Pages

Friday, May 24, 2013

Encouraging Children to Explore and Discover Gardening

Seeding a New Generation of Gardeners
What better place for a child to get his or her hands dirty than in a garden. It is a perfect environment for kids to play and explore. In the garden, children can do more than plant and harvest vegetables; they can also nurture aspirations, grow ideas and harvest values. They can learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of growing something, puttering in the soil and discovering the quality of fresh food.
The virtues of involving kids in gardening activities include the development of many important skills. The Internet and gardening books are full of lesson plans connecting gardening with everything from math to biology to language arts and beyond. However, most parents will just be happy to see their children in the garden playing. Fresh air and physical activity has many benefits for children, complementing the skills gained from digging, weeding and watering. It also connects them with nature and introduces a sense of peace back into their busy lives. They chase frogs and butterflies, excavate earthworms or wash off a fresh carrot and munch on it as they water the rest of the crop.
These experiences in the garden also connect children to their food. In many ways, people have become disconnected from nature, the land, agriculture and our food. Kids learn that apples grow on trees, that potatoes have to be dug up and that carrots are actually roots. Gardening allows them to build that connection to agriculture and experience fresh foods. Unless you buy from a local grower or the farmers market, so much of the produce we eat has traveled great distances and is not always at its freshest.
We all know there is nothing like the taste of new potatoes, peas, or carrots or a ‘real’ tomato, picked and eaten fresh from the garden. Even if it is only growing a tomato plant in a container on the deck, showing children the connection between plants and food is a real and lasting gift.

Decorating Their Space
There are numerous kits and crafts available that encourage kids to decorate their space in the garden. Stepping stones, bird feeders, found items, and old toys are all great ideas. You can build on one garden theme or let it be an eclectic collection. Follow your child’s lead.

Peaking Your Child’s Interest

Most children intuitively are interested in some aspect of gardening, including digging, watering, and picking out plants. However, gardening takes time, causing many children to lose interest and become impatient while waiting for vegetables to grow. It is important to build in some pay off at each step of the process. This might be as simple as allowing them to dig the holes, water the freshly potted plants, or pick out the flowers and herbs. Another good idea is not to start everything from seed. Take your kids to a local nursery and buy a few bedding plants to get the process started right away.

Their Own Space
Kids love to have spaces to call their own, where they are the boss and can decide the rules. Assign your child a place in the garden where he or she can decide what to plant and where. This gives them a sense of autonomy. If you do not have gardening space, give them a potted plant to call their own.

Planning and Shopping
Before you start, talk to your children about what they would like to see in the garden. Browse through seed catalogues with them and let them draw out maps or pictures of the garden. Take them with you to buy plants - discuss your successes and have them smell the herbs. Find out which are their favourite vegetables or flowers and try something new together. This will make them feel like they are part of the plan and engage them in the process.

Tools of the Trade
While kids don’t necessarily need their own tools it may be one way of motivating them. However, most kids can have fun with a spoon for digging and a recycled jar for bug collecting.

KISS
Keep it simple… silly! Gently guide your child to choose some plants that will be successful and not to get carried away with too much. If their plants don’t grow, or the garden becomes too much work for them, they will likely lose interest. A planter may be the answer, especially if your family is too busy to tend to a full garden. For families who spend the summer at the lake, a good alternative is for the kids to plant a small pot of their favourite flowers and herbs and take it to the lake with them. Younger kids may even like to make planters as gifts for their teachers. By encouraging individual potters, children still get the experience of planting and nurturing plants, even without a full garden.

Tough Choices
Some plants are easier to grow than others. Choosing plants that can take the heat will help ensure success. Some good choices include: marigolds, geraniums, pansies, sunflowers, carrots, radishes, and onions. Pumpkins, zucchini, beans, peas and cucumbers are usually pretty hardy once you get them started. Make it FUN! Kids love to water but make sure they don’t over do it. Too much water is not good for the plants. Make jobs like pulling weeds fun. It’s a job you may not enjoy, but don’t let your kids pick up on that. Make the task fun by turning weed-pulling into a game or contest - see who can pull the most weeds. Take breaks to collect bugs, plan a picnic in the garden after the work is done, or take crayons and paper and colour a picture of the garden.

Follow your Child’s Lead

A garden can be so many things to so many people. Maybe you have a budding young scientist who would be interested in soil testing, an artist who draws beautiful flower pictures or a chef who likes to cook using what is grown in the garden. As parents, we can expose our kids to positive activities like gardening, follow their lead, and see what grows.

Choose a Garden Theme
Choosing a theme is a great way to not only capture a child’s imagination but also to extend an interest into the garden. A favourite book like “Peter Rabbit” is a great theme. Another idea is choosing flowers that will attract hummingbirds or butterflies. Other examples include:
Fairy Garden:
My daughter is in Girl Guides and loves the stories about fairies and pixies. We like to choose flowers for our garden that the fairies who live in our yard would like. Dorothy and Kate
Cowboy Garden:
Both my daughter and son have their own patch of garden. They pick out the plants for the garden and we plant them together. They both love horses and have given their gardens a western flare; decorating with horse shoes, an old cowboy boot and a set of cow horns. Brenda, Cody & Nicole
Pizza Garden:
My son loves pizza so we themed his garden around the vegetables and herbs that make up a pizza sauce…Darren & Josh
Encouraging Children to Explore and Discover Gardening.
By Peter and Dorothy Sandercock
First Printed in Growing Saskatchewan | April 2006
Click Here to Download a PDF version.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Flower Power: The Art of Container Gardening


Container gardening continues to grow in popularity. Maybe it is because with just a few plants you can transform a small deck or patio into an attractive garden. Or perhaps it is the flexibility and mobility of the containers. You can move them to suit the season or your mood or to brighten up a corner that needs a “little something extra.”
Long gone are the days of plastic pots filled exclusively with geraniums, petunias and lobelia. Although these are great tried and true plants that flourish in our growing conditions, Saskatchewan greenhouses are producing many contemporary plants with new varieties available every year!

Pot Particulars
Plants need room to grow so choose a container that will accommodate the plant’s root system and allow it to grow to its full potential. Unglazed terra cotta pots dry out more quickly than glazed ceramic pots or plastic containers. No matter which type of pot you use, be sure there are ample unblocked drainage holes for water to escape through.


The Dirt on Dirt

Vermiculite, perlite and sand keep soils light and well drained. Peat helps soil retain water. Use a blend that provides the right combination of drainage and water retention for healthy growth. You can use soil from your garden; however, if it is too dense your plants will not thrive. You may also have to battle weeds. We recommend bagged soil or a soiless mix designed especially for containers. It is also a good idea to change the soil each year to avoid disease and allow your plants the best opportunity to flourish. Some mixes contain water retaining soil additives that will soak up water then release it slowly back into the soil. This is a great idea if you are busy and are worried about missing a watering. Be sure to leave about two inches of room at the top of the pot when planting to hold water. Without that extra space, water will run off the soil before penetrating to the plant’s roots.

Picking Plants
Choose plants with similar growing needs. For example group varieties that prefer full sun together. For best results start with quality plants. With our short growing season there is no time to nurse low-grade plants back to health. Saskatchewan greenhouse growers take a lot of care in growing plants that thrive in our climate. They are also knowledgeable and a great source of information when choosing what to grow and where.

Water Works
Does the plant really need water? A lack of water is not the only reason your container plant’s leaves may wilt in the summer. Always test the soil. Stick your finger down two to three inches to check for dampness before watering. If dry, water the plant until water runs out the bottom of the container. If your soil seems adequately damp but your container plants still seem stressed, try moving them to a cooler location. If your container has dried out completely and the water runs down the inside edges of the pot instead of soaking in, submerse the container into a water-filled sink or large bucket and let the soil soak until rehydrated.

Plant Food
Flowers flourish when fertilized. New varieties in particular depend on plant food to thrive. If you have trouble remembering to fertilize use a well-balanced slow release fertilizer that is released every time you water. What is the best plant food? To encourage lush foliage growth and lots of blooms choose a fertilizer with a slightly higher percentage of nitrogen in the mix. Ask your garden centre staff what they recommend!

Colour Me Beautiful

Thinking of location will also help you decide on what colour combinations would be spectacular in your garden. Perhaps you want to match the colour of your home, complement a garden feature or present a particular style. For an arrangement that has a simple elegant style choose flowers or foliage that are similar in colour. For a more dramatic effect choose complementary colours such as orange and purple, or yellow and blue.

Location, Location, Location

The first step in creating your container garden is to decide where you will be placing the arrangement. Is it in full sun or shade? Is there easy access to water? Is it a windy location? Answering these questions will help you focus on the best plants to choose for the location. For example, you would not want to place full sun plants in the shade or a flower with a delicate petal in a windy spot.

Peter’s Plant Picks
Ivy Geraniums:

These are highly under-rated plants that make great hanging baskets in Saskatchewan. Not only are they showy but they are also tough enough to stand a windy day and if you miss watering them they are more forgiving than a basket of petunias.
Coleus:
Everything old is new again. Growing up, I remember pots of coleus in my Mom’s house. Now they are all the rage in foliage containers. Every season there are more and more varieties of these jazzy plants. Coleus is probably one of the hottest plants this season.
Ipomoea:
These varieties, sometimes called potato vine, are popular in all foliage arrangements. Last year, we combined the light green, purple and bronze in hanging baskets. They sold out immediately!
Lamium:
These flowers have very interesting foliage and are great combined with petunias. Not only do they support the petunias but look great doing it!
Bracteantha:
Again an under-rated flower that is hardy and will survive right through to fall. These straw type flowers also make great dried flower arrangements.
Argyranthemum:
The yellow variety sometimes called butterfly is a hardy daisy type flower that adds a cheerful touch to any pot.
By Peter and Dorothy Sandercock
First Printed in Growing Saskatchewan | Spring 2005
Click Here to Download a PDF of the article complete with pictures from Proven Winners.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Start a New Garden!

1. Choosing a Site.
• Start Small. We are all busy these days and the easiest way to turn yourself off gardening is to take on too much. You can start with just a patio garden with a few containers of herbs and vegetables. Or a small flowerbed size garden.
• Choose a sunny location. Vegetables need at least 6 hours of sun exposure a day.
• Remember, that afternoon sun will be hotter and more drying than morning sun. Windy areas will also dry out your garden more quickly.
• Choose a site close to a water source or with in easy hose distance.
• Don’t establish your site too close to a row of trees and the trees deep roots may draw moisture and nutrients away from your garden.

2. How's the Soil? Prepare the Site.

• Soil texture refers to whether it is sandy, heavy clay, rocky or the ideal, a sandy loam. Whatever the texture, it can be improved with the addition of organic matter such as compost or peat moss.
• Plants cannot take up nutrients unless the soil's pH is within a certain range. Most plants like a fairly neutral pH, 5.0 – 7.0, but other are more particular. If no pH preference is listed, a neutral range is fine. You can buy an inexpensive pH test kit at most hardware stores. The kits generally consist of a test tube, some testing solution and a color chart. You put a sample of your soil in the tube, add a few drops of test solution, shake it up and leave it for an hour or so to settle. The solution in the tube changes color according to the pH of your soil. Compare the color of the sample with the color chart that came with the kit.
• To increasing soil pH try adding hardwood ash, bone meal, crushed marble, or crushed oyster shells will help to raise the soil pH. To increase your pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more alkaline:
• Add 4 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in sandy soils.
• Add 8 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in loamy soils.
• Add 12 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in clay soils.
• Add 25 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in peaty soils.
• To lower soil pH try adding sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and especially peat moss. To reduce the soil pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more acidic:
• Add mix in 1.2 oz of ground rock sulfur per square yard if the soil is sandy or 3.6 oz per square yard for all other soils. The sulfur should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting.
• Remember!!! Always read and follow the manufactures recommendations when using chemical products. Use a dust mask and gloves. The best way to adjust pH is gradually, over several seasons. Lime should be applied only when tests show it to be necessary. If the soil is too alkaline, you may be better off to build a raised bed using topsoil purchased from a garden center.

3. What Would You Like to Grow? Planting Tips

• In Lloydminster, we typically have about 110 growing days.
• If you have your heart set on growing a specific plant, check to see what growing conditions it requires. To begin choose only a few varieties with similar growing habits. You can plant most vegetables and some herbs by seed, such as carrots, radishes, potatoes, you may choose to buy established plants to jump-start your garden and ensure that it grows and produces with in the growing season. Plants that you may consider transplanting include most herbs, tomatoes, peppers, corn, cucumbers,
• The ideal time to plant is on a still, overcast day. This will put the least stress on your new plants.
• Water the plants in their pots the day before you intend to plant.
• Remove the plants individually from their pots as you plant so that the roots don’t dry out.
• If the roots are densely packed or growing in a circle, tease them apart so they will stretch out and grow into the surrounding soil.
• Bury the plant to the depth it was in the pot. Too deep and the stem will rot. Too high and the roots will dry out.
• Don't press down too hard on the plants as you cover them. Watering will settle them into the ground.
• Water your newly planted garden as soon as it is planted and make sure it gets at least one inch of water per week. You may have to water more often in hot dry summers. Let your plants tell you how much water they need. Some wilting in noonday sun is normal. Wilting in the evening is stress.

4. Pinching, Pruning and Pulling

• Weeds are inevitable and come from wind, birds, soil on shoes... Weeding can be a Zen activity but too much is just plain hard work.
• One of the best ways to prevent a lot of weeding is to mulch. It truly can make a major difference in a garden. Mulch conserves water, blocks weeds and cools the soil. Further, organic mulches like shredded or chipped bark, compost, straw and shredded leaves, will also improve the soil quality.
• You can also try plastic mulches to heat the soil around warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash. Red plastic mulch can even improve tomato production.
• Apply mulch soon after planting, before new weeds sprout. Apply a 2-4 inch thick layer of mulch, avoiding direct contact with the plant stems. Piling mulch around the stem can lead to rotting and can provide cover for munching mice and slugs.
• Deadheading or removing the spent blossoms from your flowers, will keep them blooming longer and looking fresher. Vegetables will produce more if you keep harvesting while young.
• Taller plants and those that grow on vines may need to be staked, to keep from falling over.
• If something dies, don’t worry that is gardening! Move on, replace it with something else and try again next year.

5. Enjoy!

• Gardeners can get so busy pinching, pruning and pulling every weed, that we often don't appreciate what we've created. Step back and enjoy what you've accomplished.
• Give your garden a theme or add some garden accessories to make it a fun and pretty place to visit.
• Start a garden journal if you are into that. It is a great way to remember what worked and what didn’t and will help you plans to expand next year.
• Enjoy your harvest.