happyhomemaker25 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 We are studying Gardening in our co-op this semester. I have the project in two weeks. Do you guys have any ideas on a portable gardening project I can do with a group of kids ages 5-16? Tomorrow we will be planting a container of herbs. I was thinking of doing something with seeds. Maybe dissecting fruit and identifying different seeds and then talking about how to preserve seeds. I know it's harder now to keep seeds, but I thought the kids could at least try it to understand it. What about learning about composting? How could I do that? I need hands on ideas. Any help would be appreciated. The following class will be planting a sweet potato so that idea is out as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 How about seed gathering and they could make their own seed packets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaver_67579 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 -you could start seeds in small pots to plant at home when weather is nice -you could do a study on beneficial insects-maybe you could buy some -make a window box of flowers (talk annual-perennial...) -a class on starting plants from cuttings instead of seeds -weed identification I know I have plenty in my yard -class on gardening tools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 start some seeds now indoors. It is too cold right now but in a few weeks when the weather is warm the plants can go outside. Wrap some beans in a wet paper towel two or three days before and look at how they sprouted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 (edited) Wintersowing.org~using the terrarium effect to study the water cycle, planting flowers or vegetables for spring. Pick out some tomatoes. Send an SASE for free seeds you chose. Garden planning~lists, keeping notes, finding out which plants do well together, watching how much sun is available, measuring, geometry. There are a few websites that help with this, or you can use resources like Square Food Gardening to figure out how many plants per square foot. Start composting as a group. Watch how things break down. Purchase some worms (the red wigglers at Walmart for fishing will work). Have two groups and see what the differences are. Experiment with turning vs. not turning. Take temperatures. Experiment with 'brown' vs. 'green' compost (how many parts of each breaks down faster). See how fast some foods break down compared to other foods. Check out resources like Botany in a Day: the patterns method of plant identification. Or The Botany Coloring book. Sprout seeds. Try different kinds. Keep seeds at different temps. See which sprout sooner. Use seeds of different ages. See how many sprout per batch. And as it warms up a book on foraging (something by Samual Thayer is excellent--Nature's Garden or The Forager's Harvest) and a walk. Also, check youtube or NPR affiliates for stuff by him. Build fences, stands, tomato cages. Plan a 'sunflower house' or other structure created with growing plants. Edited February 2, 2011 by LostSurprise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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