Mel Bartholomew was always a big advocate for getting children involved in Square Foot Gardening.
We wanted to share with you some of his thoughts about how to keep this interest going, even during the winter.
Mel Said:
Hang on to all of the different seed catalogs you receive in the mail and you’ll be able to use them for many different kid’s projects.
Let Each Child Plan Their Own Garden
The most fun is to have each student decide on what they would like to plant and grow. It’s a fun project because individual personalities come out when planning.
The next step is to have each student write a short explanation of what they selected, what it looks like, and how long it takes to grow. All of the facts about growing can be found in the seed catalogs.
Then, ask each student to explain in writing why they chose that particular vegetable or flower. You will be amazed at their explanations. Some are going to be very comical and others serious, but they help develop the ability in a person to explain their thoughts and selections.
Incorporate different subject areas
How about including art with your Square Foot Gardening projects? Have each student draw their square foot with the plants as they grow, and then harvested and have them make sketches and colored drawings.
You could then talk about nutrition. They students would have to learn more about that vegetable and what type of vitamins and food value each one has.
Can you see now how easy it would be to teach from your SFG? Every single subject could be covered and the best part is that the kids will be interested and enthused. So, give it a try in either your classroom or household.
