mild climate where vegetables can be harvested year round. Refer to the planting guide. School gardens usually have to follow the school year. Once the garden is established and a caretaker timetable is established over the summer holidays, students can enjoy a wide range of fruit and vegetables which can be harvested all though the year.
5. How can I ensure that everyone is safe?
Teach kids how to use tools- sharp edges down, not to be raised above the shoulder.
Gloves, hats and long sleeves ensure children are protected from the sun. Sun screen should be readily available. Washing hands after gardening particularly when using compost will kill harmful bacteria.
Keep a first aid kit handy.
6. How can I get support?
Hold a garden party. Involve grounds staff, parents, staff and students. Find out what skills there are in the community. Connect with other projects in the area, such as the local council and media. Keep a record of the development of your project, take photographs and report the progress of your garden in the school and local newsletters. Funding opportunities can be sought from local industries to support the development of the program.
