The School Vegetable Patch

Win £100 to spend of equipment for school

2012-01-25T10:08:00.003Z

Spotty Green Frog are running a writing/drawing competition for schools and are offering prizes of:

£100 for your school to spend at www.SpottyGreenFrog.co.uk plus a prize for you if you win a category.
£25 for your school to spend at www.SpottyGreenFrog.co.uk plus a prize for you if you are runner up in a category.
Best illustrations and best handwriting – a surprise!

The categories are:

• Nursery – Louis the Frog – picture only!

• Reception – Year 1 – Louis the Frog has an Adventure

• Years 2 – 3 – Louis the Frog Plays a Joke

• Years 4 – 6 – Louis the Frog – a Mystery Story

Louis the frog is the logo character of the company.

Work can be submitted from home or school.

Spotty Green Frog offer a wide range of products for primary schools and children at home. This includes gardening and cooking equipment specially designed for children as well as many other educational toys and resources including for indoor play, outdoor activities and resources.

Take a look at there website to see what your children could win - competition details and entry form can be obtained from here

And if you do win let me know as I'd love one of my visitors to win!

Time to think of seeds.

2012-01-02T11:21:00.005Z

If you plan to buy seeds from one of the many seed companies then you need to start thinking of what you want to buy now - that is if you haven't already.

You may want to involve the children and also add a real life project to your curriculum.

Depending on the age of the children these are just some ideas:

Integrate into the ICT curriculum

Children to browse the seed catalogues online (there are direct links to some on my website here) You may decide to give them some particular seeds or varieties to search for on the Internet (Gives practice of using links and icons and also searching using key words etc)
Search for seeds that fulfil a particular criteria e.g. can be sown in a given month
Compare different varieties of seed for a particular type of plant and try to decide which would be best for growing, within the school calendar - you don't want a harvest in August, varieties that are easy to grow or produce reliable crops, if space is an issue then varieties that don't grow too large.

Link to the maths and ICT curriculum -

Compare the prices of seeds offered by various seed companies - many give the number of seeds in each packet so the children could use a spreadsheet to work out the cost per 10/100 seeds etc. For younger children this could be set up for them so they only input data and older children can set up their own spreadsheet. Price per pack/formula to cost price on 1 seed/ formula to cost 10/100 seeds etc.)
Use a spreadsheet to cost buying seeds from different companies - not forgetting delivery charges - you could set different pairs or groups of children the task of researching a particular seed company

If you can think of other ideas then please add them by posting a comment.

Help in choosing varieties and types of plants that are suitable for growing with children and in particular in a school environment is given on my website click here

Good time to pick up bargains

2011-11-19T10:54:00.001Z

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If you have the time in between all the school Christmas preparations now is a good time for picking up on special offers from the various online seed companies.

The latest offer to pop into my email was from Unwins who are offering free onion and shallot sets worth £9.25 with any order from their website click below

When you buy ANY product from the Unwins website, you can receive a FREE pack of 100 ‘Senshyu Yellow’ Onion sets worth £4.50 AND a FREE pack of 100 ‘Biztro’ Shallot sets worth £4.75. To redeem this offer customers will have to add voucher codes: SENS11 for to receive the Onions and BIZ11 to receive the Shallots.

I'll post any other offers that come my way as I receive them

Ideas for new resources and feedback

2011-09-15T11:25:00.002+01:00

As you will be aware if you browse the blog or go to this link on my website, I have created several resources which are not only appropriate for use in schools but also may be interesting for new vegetable growers.

I know that these resources are being accessed but I haven't had any feedback relating to how successful they are in use. If you have used the resources and could spare a few minutes to offer some feedback i would be really grateful. Any suggestions for improvements will be considered.

I would also be interested in any suggestions that you may have for new resources

It would also be great if you could provide some information about your school garden for the examples page of my website see here for more information. I know schools are always interested to read about how other schools tackle a gardening project.

Flowering Plants resource now freely available online

2011-05-18T19:51:00.000+01:00

Don't have a school garden but you are studying Green Plants

Flowering Plants - a resource to support the Green plants section of the science, National Curriculum.

It covers:

recognition and an understanding of the purpose of the parts of a green plant and a flower
the requirements that a green plant has to ensure healthy growth
animations showing the processes of photosynthesis, germination, pollination and the various methods through which seeds are dispersed
an understanding that there are different groups of flowering plants
an understanding that plants grow in different environments and how they adapt to suit specific environments
an understanding on the importance of green plants and what they provide

For more information click here

As this resource is new please email me if you find any broken links or have any feedback following use of this or any other of the resources provided. I am only able to offer these resources freely due to the generous support of visitors to my web site who use the links on my shopping pages. Most of the companies that I link to offer a small percentage commission on sales generated from my links.

Win £500 of Gardening Equipment!

2011-05-16T14:39:00.000+01:00

To mark the launch of our their hand-tool website WOLF-Garten Direct, Mow Direct are giving away £500 worth of brand new gardening tools to the lucky winner of their competition! Click here for more details

Warning - handle plants with care in the sunshine

2011-05-01T17:33:00.000+01:00

You may have parsnips on your patch that are past their best. Take care when clearing then away as sap from parsnip leaves can react with sunshine and cause the skin to be badly burned and blistered.

Parsnips are related to the giant hogweed which is known for its danger to skin. Parsnips are not the only plants to have potentially dangerous sap, among many others, carrot and celery sap can cause a similar problem.

Care should also be taken when strimming grass in sunny weather - if legs are not covered grass sap is likely to splatter your skin and again react with the sunshine to cause burning.

Unconvinced then read this

If in doubt always wear gloves and have skin covered when cutting plants to expose their sap.

Bird Watching Online

2011-04-28T20:38:00.000+01:00

Recently we set up a bird box complete with a web camera in our garden and a pair of blue tits almost immediately claimed it as a nesting site.

The female built a cosy nest in which she laid eight eggs that she is now incubating.

You may like to let your class follow what happens so I have popped a direct link to the web area that contains updates of the birds activity on the sidebar of this blog.

Use the links at the top of the web page to see earlier activity.

The cabbage family resource is now available online

2011-02-28T18:47:00.000Z

The third plant family resources are now freely available. The resources follow exactly the same format as the peas and beans resources

Click here to access all resources

If you don't have Smart Notebook software you can use the web based Smart Notebook Express with the whiteboard resources click here to read more

The cabbage family resource includes information on growing brassica seeds, the pests that affect brassicas and the life cycle of the large white butterfly - complete with video clip.

Onion plant family resource now available

2011-02-24T18:38:00.000Z

The third plant family resources are now freely available. The resources follow exactly the same format as the peas and beans resources

Click here to access all resources

If you don't have Smart Notebook software you can use the web based Smart Notebook Express with the whiteboard resources click here to read more

Root Vegetable plant family resource now available

2011-02-23T17:08:00.002Z

The second plant family resources are now freely available. The resources follow exactly the same format as the peas and beans resources

Click here to access all resources

If you don't have Smart Notebook software you can use the web based Smart Notebook Express with the whiteboard resources click here to read more

FREE ONLINE & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES

2011-02-20T13:01:00.000Z

The resources that were originally available on CD are now being transferred online. Commission gained from sales from the links on this and our other website and blogs now enable us to offer these resources freely.

So far I have transferred the first of the plant families resource - Peas and Beans.

There are two resources to support work on each of the plant families. One is delivered through web pages and contains information and photographs of each of the stages of each plants development including some information about raising your own plants from seed.

The second resource is a downloadable Smart Notebook file with activities to support the online resource - these included naming of the plants, matching the plant to the seed and arranging the lifecycle.

Other resources are also available that link to composting activities and literacy/sowing and raising seeds.

To access the resources visit this page of my website but don't forget to revisit as more resources will be added as I manage to create the web pages.

I welcome feedback on any of the resources and remember you can help resource the wesite by sending me an article supported with photos of your own school website - it would make a great literacy activity for some of your children.

Greenhouse without glass.

2011-01-28T14:27:00.000Z

If you are worried about the health and safety aspect of children working in a glass greenhouse or you want to site your greenhouse in a position where it is in danger of being used for taget practice, this may be the solution for you.

Alternatively you may only want a greenhouse for one part of the year - for instance to raise seeds - this greenhouse can be deflated and put somewhere safely during the summer holidays.

The material is the same as used in white water rafts so it should be very durable and should also provide insulation.

The greenhouse comes in three sizes and comes with electric pump and adaptors, guy ropes, plastic pegs, repair kit and full instruction booklet.

To find out more click here

If you want a do it yourself verion of a no-glass greenhouse then you could try making a bottle greenhouse - click here

A range of greenhouse that use polcarbonate glazing is available from here and here (including polytunnels). More greenhouse and polytunnel choices can be found at TWO WESTS click on the Garden Buildings tab on their website.

For more help in choosing a greenhouse click here

Don't forget I am always in search of schools who are willing to add some information about their gardening activities to the example pages of my website here

Making an early start

2011-01-23T13:44:00.002Z

Early in the year it can be difficult to get started on gardening projects. In schools it is especially important that seed sowing isn't delayed for too long. You want to have as good a chance as possible to harvest crops such as tomatoes before the August holidays.

Starting seeds in classrooms (or homes for that matter) with less than very good levels of light mean that although seeds often germinate successfully but then the seedlings become weak and leggy through lack of light. This means that you often lose the benefit of sowing early.

On possible solution may be to invest in an Indoor Grow Light Garden. I know funds can be tight for schools but this could be a possible target for some fund raising activities or maybe you could put in a bit for funding from a local supermarket, bank or other possible community supporter.

The above garden is supplied by Harrod Horticultural for more information click here

Planning for the new season

2011-01-13T15:04:00.002Z

It may not be ideal gardening weather outside at the moment but there is still plenty to do. It's a good time to plan your plot. Planning provides a good opportunity for children to create plans and diagrams. They could use a computer programme such as the Growveg system which many schools have found useful. Click here for more information.

It is also a good time to start monitoring weather conditions to help the children to understand how the seasons change and why we start growing when we do. Again this provides a real life opportunity to create and analyse charts and graphs. Click here for data on our weather over the year.

DON'T be tempted to sow seeds too early unless you want to use this as a science project to understand what happens when seedlings are grown in different conditions e.g. low light.

Now is the time though to make sure that you have all the seeds and plants that you need for the new season.

There is advice on what to choose on these pages Now is an ideal time to be choosing fruits plants . If you leave your ordering too late then you may have less choice. Try browsing the Victoriana site where schools can obtain special rates

Also make sure to buy your seed potatoes in good time. Don't forget to visit the Potato Council - Grow your Own Potatoes site where schools can register your school to receive a FREE potato growing kit. Information on planting potatoes in open ground can be accessed here and in containers here.

Advice on many gardening techniques can be found here. If you think I should add more items to help you with your gardening please email any suggestions to me

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-19T15:00:00.002Z

Not exactly two turtle doves but as near as I could get in our garden.

Competition winner

2010-11-20T18:17:00.000Z

To find out who won the competition click here

Weather projects

2010-11-09T16:16:00.000Z

Weather projects link very well with gardening activities as the weather conditions directly affect how we garden and what we can grow. A study of the weather also provides an ideal opportunity for children to read and create charts and diagrams.

In our garden we have set up a weather station that provides lots of data that may be useful when delivering such projects. We share our weather data and information through:

A web site which gather real time data every 10 minutes whenever our computer is connected to the internet

To view click here

Our weather diary blog which has monthly charts created from data collected by our weather station and also a daily summary of weather conditions with comments on how this has affected our gardening.

To view click here

A section of Our plot at Green Lane Allotments website has a section dedicated to information about the weather.

The information includes a monthly weather summary, monthly and annual weather charts.

To view click here

Win a £25 voucher to spend on seeds

2010-11-04T13:09:00.002Z

Win a £25 voucher to spend on the Vegetableseeds.net website.

The competition is open to visitors to any of our blogs and websites. Unfortunately the seed company only ship within Europe.

Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments

Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments Garden in Ossett

Green Lane Allotments Weather Diary

The School Vegetable Patch

The School Vegetable Patch website

Click here for more information on how to enter the competition

The closing date for entry is 19 November 2010

Grow Your Own Potatoes

2010-10-29T18:50:00.001+01:00

Launched in 2005, Grow Your Own Potatoes (GYOP) was one of the first primary school based growing projects. Since then it has become the largest of its kind with almost 1 million children signed up for 2010 learning where potatoes come from, how they grow and that potatoes are a healthy food. Its simplicity and the fact that GYOP is a hands on activity makes it perfect for young pupils.

Schools that register to take part (in Feb) receive a FREE growing kit containing everything they need to grow a successful crop.

Visit the GYOP website for more information.

Click here to visit my website for more about growing potatoes in containers

Alan Roman have a good choice of seed potatoes - their website also includes lots of information about individual varieties and potato growing in general.

Harrod Horticultural also have planters available too click here

Sunflowers and sheds - a production for children

2010-10-08T10:52:00.000+01:00

Suitable for children aged 5-8 and their families.

World Premiere

M6 Theatre Company presents

Sunflowers and Sheds

Directed and Scripted by Gilly Baskeyfield & Dot Wood

Devised by M6 Theatre Company

Original music by Tayo Akinbode

Cast: Eve Robertson and Luke Walker

NATIONAL PRESS PERFORMANCES:

Saturday 6th November at 11am & 1pm, Lyric Hammersmith

Monday 8th November at 1.30pm & 3.30pm, Unicorn Theatre

From M6 Theatre Company, comes Sunflowers & Sheds a tender and heart-warming story of discovery, sure to inspire and delight audiences young and old alike. This enchanting new production is set to tour the UK from 30th Oct – 22 December.

On the allotments down by the railway, Frank’s peaceful routine is turned upside down by the arrival of lively Isabella and her chickens on the neighbouring plot. Through the changing seasons, the seeds of friendship grow side by side with the raspberries, runner beans, memories and dreams.

Underscored with original music, let the colourful world of Sunflowers & Sheds take you on a journey that will capture your heart and imaginations.

Co Director Dorothy Wood said about the production, “I chose to set the story of this unlikely friendship on the fertile ground of an allotment - a place where the patchwork and diversity of people and plants grow side by side.

Sunflowers and Sheds gives children the opportunity to watch this special friendship develop and to discover what lies beneath the surface - of soil and people!

Through a visually delightful set, original music and strong emotional journey, we rediscover - that surprises are more enjoyable and disappointments more bearable, when shared with a friend.”

Sunflowers and Sheds will tour the UK from 30th October until the 22nd December. For further information on the tour visit

http://www.m6theatre.co.uk/

Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

2010-09-24T13:17:00.000+01:00

Thanks to Isaac Newton Primary school in Grantham for sending me photographs and information about how they built their own greenhouse from plastic bottles.

To read more click here

Don't forget I'd really love to receive information about your school gardening project

Studying the weather

2010-09-18T19:09:00.000+01:00

Studying the weather is an ideal project for linking to gardening activities as the weather conditions and climate very much affect how we garden and what we grow.

A study of the weather also provides real life opportunities for the pupils to study and create charts and graphs.

In our garden we have set up a weather station that feeds information to our computer. Data has been collected since October 2009 and so almost covers a full year. The charts and type of station used has changed during this time as we continue to learn and improve.

If you study the weather then you may like to check the following:

The Green Lane Weather Diary this is updated daily wherever possible and includes short comments on how the weather is affecting our gardening.

The weather station sends real time information to this web page. On most days this is updated every 15 minutes - although at times when we are unable to leave our computer connected to the internet this feature will be suspened.

Monthly weather summaries are also provided on our web site from this link

Most of the charts can be viewed at full size by clicking on the images. If there is other types of information that would prove useful then please post a comment and if possible we will try and help.

Welcome back

2010-09-04T11:13:00.000+01:00

I hope all of you who work in schools had a great summer break and hope that your new school year gets off to a good start.

I also hope that your school garden has survived your absence, that the weeds haven't grown too high and that you still have some fruit and vegetables left worth harvesting.

Gardening tasks for September are listed on my website here

Also do please consider sending me some information about your school gardning activities to add to my example pages here

Getting started next term

2010-08-13T11:25:00.002+01:00

SOLD OUT

If you want to get a start on your vegetable patch but don't have the time to sow seeds and wait for them to grow enough to plant out then these offers from Suttons and Dobies may be of interest.

Suttons seeds are offering a bundle of winter vegetable plants, seeds and seed potatoes

ALL THIS FOR JUST £14.95! - PLUS FREE 1kg of Carlingford Potatoes

36 Plug Plants, 4 seed packets + 1kg Carlingford Potatoes FREE!

Price: £14.95

If you are interested click here

Dobies Seeds have almost the same offer but minus the seeds and seed potatoes. Exactly the same plug plants (variety and number) without the potatoes and seeds for £9.95. For us it's a better option.
We've ordered this offer from Dobies We had this offer last year and were very satisfied with what was produced.

Spire Infant School's Garden

2010-07-11T16:09:00.002+01:00

Details of a second school garden is now available on the website. Spire Infant School is also in Chesterfield. Its pupils move on to Spire Junior School and then to our other example school Parkside Community School.

Thanks again to Liz - a governor at Parkside - for sharing the information posted on the my website. To read about the gardening activities at Spire Infant School click here.

With the summer break fast approaching I hope your gardens survive well without you for a little while - when you return in September maybe you would like to add your school garden to these two examples.

I am equally interested in schools that are just beginning their gardens and also to share any pitfalls and setbacks. Remember too you could involve the children/students in putting together a report. For ideas click here

August gardening calendar

2010-07-10T12:01:00.003+01:00

Although there may be heavy downpours in August, this can fall on very dry soil meaning much of the water will run off rather than penetrating the soil. Watering is very important as many plants will have grown larger and be loosing more water through transpiration.

Daylight hours become noticeably shorter during August but during the day, in some areas, high temperatures may be achieved. There is still the possibility of strong winds.

For schools it will be essential to enlist some volunteer help to ensure that the garden survives the August break – some schools may choose to run summer clubs. Maybe a rota of willing helpers could be established. Each set of helpers could be made responsible for a given task. The main tasks will be watering, picking, weeding, cutting grass and ensuring adequate ventilation of greenhouses or polytunnels. If possible feeding plants can be added to the list of tasks. Alternatively groups could be asked to look after the garden for a given period over the summer break. Automatic watering systems may be worth considering.

Ensure that helpers understand how to look after the garden and which areas are priorities.

The activities for the August gardening calendar have been kept to a minimum but include some activities for those not restricted by schools' August break.

Click here for August gardening calendar

How does your school keep the garden going over the summer break?

At last our first example school garden

2010-07-06T11:26:00.001+01:00

I'm really grateful to Parkside Community School in Chesterfield for being the first school brave enough to send information about their gardening projects. Parkside has around 500 students aged 11-16 and at the moment has three gardening projects on the go. Thanks to Liz - a governor at the school - for sharing the information posted on the my website. To read about the gardening activities at Parkside click here.

Now Parkside has broken the ice maybe some more of you would feel brave enough to share your gardens with us. Remember you could get the children involved in writing an article and taking photographs - maybe a good little project for the end of the year?

Guest books

2010-06-14T14:13:00.000+01:00

I've added guestbooks to both my website and blog so please spare a minute to pop by and leave a message - it's good to know who my visitors are.

Click here to go to the guestbook on my website. I have been making some alterations to my website which I hope makes things easier to find. Any suggestions for additions to the website or any improvements are always welcome even if they are not always carried out.

If you prefer I have also created a visitors comments area on the sidebar of this blog. I'm still patiently waiting for some reports of school vegetable patches to include on the examples page of my website so please try to send something that I can include here. With vegetable patches beginning to fill up with plants it's a great time to take a few photos!

Request for help at Horbury Fayre

2010-06-13T18:07:00.001+01:00

The Home Grown Horbury stall for Horbury Fayre is in the process of being finalised and the Home Grown Horbury group are running a "Spot the growing plot" competition to get people thinking about the plots of unused land around Horbury and Ossett that could be used to grow fruit and vegetables.

Competition entrants can win one of two beginner’s growing kits that have been put together by the group. They have also have various leaflets & bookmarks etc to give away.

The Fayre takes place next weekend - Saturday 19th from 9am ‘til 5pm and Sunday 20th June from 10am to 5pm.

The group could do with some help in running the stall and giving out leaflets etc. If anyone can spare an hour or two to help, please email Andy or ring 07971 098510.

July's calendar is now available

2010-06-08T13:58:00.006+01:00

In theory July is one of the hottest months of the year with low rainfall. Although brief showers can be heavy and the rain that falls may run off dry soil or quickly evaporate. Hot days can also mean thunderstorms.

There may also be spells of windy weather which can flatten plants as well as speed water evaporation.

Although the days are beginning to shorten light levels are still good.

July is an important month for school gardening projects. With the fast approaching summer break it is important that preparations are made to try and ensure that your school patch survives until school reopens.

Watering will be an essential task – you should either invest in an irrigation system or gather together a willing band of garden watchers who can water your plants for you and maybe do a bit of weeding. Make sure that your helpers understand the need for consistent watering and the need not to overwater should the conditions be wet. Watering is best carried out in early morning or late afternoon especially in a greenhouse.

Mulching around plants especially fruit trees and bushes will help conserve moisture and also keep weeds down. Water well before mulching.

Greenhouses will also need to be adequately ventilated. Doors are often left open during the summer months but this can be a problem if it becomes suddenly windy. Also an open door is an invitation to cats and birds so if you do wish to leave it open then place some type of netting over the opening to keep out unwanted guests.

You could reward garden helpers by letting them pick any crops such as courgettes and beans that won’t hang on until you are back at school. This will also help in that crops such as courgettes and beans will keep producing if mature 'fruits' are regularly removed.

The complete July calendar is here

If you can think of anything I have missed then please add to the comments on this blog posting

June Calendar

2010-05-24T09:45:00.000+01:00

June sees the beginning of summer with 21 June having the longest period of daylight. Plants really spring into growth enjoying what should be higher temperatures and extra light. Danger of frost should have passed in most parts of the UK.

Sunshine can cause temperatures inside a greenhouse or polytunnel to soar. If there is no natural shading for the greenhouse then you may need to apply shading of some sort. June is also often a dry month and so one major task will be ensuring that your plot is watered. You need to prioritise which plants need most water such as seedlings, new plantings etc.

Unfortunately the improved conditions are also enjoyed by weeds.

For a list of suggested tasks for June click here. Please add any suggestions that I may have overlooked in the comments here.

Using ICT to plan your vegetable patch.

2010-04-29T15:53:00.000+01:00

One activity that combines gardening, ICT and geography is the creation of plans for your vegetable patch.

A system that can be used effectively for the is GrowVeg. This is a web based system that allows children to easily draw up attractive plans. This has proved very popular in some schools and a school licence is available which allows a single account to be used by multiple pupils or groups of pupils in a class. This is basically the same as a single-user account but is marked for concurrent access. It costs £25 per year (which can be invoiced to the school if required). The teacher will usually set up the outline plan for the garden as a template that they then make a copy for each child/group to use. The pupils are all logged on to the same account but open the plan allotted to them so that they don't save over each other's work. Setting it up this way enables the teacher to log on and get access to all the pupils' plans after the class.

For several years now we have used this system to plan our allotment plots. A great feature of this system is that after you have used it for a year the it 'remembers' which crops were grown where in previous years and gives a warning if you try and plant something in a position that has been used for a similar crop in a previous year.

Where different groups of children are using the same gardening space in consecutive years or where members of staff change it is essential that a plan is kept each year to avoid cultivation problems that may result in using the same area year after year for the same type of crop.

To read more about how we have used the system click here

For more links to the ICT curriculum click here

Garden Calendar update for May

2010-04-13T13:19:00.001+01:00

May is an exciting time of year when things really start to 'get going' in the garden.

May can be one of the driest months of the year so you need to take care not to let seedlings dry out. Also make sure that fruit bushes and trees that are setting fruit are well watered at the roots.

May is also often one of the sunniest months of the year but it can be a very changeable month with temperatures rising and falling quickly. Frosts may still be likely in some areas although the risk does decrease at the end of the month.

Ventilate the greenhouse in the daytime to prevent temperatures becoming too high when it is sunny.

The difference in temperatures between inside a greenhouse and outside can be fairly extreme so it is important to harden off and plants that have been raised indoors before planting outside in beds. The principle is to expose plants to conditions outdoors gradually so they acclimatise to outdoor conditions. This is called hardening off see gardening techniques on the website.

I've added the list of gardening activity suggestions for May to the website. Click here

As usual if you have any other suggestions please post them in the comments area here.

For links to the complete gardening calendar click here

On another note if you are thinking of adding a shed to your plot check out this website before buying as they offer some very cost effective solutions. Click here for more information about choosing a shed.

Get Schools Growing Now Competition - request for support

2010-03-21T12:13:00.001Z

One of our visitor's schools is one of five short-listed in a 'Get Schools Growing Now' campaign. Their success depends on receiving the most number of votes by midnight on Sunday 11 April 2010.

Please support them by visiting the website here and registering a vote for Stanwell Fields School. You can register a vote every day!

Gardening Calendar Update for April

2010-03-05T14:11:00.001Z

As promised I am trying to keep one month ahead with the gardening calendar to help with forward planning so April's diary entry is now posted here. As always remember that the suggestions can only give guidance and you should garden according to your local conditions. If you have any suggestions for additions to the calendar then please post them here.

Spring begins in earnest during April although it can still be an unpredictable month so don’t be tempted to plant out tender plants too early. It is a month of spring bulbs and blossom. Daylight hours are increasing and growing conditions improving. Although temperatures should be rising and the sun should be seen more frequently, frosts are still a hazard to tender plants. There is still chance of snow. This may be a month when you have to water outside as even during showery weather soil surface can dry out fairly quickly which will spell death to emerging seedlings.

Composting

2010-02-20T15:11:00.000Z

Very few kitchen gardens are without a compost bin or heap. Composting is a way of converting any organism that has once been living into a nutrient rich product. This when added to the soil, not only introduces nutrients from which your plants will benefit, but improves the soil structure.

A composting project also fits in well with the primary science curriculum for instance possible links with Sorting and using materials, Grouping and changing materials, Rocks and soils, Micro-organisms.

Composting is an all year round activity; however, you will find that some times of the year are more active than others.

For more information and advice click here

Also available on my website is a free Smart notebook download. If you don't have a Smart Notebook application a free interactive reader can be downloaded. This allows you to use but not to save any changes.

I would appreciate feedback on how useful if at all you find the resource.

Why not make a video of your gardening project?

2010-02-14T11:27:00.000Z

This video comes from the BBC Dig In site. Making a video of your school's gardening activities is an ideal literacy activity and is not as difficult as you might think. I have successfully carried out film making activities with children as young as 6 and also children with special needs. Without exception they have loved it! Film making also integrates Gardening into your ICT lessons. It motivates children who would usually have difficulty in writing about their experiences and adds a new dimension to literacy lessons.

If you do create a video you could upload it to YouTube or TeacherTube and I would be happy to post a link to it on my website. Also I am still keen to receive any photos and information about your school garden to add to my website examples page which at the moment has NO examples. If you have a website showing your schools gardening activities why not email me the link to add here? The aim of this page is to inspire other schools to have a go and also alert them to what went well and any pitfalls. Remember someone has to be first!

What to do in March

2010-02-07T13:02:00.001Z

Mid March heralds the start of spring when things really get started in the garden. Temperatures and daylight hours should be increasing although March is also a month of cold winds and strong breezes. As the saying predicts snow is also likely.

As always weather and local conditions should guide you. If conditions are poor resist sowing and planting too early. Later sown seeds catch up but those sown in poor conditions often develop into weak plants.

If conditions are poor many seeds will benefit from being sown indoors in a greenhouse or under cloches.

Suggestions for gardening activities during March are now available on the website click here As usual these can only be offered as suggestions as location, weather and soil conditions can affect timings.

If you wish to add any suggestions then post a comment here

Why fertilise the soil?

2010-02-05T13:29:00.001Z

If your soil has just been cleared and hasn’t been used for growing before then you will probably not need to use a fertiliser. New ground often produces fantastic crops. Over the years plants use up the natural nutrients in the soil and so the fertility needs supplementing with a fertiliser of some sort.

Fertilisers contain three main plant nutrients, nitrogen (N) which is needed for healthy leaf growth, Phosphorus (P) which is needed by plants to produce healthy roots and shoots and Potassium (K) which is of general benefit to plants but is particularly necessary for plants to produce fruit and flower.

Fertilisers also contain very small amounts of trace elements such as iron and manganese.

The proportions of N, P and K should be quoted on all fertiliser packs as N:P:K so 10:12:24 indicates that the fertiliser is high in potassium and would therefore be good to use on fruiting or flowering plants.

When using fertilisers it is important to follow the instructions on the labels. Just in case the label becomes unreadable you may find it useful to male a note of the instructions to keep somewhere safe.

Click here for more information

Add flowers to your vegetable patch.

2010-01-29T15:23:00.001Z

You may have heard gardeners talk about companion planting. This practice is based on the belief by many gardeners that certain plant groupings are in some way beneficial.

There is much argument as to whether some aspects of this belief has any scientific basis. An investigation into whether certain plant combinations work or not could form an interesting investigation for children to undertake; for instance do nasturtiums attract aphids away from broad beans or do marigolds repel whitefly away from tomatoes.

There is little doubt, however that flowers do attract beneficial insects which can only be a good thing. They provide another dimension to a vegetable patch. Not only by providing colour and the opportunity to study insects at close quarters but also by providing a crop of cut flowers for the classroom.

If you have space a patch of native wild flowers is especially effective in supporting a range of indigenous insects. A patch of nettles tucked away in a corner will provide a food plant for many butterfly caterpillars (don't worry not cabbage whites!) and the leaves (not roots) can be used on the compost heap. Also a patch of grass that is allowed to form seed heads attracts many insects. To provide a food supply for as many insects as possible you need to choose different shapes of flowers e.g. tube shapes and daisy shapes.and also have some flowers that grow throughout the season.

More information is available if you click here

Big School Birdwatch

2010-01-21T10:34:00.003Z

When I first started teaching I was amazed at how my class of 9 year old children couldn't even identify the most common of garden birds. Some thought that the smaller birds were babies and the larger ones were the mums and dads.

The Big Schools' Birdwatch provides an opportunity to help children appreciate the birds that they probably see every day but don't even notice. There is also special activity in which nursery children can get involved - Little Schools' Birdwatch

Click on the links to find out more, even if you don't take part in the Birdwatch you will find lots of ideas, activities and resources to use with children.

Although the Birdwatch started on 18 January it isn't too late to join in!

Guzzler - a Talking Story

2010-01-20T12:09:00.003Z

Guzzler - Talking Story- (Windows only)

Aimed at KS1 (6 - 7 year olds) but could be used with Lower KS2 especially children learning difficulties.

Although not exactly a garden pig this resource would link in with a vegetable growing project.

Guzzler is a pig with a flaw in his character - he eats anything he can get his snout onto. But one day he goes too far and has to be taught a lesson.

The text employs repetition and provides opportunity to study how the vocabulary used conveys what the characters are feeling.

A PDF version is provided which can be printed for children to read away from the computer. This provides opportunity to compare electronic and paper based books. The talking story provides an opportunity for the children to become familiar with the use of an electronic text.

Guzzler is a fully illustrated and narrated talking story which can be used with a whole class, small group or by individual children.

The narration is activated by a sound button on each page. For children needing support with their reading they can attempt to read without the narration and then use the narration to check their accuracy or they can play the narration and listen before attempting to read unsupported.

As the narration is playing the words being spoken are highlighted in red.

Each page requires the reader to click on animal or object to activate a sound. To exit the story, at any point, tap the escape button on your keyboard.

Click here to read more

Free Potato Growing Kits for Schools

2010-01-17T10:29:00.001Z

The potato council are offering free potato growing kits to schools who register with them. The kits include supporting lesson plans and worksheets and for a chance to win prizes for your school by entering a competition once you have harvested your crops.

The website also has free resources and information focusing on growing and cooking potatoes. Click here to visit their website.

Have you noticed any difference?

2010-01-15T18:01:00.002Z

I have been working on tidying up this blog and also slightly adapting the template to give a wider publishing area. It's always a nervous moment when you enter the world of HTML but I don't think any disaster has occurred yet!!

Hope that you think there has been an improvement!

Harrod Horticultural Offer 10% discount on some items to our visitors

2010-01-12T15:08:00.005Z

Harrod Horticultural are continuing to offer 10% discount on their range of timber raised beds and netting etc for anyone ordering from them after linking from any of my Harrod links from this blog and sister blogs and websites.

To qualify you must also quote Green Lane at the checkout.

Harrod have increased their range of timber raised beds. These include some triangular, and manger shaped structures as well as some raised on legs. To view their range of raised beds click here

For their range of garden netting and materials click here

Introduce ICT into the School Vegetable Patch

2010-01-11T13:57:00.009Z

For a couple of years now we have used the Grow Veg online planner to plan out our plot. This is a simple to use planning tool that could be used at all levels in school as well as for adult gardeners.

With GrowVeg.com it is easy to draw out your garden plan and decide how best to plant it. You will need to create a plan of your plot so that you can work out what you will grow and where. You will need to take into account that some plants will need more space than others and also consider which plants will grow together and what the needs of each type of plant are. In other words learn as much as you can about the plants that you intend to grow.The GrowVeg.com planning tool clearly shows how much space plants require and how to group them for maximum success, removing the need to look up planting distances and crop families.

It also alerts you if you try and grow a similar crop in the same position in subsequent years. Plans can be printed. As well as offering an online planning tool for a small annual subscription of £15/€17 (There is a North American version too) the website has advice and tips for growing all types of vegetables.

This planning tool has proved very popular in some schools and a school licence is available which allows a single account to be used by multiple pupils or groups of pupils in a class. This is basically the same as a single-user account but is marked for concurrent access. It costs £25 per year (which can be invoiced to the school if required). The teacher will usually set up the plan for the garden as a template that they then copy over for each child/group. The pupils are all logged on to the same account but open the plan allotted to them so that they don't save over each other's work. Setting it up this way enables the teacher to log on and get access to all the pupils' plans after the class. For more information use the contact button on their website. Please refer to this website when you do so.

A demo of the online planner can be viewed on their website and if you fancy having a go a 30 free trial is also available. To learn more click on the banner below.

More suggestions for ICT activities are available on my website here

Choosing what herbs to grow

2010-01-09T17:12:00.002Z

The suggestions for which herbs you may choose to grow on your vegetable patch are now completed on the website click here

Herbs are a sort of half way house between flowers and vegetables. As well as having scented foliage, many have attractive flowers and variegated leaves. A herb garden can be ornamental as well as productive. Herbs can be mixed in amongst other ornamental or food plants; they can be grown in containers or in a patch devoted to growing herbs. Herbs are ideal plants for the sensory garden as not only can they contribute a mixture of flavours and scents but many have a particular texture.

Many herbs flowers are much loved by butterflies and bees so a herb patch can encourage biodiversity in your vegetable patch and encourage beneficial insects which in turn will pollinate fruit or help keep insect pests under control.

The word herb has various definitions, on this page the term herb is used to describe a plant grown for flavouring, scent or medicinal purpose.

Growing herbs in a school garden is especially appropriate as many plants date back to the beginnings of civilisation and can be linked to a study of a particular historical period. Herbs were used in the courts of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Ancient Egyptians used herbs for medicinal purpose and also in the embalming process. Ancient peoples believed some herbs had magical properties and they were used to protect from evil and in rituals. Each herb had a special significance or power attributed to it. Herbs have even been used as currency.

Through the ages herbs continued to be used medicinally as some still are today. They were also used to flavour food especially when food became tainted during storage. Not only would use of herbs mask unpleasant tastes but was thought to act as a disinfectant on particularly bad meat. Herbs were burned as a fumigant. Bad smells were often associated with disease and herbs were used to mask odours. To fulfil this, aim herbs would be stuffed into keyholes and shoes or herb bags would be worn from a belt. They have also been used as ingredients in dyes and cosmetics.

In the 16 and 17 century herb gardens became popular in cottages, castles, and monasteries although wild herbs were considered to be more powerful than cultivated ones. Herb women and root gatherers made a living collecting herbs growing wild in the countryside. Some of these women were persecuted and tried as witches. Herbs were also grown by apothecaries in physic gardens.

February Gardening Calendar added

2010-01-08T14:53:00.005Z

I have added the suggested activities for February to the web site Click here

Where we live in West Yorkshire the gardening season doesn't really get going until March but there are things that you can do if you are desperate to get started. This will mostly be preparation and planning work but in some milder areas it may be possible to start sowing and planting. Refer to seed packets and information about the climate in your area. Generally speaking there is no mad rush to get seeds in as those sown a bit later soon catch up and often overtake earlier sowings. If the weather continues as it is there will be no decision to make!

Do remember to look after wildlife when conditions are bad.

And ... when is a currant not a currant?

2010-01-05T11:15:00.004Z

Answer - When it is a grape!

Children - well I suppose adults do too - may confuse blackcurrants and the dried currants using in baking. These are not currants at all but are dried grapes. TheBlack Corinth grapes used are a very small, sweet, seedless, black grape from Greece.

Currants and gooseberries belong to the same family of plants called Ribes. Several ornamental plants also belong to the same family.

They are fairly easy to grow and require a similar methods of cultivation. A relatively new introduction to the family is a jostaberry which is a cross between a blackcurrant and a gooseberry.

I have now completed the page on the website about currants and gooseberries click here

When is a fruit not a fruit?

2010-01-04T13:37:00.005Z

Answer - when it is a strawberry, raspberry, blackberry or rhubarb!

Fruits such as raspberries and blackberries are really bundles of tiny fruits clustered together. The raspberry has a hollow core so when you picked it is quite fragile. On the other hand blackberries have a sold core and are more robust fruits. Raspberries and blackberries are closely related and many hybrid berries have been created by crossing them and their offspring.

Each strawberry has on average 200 seeds. The part that we eat is technically not a fruit but a swollen stem and the things which look like seeds are all individual fruits each with a seed inside.

Although we refer to it as fruit, rhubarb isn't a fruit at all. It is an herbaceous perennial. We eat the stems of the rhubarb but it is considered to be a fruit as this is how it is generally used.

Choosing berries and rhubarb page is now completed on the website. Click here

Raised Beds

2009-12-29T15:55:00.002Z

Presumably due to the popularity of growing using the raised bed system Harrod Horticultural are adding more products to their range of raised beds systems and accessories.

Some systems would be great for use with young children. Using them will be reminiscent to playing at a sand or water tray.

Bear in mind that plants grown in beds raised from the ground will need more watering.

Accessories offering by Harrod include irrigation kits for raised beds.

Click here for more

Choosing Apples and Pears page is complete

2009-12-13T13:22:00.002Z

I have now completed the first section on choosing fruit for your school vegetable patch - click here As usual any comments will be welcome.

Changes made to School Vegetable patch web site

2009-12-12T16:58:00.002Z

Having used a website analyser to assess my School Vegetable Patch website it seemed that the pages with advice on choosing vegetables and fruit contained too many images and were too large (too many KBs) so I am in the process of splitting them into several pages. The vegetable section has been completed (I hope). The choosing vegetable page now has links to choosing root vegetables, choosing peas and beans etc. I hope this is better (the web analyser says it is!). Please email me if you have difficulty with anything on the website e.g. finding your way around. Suggestions for how this can be improved are always welcome - honest!

Why not try making a gift?

2009-12-08T16:15:00.006Z

If you want to give a special gift but have no pocket money to spare. Why not try making something?

Try a grass head or a cress head. Just set up the gift so that those receiving it just add water and watch the hair grow.

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Gardening Calendar

2009-12-05T13:15:00.002Z

The gardening calendar on The School Vegetable Patch website is now completed up until January. Click here for calendar meny page

When browsing the list of suggested activities please bear in mind that location and weather conditions very much affect any timing of gardening activities and the lists are intended as suggestions only.

Please use comments areas on the blog to suggest other activities or describe what you have done at the appropriate time of year.

Use this posting for January activities and use the links below for other months:

December

November & October

September

School Vegetable Patch Website

2009-12-04T17:09:00.002Z

Do you have a website or blog?

I'd like as many schools as possible to be able to take advantage of the information on the School Vegetable Patch website, which is linked to this blog, but Google will prioritise sites with the most number of links from other websites. Can you help by posting a link to the home page of the website on your website or blog (that is of course if you have found the site to be useful!)
Additionally if you have a school website that has photographs or information about your school vegetable plot, I would love to include a link on the empty page set aside for school garden examples. Schools seem to be very shy of sharing their efforts - remember it is just as valuable to share what went wrong!! Also please contact me if you have seen a school website with such information and I will contact them to ask permission to link to them.

Forget hyacinth bulbs for the classroom!

2009-12-01T11:50:00.003Z

If you usually grow hyacinth bulbs in the classroom why not have a go at something more dramatic.

I bought these two bulbs on the 16 November and planted them the next day - less that two weeks later and they are off to a flying start. No need to keep them in the dark so you can watch the whole thing as it happens. A fully grown plant is dramatic too with large flowers up to 25 cm across on a flower stalk that reaches 90 cm or more. You can almost see them growing!!

Click on a link to view more about each variety:

Apple Blossom and Red Lion

More exotic varieties

Evergreen

Exotic Peacock

Papillio

Lots of other varieties here

If you haven't a class of children to impress why not grow one yourself - they also make an ideal gift.

NEWS FLASH - T & M have cut the cost of their amaryllis bulbs drastically - click here

Cropper the Carrot Goes to the Show

2009-11-27T10:41:00.011Z

If you teach very young children or have a young child at home and want a book linked to growing your own try this one.

Cropper the Carrot is the star of a book for all children aged 0-6 years. This charming story tells of Cropper's exploits as he and his friends get ready for the big show. 'Cropper the Carrot goes to the show' is a traditional children's book. It is beautifully written and illustrated in striking colour and is a firm favourite with children throughout the world.
Cropper is charming, cheeky, quick to help others and an all round loveable rogue. Cropper gets into all sorts of scrapes because he is that kind of carrot.

The book is written by Phil McCann and illustrated by David Barnett. Phil has written for virtually every gardening publication in the UK and is the author of many gardening books. He has worked in every kind of gardening media and has appeared as a gardening presenter on screen and on radio so he knows his carrots.

Written, illustrated and printed in the UK, 'Cropper the Carrot goes to the show' appeals to all children who are starting to read, developing their reading skills and those who simply want to a enjoy a great story.

For more books linked to gardening click here

Choosing the right greenhouse

2009-11-22T11:46:00.004Z

Along with a garden shed there will come a time when everyone growing their own vegetables will consider buying a greenhouse.

If you are going to raise your own plants from seeds then you are going to need some type of greenhouse in which to keep them protected until conditions are right for outdoor planting.

If blight is a problem where you garden it is also best to grow tomatoes under cover.

A greenhouse will also extend the length of time that you can carry out gardening activities and offer protection for the gardener not only the plants if weather is poor.

Choosing the right greenhouse is important as it is not only a major expense but one that you will live with for a long time. We have agreenhouse that has moved its location three times and is still going strong.

For more advice on making the right choice for you click here

Choosing a Garden Shed

2009-11-21T14:12:00.002Z

Before choosing a shed you need to decide what you will use it for. Is it just for storage, is it going to double up as a workshop or potting shed, is it somewhere to shelter from the weather?

If the shed is to be used just for storage then would a storage cabinet be suitable instead? Sheds just used for storage may not need to have a window. This may also be seen as added security by keeping your gardening tools out of sight.

However ,if you wish to use the shed as a workshop or potting shed then you will require as much light as possible.

Click here for more tips on choosing the right shed for you.

Choosing fruit for the school plot

2009-11-18T16:35:00.003Z

One of the problems of growing fruit with children is that it can take a while for new plants to become established and produce a crop of fruit.

The season is also long and this can cause young children to lose interest. The key here is to focus on the changing seasons. The children can look out for new leaf buds, buds coming into leaf and the shapes of the leaves, flower buds, opening flowers and the structure of a flower, pollination by the insects, the types of insects visiting the fruit trees/bushes, immature fruits forming, fruit maturing, harvesting, leaves changing colour and eventually falling from the tree. Some fruit bushes such as blackcurrants and gooseberries do not have obvious flowers which in itself is interesting.

Strawberries are probably the easiest of the fruits to grow. They mature in a much shorter time and can be grown in containers as well as in open ground. Alpine strawberries are a cultivated form of wild strawberries and are grown from seed.

Most fruits can be grown in containers if this is preferred but will need far more attention than those grown in open ground. Watering is especially crucial and could be problematic during school holidays. If you wish to grow fruit in containers check that the variety and rootstock is suitable for this type of cultivation.

Varieties should be carefully considered, however you wish to grow your fruit. Choose varieties or rootstock that are the right size for your plot, that don’t grow into trees too high for the children to appreciate them and also that don’t produce most of their fruit during the August holiday.

All fruit performs best if situated in a sheltered, sunny position in fertile soil. Soil preparation is important as the plants will remain in position for a long time.

Click here for more help with choosing fruit for your patch.

Victoriana Nursery Gardens Special Discounts

2009-11-18T13:20:00.006Z

Victoriana Nursery Gardens

Are offering a 10% discount on all their products no code required as discount is automatically applied (prices are already very competitive) to anyone ordering from them after visiting any of my blogs or websites.

They also offer a discount scheme for schools
School Gardening Discount Scheme

Schools are offered a blanket discount of 20% on seed and plant orders and 10% on garden tool and sundry orders (this discount does not extend to the carriage element of any order). For more information click here

Why not click here and browse their website anyway!

RHS website changes - HELP needed.

2009-11-16T10:34:00.003Z

The RHS have decided to update their website so links that I have created to their site may not lead to the required pages.

I am changing these as soon as I come across them but some are difficult to spot so please let me know if you find any bad links either on my blogs or websites so that I can deal with them.

Worms as pets?

2009-11-10T15:22:00.004Z

Worms make ideal class pets! They don’t need grooming or exercising nor do they live in cages that need regularly cleaning out. They will also survive over the school holidays without being fed every day.

By keeping a wormery not only would you be acquiring a trouble free member of the class – and how often does that happen? – but you would also be provided with a very worthwhile educational resource. It would provide the children with a practical way of taking part in a recycling project and also fits in well with the science curriculum. On top of all of that the worms will produce an end product that can be used in the school garden.

To learn more about wormeries click here

To make a mini version of a wormery for observation purposes click here

To read more about earthworms click here

December calendar is complete

2009-11-07T13:16:00.001Z

December is a quiet time in the garden.
Frosty nights are frequent this month. Although frosts can be seen as a problem they also help break down lumpy soil and kill many plant pests and diseases. They also improve the flavour of vegetables such as parsnips. If the ground is very frosty or wet then it is best to avoid walking on it as this can spoil the soil structure. Cold winds, rain and even snow can also be a feature. If possible remove snow from bushes, especially those in leaf, to avoid damage. It is also possible that some early snow could fall. Click here for suggested December activities. If you wish to add suggestions then please use the comments area of this post.

Although work outdoors may be limited don't forget to consider your plot wildlife. Look after them through the winter months and they will pay you back by helping keep pests at bay during the growing season. Winter months are also a good time to plan for the season ahead. The children could also record weather conditions as we have started to do for our garden.

The calendar indew had for some reason disappeared and so I have recreated it here.

Choosing which vegetables to grow.

2009-11-05T16:48:00.001Z

Do you have an area of land prepared for your vegetable patch but are unsure of what you should grow? I recently received an email from a school that had just this problem and so I am working on some pages on my website that I hope will offer some support.

Besides growing vegetables consider growing fruit, herbs, flowers and if space allows some shrubs or trees. Also consider the introduction of wildlife habitats and feeding stations.

Herbs, flowers, shrubs and trees will encourage a diversity of wildlife which will help control vegetable pests and ensure successful pollination.

Choice of what to grow will depend on several things:

How much space do you have available?
What age of children are you working with?
How much time do you have to devote to the vegetable patch?
Have you anyone who will take care of your plot during school holidays – especially during August?

Unfortunately August is a really busy time for harvesting crops. In order to minimise the effect of having vegetables ready for harvesting in August choose early ot late maturing varieties. If you can persuade someone to harvest crops such as beans during the August holiday then they should keep producing and provide some vegetables for harvesting in September.

Fruit and vegetable growth does not necessarily fit in to the schools year. Some crops that have a long growing season will need to be planted during one school year and harvested during the next. If this isn't desirable then you will need to omit growing crops that require a long season.

The pages that I am working on are intended to give you a starting point and help you make appropriate choices.

So far I have completed the advice on choosing vegetables other pages will be produced later. For vegetable advice click here

Simple Crop Rotation

2009-10-28T17:39:00.004Z

I had an email asking for advice on crop rotation so I have created a web page dedicated to this issue.

Although you don’t need to get too obsessive about crop rotation you should avoid growing the same type of crops in the same patch of soil year after year.

Different types of plants benefit from different types of nutrients and suffer from different types of pests and diseases. Moving crops around helps reduce the risk of creating a build up of pests or disease in a given area and also makes best use of available nutrients.

Some crops also benefit by following a specific type of crop.

Crops such as sweetcorn and members of the squash family can fit in where there are any gaps. Lettuces and other salad leaves can also be grown in any available spaces. To read more about crop rotation click here

Feed the birds day

2009-10-21T18:15:00.007+01:00

You may be like us and feed the birds every day but the official RSPB Feed the Birds Day is this Saturday 24 October. The RSPB web site gives advice on feeding birds and helping other wildlife. If you are a school why not have your own feed the birds event such as making fat cakes to take home. For instructions on how to make a fat cake click here.

The RSPB are running events linked to this on 24 & 25 October. If you don't usually feed the birds why start this weekend.

Haiths and Garden Birds are two online supplier of a wide range of bird and wild life food. Haiths also offer advice on their web site click here

Don't forget that birds need water for drinking and bathing too!

Celebrate Apple Day

2009-10-21T10:43:00.003+01:00

Today is Apple Day click here to read more.

Last opportunity to sign the petition is this week

2009-10-20T18:33:00.000+01:00

The last opportunity to sign the petition is on Friday so if you wish to sign you need to hurry!

Click here

Growing Potatoes

2009-10-20T14:27:00.008+01:00

It's time to start deciding which varieties to plant next year. There always seems to be so much to take into consideration. Suppliers are obviously going to present the seed potatoes that they sell in the best light so a website such as The British Potato Variety Database can be a good source of information.

Click here for seed potatoes from Dobies
Click here for seed potatoes from Unwins
Click here to read about planting potatoes in containers

Click here for advice on buying seed potatoes and other potato products

Jack o' Lantern

2009-10-07T18:08:00.002+01:00

Why not have a go at making a Jack o' Lantern. If anyone would like to send me a photo of a jack o' lantern or pumpkin head that they have made then I would be pleased to post some photos. Just one photo would be good but in the unlikely event that I am swamped by photos I'll choose the best! Just send a JPEG image using the email link on the sidebar with a bit of information about yourself and anything else you want to tell me.

September's calendar has now been posted.

2009-10-06T12:53:00.004+01:00

I have started the calendar in September which I posted today. This is to follow the school year. From now on I'll try to post each calendar at least a month in advance. Please do post any ideas for activities that I have missed or make comments on what you have done each month. I don't want this to be a one way thing!

Click here for September's calendar

November calendar tasks have been added

2009-10-04T10:56:00.003+01:00

Although it is possible that mild spells may occur colder weather is likely to set in this month. There is an increased possibility of frost and gales. By the end of the month any leaves left on trees will have fallen.
There is likely to be fewer opportunities to work outdoors in the garden. If the ground is wet or frozen it is far better to keep off until weather conditions improve.

Click here to read the calendar

Gardening Calendar

2009-10-03T14:35:00.005+01:00

On "The School Vegetable Patch website" I have started a calendar of suggested gardening activities. A gardening calendar can never be more than a list of suggestions. Gardening activities are very much dependent on weather, location and soil conditions. No two years are exactly alike. Conditions will vary considerably in different areas of the UK. You will need to familiarise yourself with your local climate such as likely frost dates. The Garden Action website has a tool which you can use to predict when your area is likely to experience its first and last frosts of the year but remember this is only a guide and conditions can vary from year to year and even from one garden to another.

You also need to know what soil type you are gardening with and be aware of the soil conditions. If the ground is too cold, too wet or too dry some tasks will need to be delayed. Many activities will be equally suited to more than one month of the year.

So far the October link has been completed - more will be added over time. Updates will be posted on here on the blog. If you would like to add suggestions to the months activities either email me or post a comment here.

Planning a new school vegetable patch?

2009-09-26T10:59:00.004+01:00

Planning is key to the success of your school vegetable patch. You need to be systematic in your approach and very well planned. This is especially important when working with children and if you are a beginner to vegetable growing.

For some suggestions for how you would go about starting a new patch from scratch click here

Share your plot activities!

2009-09-20T10:45:00.006+01:00

It seems schools are really shy at sending examples of their vegetable plots.

An article with supporting photos of a school plot can be a really purposeful activity for children and publishing on a website gives children a whole new audience to consider. The article could be set up using a variety of different genre e.g. journalistic, informative, instuctional, discussion pros and cons of doing something in a particular way, diary entries etc.

It also provides a very useful resource to share with other schools.

Ways to share information would be to send an article to my website but this isn't the only way of sharing. Why not think of creating a website especially devoted to your gardening activities or if you prefer create a blog to which all children can contribute. If you do this I would love to have a link to your website or blog so my visitors can share your experiences.

A free website mangement system is available here http://www.schools.ik.org/ it provides a really easy way to create school website which I use when creating websites for schools. Articles created by he children could be copied and pasted directly onto the web page although images would need to be uploaded separately - it isn't difficult. If you don't fancy doing this yourself I do offer a web creation service which you may want to consider using. Contact me for information on cost etc. although as this is just a spare time activity for me there is only limited availability. You have more chance in autumn winter when my gardening activities are less demanding.

Tou may also have a blogging syten set up by your LA - I know the Yorkshire and Humber side region YHGFL have a system - check with your ICT consultant.
There is also a free system called Edublogs http://edublogs.org/

What about a few bulbs to brighten the veg patch?

2009-09-06T11:35:00.005+01:00

hy not keep the children's interest by growing some bulbs. These can be grown in pots for the classroom or directly in the ground. I remember as a child growing a hyacinth in a special container which allowed me to watch the roots developing. I don't know if these containers are still available but any glass container will do that has a mouth that is small enough to hold the bulb just over the water level. Fill the container with water just to the point that it is barely touching the bottom of the bulb.

There are plenty of catalogues dropping through my door advertising offers and many more on the Internet.

One such catalogue was from Spalding bulbs so I decided to check out their web site to get a bit more information of what was on offer.

For their full range of bulbs click here

Choosing Gardening Tools for Children?

2009-08-07T11:05:00.003+01:00

There is now a huge selection of children’s gardening tools from which to choose. They range from plastic toy tools to metal and wooden tools which are simply smaller versions of high quality adult garden tools.

Generally the plastic tools are only suitable for toddlers. They do have the advantages of being light and less likely to have sharp edges but they are not as sturdy as the metal and wood versions.

A wide range of types of garden tools for children are available. You can buy spades, forks, trowels, hoes, leaf rakes, brushes and watering cans. There are even some fabulous children’s wheelbarrows.

School Packs are also available from some suppliers.

For advice on what to buy click here

Classroom Activities - Minibeast life cycles

2009-08-04T15:13:00.003+01:00

Your school vegetable garden can provide an excellent starting point for the study of mini-beast life cycles. I have devoted a section of my website to the wildlife that I have found on my allotment and in my garden.

The latest article features the life cycle of the large white butterfly. It includes a short video portraying the fascinating life cycle of this regular garden visitor.
Another article explains the life cycle of the ladybird.
Insect life cycle kits can also be bought so that children can have first hand experience of one of the wonders of nature.
This activity can link to the literacy, ICT and science curriculum.

Harrod Horticultural Offers Extended til the end of August

2009-08-04T11:07:00.001+01:00

Special Offers on raised beds and plant protection products have been extended til the end of August. Click on the links for more information.

Save the honeybee

2009-07-31T10:27:00.003+01:00

The Soil Association have launched a campaign to save the honeybee click here to find out how you can help!

One factor in the decline of honeybees has been shown to be the use of pesticides containing neonicotinoids. This topic would also provide a great letter writing activity for children which would link Literacy, Science and ICT. Click here for information on how to write to your MP.
Click here for more curriculum activities linked to gardening
For more information about bees visit my website page here

Contaminated Manure Problem

2009-07-29T14:44:00.004+01:00

You may be aware of the problem with contaminated manure experienced by lots of gardeners last year. If you are unaware of the problem then you may like to read the information by clicking here.

Some of you may be interested in adding your name to a new epetition. If so visit here

Also please make sure everyone you know is aware of the problem so we can try and cut down the number of new victims. I have created and posted an information sheet here which you may find useful to circulate to all your contact.

New resources now available

2009-07-17T16:13:00.006+01:00

Plant families and life cycles of plants:

Now available: The Cabbage Family

Now Available -The Roots Family
Price £25 + £2.50 postage and packaging within the UK (overseas postage will vary)
These add to the resources collection which already included Peas and Beans and The Onion Family

Save postage by ordering all four resources at £4.00 for p&p - saving of £6

These Smart Notebook and PowerPoint resources are rich in photographs showing every stage in the life cycle of the vegetables that the children may grow in their vegetable patch. There are four separate resources each focusing on a particular plant family. Each resource is accompanied by original high quality photographs, (approximately 120 in Peas and Beans resource), that can be used when making worksheets or within children's work. Each resource is provided in three formats: PowerPoint version 2007 - linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities PowerPoint version 97 - 2003 - linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities Smart Notebook - contains the content of the PowerPoint versions and activities.

If you would like the resources but don't have the software to run them? Download a free viewer Smart offer a Notebook viewer, (for Windows 2000 or later, Mac or Linux), that can be downloaded from the internet. The viewer will allow interaction with the resource but will not allow any editing. Likewise PowerPoint viewers can be downloaded. All are fully editable using the appropriate software allowing teachers the freedom to simplify or edit the resources for younger or less able children. The PowerPoint formats are each linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities.

More details and ordering information

click here

Watch out for blight on potatoes and tomatoes!!

2009-07-06T15:19:00.003+01:00

Blight was responsible for the Irish potato famine and the period of starvation, disease and mass emigration that followed. It is the dread of anyone who grows potatoes or tomatoes - one minute you have healthy looking plants and promise of a good crop and then the next all the hard work and careful tending has come to nothing! When our allotment site was relatively derelict we rarely suffered from blight but now that the site is fully occupied this problem has increased in severity. Blight is a fungal disease whereby spores are spread by wind and rain. From June onwards is the period when potatoes and tomatoes are most likely to become affected.

The condition for spread of blight is known as a Smith period. This is a period of at least two consecutive days where the minimum temperature is at least 10ºC and on each day there are at least 11 hours when the relative humidity is greater than 90%. The potato council operates a blightwatch service click here. They have 300 blight scouts walking potato fields over the growing season and reporting on any sitings of blight. Blight regional maps are available for viewing on their website click here which show where blight has been sited. Watering potatoes or tomatoes in such a way that wets the foliage can artificially produce a Smith period.

Brown patches on leaves are the first signs that blight has affected your crops. The leaves will then curl up and wither. The problem can be that other potato/tomato problems may display similar symptoms. There are photos of blight affected potato and tomato plants here, here here and here. You can also buy a testing device to check for blight from here.

Blight can be a sneaky problem as it can lurk on seemingly perfect fruit or tubers. Tomatoes that appear unaffected can start to rot five days after they have been picked.

It's almost impossible to prevent blight but there are precautions that can be taken. Avoid planting potatoes and tomatoes in the same areas in two consecutive years as spores can be present in the soil. Leaving affected leaves and stems lying around can also increase the chances of passing the disease on. Earthing up can make it less likely that the spores will infect the potato tubers. Another alternative is to grow early varieties of potatoes that will mature before blight conditions prevail or to try some varieties that are supposed to have some degree of blight resistance. If anyone has any experience of varieties that have seemed to weather the blight storm please share your experiences by posting a comment.

A protective fungicide can be used but this needs to be applied before blight is apparent and spraying has to continue every 10 days after the first application.

If your potato plants do succumb to blight then remove and burn the affected foliage - it is possible that the spores may not have reached the potato tubers. After removal of the foliage leave the tubers in the ground for at least two weeks. During this period spores on the surface will hopefully be killed and lifted potatoes may avoid being infected. Once lifted you will need to keep checking the tubers for signs of blight and dispose of any that become mushy or have dark patches on the skin.

Tomatoes grown in greenhouses are afforded a little protection from wind borne spores, however if spores do enter the greenhouse the disease will thrive in the warm humid conditions. It is also extremely likely that tomatoes will be grown in a greenhouse year after year and so any spores remaining in the soil may be more likely to spread the disease from one year to the next. Removing the bottom leaves of tomato plants can help in that plants can be watered directly on the roots thus avoiding any splashing onto the leaves.

After today's rain, I guess for now it is just a matter of sitting tight and keeping everything crossed.

Potato Council quick reference for disease, disorders and pests that affect potatoes.

I'd love to receive photos of your school vegetable patch!

2009-06-05T10:36:00.005+01:00

Don't forget that I would love some examples of how schools have created their own vegetable patches. Ideally a short piece explaining how your school set about building the garden with photos. But if you can only send photos this would also be good.

Don't forget though it is your responsiblity to gain permission from parents to include any photos showing children and to get permission from any adults too. If this isn't possible just photograph your plot. A permission form is available click here and scroll to the bottom on the page..

Any articles photographs will be posted here

Remember someone has to be the first so don't be shy in coming forward. You can email me if you need more information or if you intend to send in photographs etc later in the year please do.

T & M are offering 50% disount on all vegetable seeds

2009-05-08T16:01:00.002+01:00

Thompson and Morgan are offering a 50% disciunt on all vegetable seeds 'til 14 May.
Click on our T and M link to find out more

Harrod Horticultural Offers Extended

2009-05-07T10:52:00.001+01:00

Harrod Horticultural have extended their offers on timber raised beds and plant netting and protection 'til the end of May.

Trying to grow carrots without carrot fly damage!

2009-04-21T18:50:00.004+01:00

A description of our method of growing carrots along with one or two other additions has been added to the gardening techniques page of The School Vegetable Patch website.

Planting onion and shallot sets

2009-04-08T17:26:00.001+01:00

We use sets from which to grow our onions and shallots. Onions can be raised from seed but are more prone to problems and do not do as well on poor soil. The process also takes longer to produce a mature onion. Growing shallots from seed is fairly uncommon. Last year for the first time we tried heat treated onion sets. These are treated to cut down the chance of the plant bolting and producing a flower stem. The heat treated sets are more expensive but did perform better than those that were not treated and so this year that is all that we are planting. Heat treated sets should be planted slightly late than other sets i.e. late March to Early April. Onion sets are smaller than shallot sets. An onion set is an immature onion which was grown from a seed the previous year. It will grow and form one onion, whereas a shallot set splits and forms a cluster of several shallots.

We also planted both onion and shallot sets last year to overwinter which will give us an earlier crop. The ones planted this spring will be good for storing over next winter. Click here to read how we go about planting the sets.

Sowing Parsnip Seeds

2009-04-03T11:21:00.002+01:00

Parsnip seed does not keep well and so it is recommended that new seed is purchased each year to increase the chance of good germination.

Parsnips are in the ground for a long time - we are still harvesting parsnips sown last year, so this should be kept in mind when choosing a location for sowing.

Most advice is to plant very early but there is no point in doing this if the ground is cold and wet as the seed will rot and so not germinate in these conditions.

Parsnip seeds are notoriously slow to germinate and some people prefer to pre-germinate them on damp kitchen paper but touch wood we have generally had reasonable success using the method explained here.

Pricking our seedlings

2009-03-30T18:03:00.002+01:00

We germinate most of our seeds in seeds trays and transplant out into the plot as young plants. Most young seedlings need pricking out once they have germinated.

If you are new to gardening and are unsure of how to do this click here

A new section has been added to the School Vegetable Patch website. Click here

This is intended to help those new to gardening understand some techniques. If you need instructions for a gardening techniques then post a comment and I'll see what I can do to help!

Free Literacy resources now available

2009-03-28T15:01:00.003Z

Sequencing or writing caption for a gardening activity :

Link to writing instruction

Provide the children with a PowerPoint showing images of a gardening activity (e.g. Sowing seeds), one image to each slide, where the sequence of events has been jumbled.

Open the presentation in Slide Sorter view and ask the children to order the sequence. Once it is ordered the children can type sentences with the pictures to provide instructions for someone else to follow the process.

Click here for information on sowing seeds

Click here to access resources on the Literacy activities web page

Share your experiences

2009-03-28T14:49:00.003Z

Use the comments area in this post to share your experiences.

Classroom Resources now available

2009-02-13T13:40:00.009Z

Plant families and life cycles of plants:

Now available: Peas and Beans

Now Available -The Onion Family

Price £25 + £2.50 postage and packaging within the UK (overseas postage will vary

Coming soon Root Vegetables and The Cabbage Family

These Smart Notebook and PowerPoint resources are rich in photographs showing every stage in the life cycle of the vegetables that the children may grow in their vegetable patch.

There are four separate resources each focusing on a particular plant family. Each resource is accompanied by original high quality photographs, (approximately 120 in Peas and Beans resource), that can be used when making worksheets or within children's work. Each resource is provided in three formats:
PowerPoint version 2007 - linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities
PowerPoint version 97 - 2003 - linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities
Smart Notebook - contains the content of the PowerPoint versions and activities.
Like the resources but don't have the software to run them?
Download a free viewer

Smart offer a Notebook viewer, (for Windows 2000 or later, Mac or Linux), that can be downloaded from the internet. The viewer will allow interaction with the resource but will not allow any editing. Likewise PowerPoint viewers can be downloaded.

All are fully editable using the appropriate software allowing teachers the freedom to simplify or edit the resources for younger or less able children. The PowerPoint formats are each linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities.

More details and ordering information click here

IWB Resources

2008-10-18T11:16:00.009+01:00

Resources to support school vegetable gardening projects

Plant families and life cycles of plants:

These Smart Notebook and PowerPoint resources are rich in photographs showing every stage in the life cycle of the vegetables that the children may grow in their vegetable patch.

There are four separate resources each focusing on a particular plant family. Each resource is provided in three formats:
· PowerPoint version 2007 – linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities
· PowerPoint version 97 – 2003 - linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities
· Smart Notebook - contains the content of the PowerPoint versions and activities · Original high quality photographs, (over 120 in Peas and Beans resource), that can be used when making worksheets or within children's work
All are fully editable using the appropriate software allowing teachers the freedom to simplify or edit the resources for younger or less able children. The PowerPoint formats are each linked to a series of Smart Notebook activities.

All resources can be used freely within the purchasing organisation and by teachers at home, for the purpose of lesson planning for use within the purchasing organisation.

The vegetables are grouped into four different 'families'

1) Peas and Beans (pea, broad bean, French bean and runner bean) - available end of November 2008
2) The Onion family (onion, leek, garlic, spring onion and shallot) - available January 2009
3) Root Vegetables (potato, parsnip, carrot, beetroot, radish, swede and turnip) - available January 2009
4) The Cabbage Family (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, sprout and kale) - available 2009
5) The Cucumber Family (cucumber, squash, courgette, marrow, pumpkin, melon) - planned
6) Salad Crops - planned

Click here to find out more.

Visit the School Vegetable Patch Website

2008-10-05T19:36:00.004+01:00

The main website linked to this blog can be viewed by clicking here.

Creating Raised Beds

2008-09-05T14:54:00.008+01:00

Raised beds can often be a very good system to use in a school garden especially if the soil in your area is heavy clay or suffers from waterlogging. The use of raised beds with children also means that soil isn't being trampled and compacted and also that children's shoes avoid being caked with mud. The size of the raised beds should be appropriate to the age of child for which they are intended. Children should be able to comfortably reach into all parts of the beds without stepping onto the soil. Raised beds can be constructed using railway sleepers, old wooden scaffolding boards or gravel boards. Alternatively many gardening suppliers sell raised bed kits made from timber or plastic. Click here for some examples.

Celebrate your schools success

2008-09-05T13:07:00.005+01:00

If your school has a vegetable patch and you would like to share some information and photos to celebrate your achievements then email them to us by clicking here.

The School Vegetable Patch

Win £100 to spend of equipment for school

Time to think of seeds.

Good time to pick up bargains

Ideas for new resources and feedback

Flowering Plants resource now freely available online

Win £500 of Gardening Equipment!

Warning - handle plants with care in the sunshine

Bird Watching Online

The cabbage family resource is now available online

Onion plant family resource now available

Root Vegetable plant family resource now available

*FREE ONLINE & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES*

Greenhouse without glass.

Making an early start

Planning for the new season

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Competition winner

Weather projects

Win a £25 voucher to spend on seeds

Grow Your Own Potatoes

Sunflowers and sheds - a production for children

Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

Studying the weather

Welcome back

Getting started next term

Spire Infant School's Garden

August gardening calendar

At last our first example school garden

Guest books

Request for help at Horbury Fayre

July's calendar is now available

June Calendar

Using ICT to plan your vegetable patch.

Garden Calendar update for May

Get Schools Growing Now Competition - request for support

Gardening Calendar Update for April

Composting

Why not make a video of your gardening project?

What to do in March

Why fertilise the soil?

Add flowers to your vegetable patch.

Big School Birdwatch

Guzzler - a Talking Story

Free Potato Growing Kits for Schools

Have you noticed any difference?

Harrod Horticultural Offer 10% discount on some items to our visitors

Introduce ICT into the School Vegetable Patch

Choosing what herbs to grow

February Gardening Calendar added

And ... when is a currant not a currant?

When is a fruit not a fruit?

Raised Beds

Choosing Apples and Pears page is complete

Changes made to School Vegetable patch web site

Why not try making a gift?

Gardening Calendar

School Vegetable Patch Website

Forget hyacinth bulbs for the classroom!

Cropper the Carrot Goes to the Show

Choosing the right greenhouse

Choosing a Garden Shed

Choosing fruit for the school plot

Victoriana Nursery Gardens Special Discounts

RHS website changes - HELP needed.

Worms as pets?

December calendar is complete

Choosing which vegetables to grow.

Simple Crop Rotation

Feed the birds day

Celebrate Apple Day

Last opportunity to sign the petition is this week

Growing Potatoes

Jack o' Lantern

September's calendar has now been posted.

November calendar tasks have been added

Gardening Calendar

Planning a new school vegetable patch?

Share your plot activities!

What about a few bulbs to brighten the veg patch?

FREE ONLINE & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES