Introduce ICT into the School Vegetable Patch

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

Raised Beds

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 the right greenhouse

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

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.

Simple Crop Rotation

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

Planning a new school vegetable patch?

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

Creating Raised Beds

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.