Embedded Files
Plant your Veggies!
Plant your Veggies!
It is time get gardening! This week you should start planting your vegetable seeds and transplants into your garden. Who do you know that gardens? Why do they garden? Grab your favorite gardener and get growing together.
Where does your garden grow?.pdfPrint this PDF for offline exploration!
This container garden is on a balcony and gets lots of morning and early afternoon sun!
Watering cans are great tools for keeping your
garden growing!
Where does your garden grow?
Where does your garden grow?
Time needed: 5-10 minutes
Did you know that vegetables LOVE the sun? They also like good soil, water, and certain temperatures to grow their best. Explore your home and find the best spot to put your garden.
Supplies
Supplies
Just yourself
Let's Do It!
Let's Do It!
Explore outside your home. Can you find the right sunlight, water, temperature, and soil you need for your garden to grow?
Sunlight: Go outside your home in the morning, at lunch (if you can), and in the late afternoon.
Where are the sunniest spots during these times? Is it sunny in the same spot for all three times?
If so this is where you want to put your salad garden container or in-ground garden.
Vegetables like at least 6-8 hours of sun to grow their best.
Water: Next, make sure your veggies will be able to get water.
Rain might be enough to water your garden, but sometimes you might need to use a watering can or a hose.
Be sure your garden can get water.
Temperature: what is the temperature outside? Do you normally wear a jacket or sweatshirt to school? Or are you running around with a t-shirt because it is hot!
Some veggies like to grow in the spring and fall when it is cooler, others like to grow in the summer when it is hot.
Be sure to plant the right vegetables for the right season.
Soil: if you are growing your veggies in a container, be sure to use a light and fluffy potting soil.
Potting soil is great for container veggies because it holds water for the plants, but also lets it drain.
If you are growing your garden in the ground, be sure to add compost to your soil to loosen it up for plants to grow.
Talk it Over!
Talk it Over!
Where did you get the most sun around your home?
How many hours of sunlight do you get in this spot?
What happens to your plants if they don't get enough sun or water?
Directly Sowing Seeds
Directly Sowing Seeds
Time Needed: 20 minutes
Many seeds can be directly sown outside right into the garden. These seeds include lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, beets, arugula, parsnips, peas, turnips, rutabagas, and some herbs like cilantro, dill, and basil.
Supplies
Supplies
seeds
seed packet or veggie planting guide
Let's Do it!
Let's Do it!
Plant your seeds at the right depth!
Plant these spring and fall veggies ¼ inch deep directly into the soil
arugula, carrots, lettuce, radishes
Plant these spring and fall veggies ½ inch deep directly into the soil:
broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, peas, and swiss chard
Plant these summer veggies ½ inch deep
beans, squash, watermelon
Plant these summer veggies 1 inch deep
okra
Poke holes into the potting soil of your container or the soil in your garden.
If you don't see your seed listed above, plant your seeds at a depth that is twice the size of your seed. For example, if you are planting a spinach seed that is 1/4" (0.25 inches) in size, plant it 1/2" (0.5 inches) deep. Use a ruler to get a feel for how deep it should be.
Be sure to space your seeds properly. Use the Veggie Planting Guide for the east (coast, piedmont) or west (foothills, mountains) for recommended spacing and planting depth.
Thinly cover with soil. Be gentle!
Water your seeds. Soil should be moist, not soaked.
Be sure to keep the soil moist (not too dry and not too wet!)
Talk it Over!
Talk it Over!
Compare different seed packets, what differences do you notice?
What do plants need to grow?
What factors do you consider when choosing where to plant seeds?
Does someone in your family have a favorite way to plant seeds?
Watch this quick video on how to plant your veggie transplants!
Transplanting.pdfTransplanting is when you take a little plant and move it to another home in the garden or a bigger container. Download the PDF instructions.
Veggie Transplanting
Veggie Transplanting
Time needed: 10 minutes
Some plants grow better if they have had a head start in the greenhouse to become little plants we call transplants or seedlings. There are a lot of these vegetables that should be planted as transplants including spring vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, collards, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, swiss chard, leeks, and kohlrabi and summer vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and okra.
Supplies:
Supplies:
Veggie transplants (or you can use your tiny greenhouse transplants if they are ready)
Trowel or small shovel or even a spoon
Container or garden
Potting soil if using a container
Let's Do it!
Let's Do it!
Dig a hole about the same size as the root ball of your transplant / seedling.
Place your seedling in the hole and “tuck” the plant in with soil.
Gently water your plant well.
Keep the soil moist (not too dry or too wet).
Talk it Over!
Talk it Over!
Why do you think some plants need a head start as a transplant?
How can you care for your veggie transplants?
Garden Zine.pdfDownload this PDF to take the zine fun offline
“Windows and Mirrors” are ways to think about learning, both about yourself and about others. Mirrors let us see our own lives, interests, histories, cultures, perspectives, and experiences represented in what we are learning, and Windows allow us to learn the same about folks who are from different cultures. When we see ourselves, it helps us feel like we ‘belong’ and when we learn about others, we learn more about the wide world as well as ourselves.
Want to learn more? https://www.weareteachers.com/mirrors-and-windows
Garden Zine
Garden Zine
Time needed: 10-30 minutes
We learn in different ways—by hearing, by hearing and seeing at the same time, by writing out words, or by drawing pictures. Our modules try and offer lots of different ways to learn, from videos, to handouts, to activities where you grow or make something with your own hands.
A zine lets you make your own book. You get to decide what to focus on, and how to record information: whether to draw or jot down notes or write a story. One of the most fun things about a zine, is it is easy to photocopy to make copies of your book. Then you can give or mail to friends, classmates, teachers.
Supplies:
Supplies:
Zine template (see below) or blank piece of paper (any size)
Use this template that is front and back or one that is one-sided so that you can reuse/recycle paper!
You can also make your own zine without using our templates: then you can make it bigger using larger paper or focus on different topics
Pencils, colored pencils, or markers
Scissors
Let's Do It!
Let's Do It!
The zine templates we offer follow the modules, so you can just add to your zine each time you learn something new.
You could make a zine for each module, a zine all about broccoli, a zine full of beneficial bugs, or a zine full of recipes!
You could also make a zine that shares “windows and mirrors,” so that some entries/pages are about your own family and cultural traditions, and some are about cultures or places you are studying or experiencing—different climates in other places, different foods grown in other cultures, favorite recipes from friends from other cultures.
Of course, you can journal instead. Grab a notebook and make a list of words learned, number the steps to making a paper pot, or draw a picture of plant parts—anything you please!
What we know is that if you write something down, draw a picture, or answer a question about what you learned, you’ll remember more of it and be able to repeat the things you learned again, all on your own! Journal or zine, or make a movie, tell a friend. You do you! And most of all, enjoy your garden and enjoy the veggies!
To fold your zine, follow these steps:
Let's Meet the Farmers
Let's Meet the Farmers
Join us to learn and tour Holt farms in Guilford County. The Holts produce cut flowers, blueberries, different types of produce and even have bee hives!
Talk it Over!
Talk it Over!
What did this farm visit mean to you? Do you know any farmers?
What flowers would you grow in your garden and why?
Page updated
Report abuse