Have you ever had trouble identifying plants in your garden, or forgotten what you planted in a bed? Plant markers help students and adults alike with vegetable identification. Rather than using the small plastic markers that can fall out or wash off, consider making larger, more permanent signs to make your schoolyard garden more informative […]
Season Extension Coming to Schoolyard Gardens!
Our schoolyard gardens team has worked creatively to fit the growing season into the school calendar. Unfortunately vegetable garden seasons do not fit into the typical academic year, so we try and work around this in a variety of ways! We encourage schools to plant crop varieties with shorter maturity times and have planted larger […]
Burke Elementary Schoolyard Garden Growing Strong for Seven Years
The vegetable garden at Burke Elementary in the Hickman Mills school district has continued to thrive over the last seven years thanks to the continued dedication of one teacher—Swapnam Kumar. Swapnam is a teacher for 4th grade English language learners. She is passionate about gardening and has partnered with KCCG since 2009, when the students […]
Sharing Veggies in the Spirit of Thanksgiving!
When I met with V. Lindsay Seventh Day Adventist School in Kansas City, Kansas this summer to plan their fall vegetable garden, they knew exactly what they wanted to do with their harvest. The teachers and students of this small K-8 school agreed to grow veggies to harvest and donate to the families living around […]
Sumner Academy Vegetable Garden Thrives Under Student Direction
The students in garden club at Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences are a committed bunch. They have been single-handedly maintaining their four vegetable beds, their raspberry bed and their asparagus bed. The students come out regularly to water and harvest from their garden–this fall, they were harvesting their summer crops (tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers) […]
How to Grow Great Garlic in Your Schoolyard Garden!
Garlic not only adds flavor to any dish, it also has many medicinal uses. It is antibiotic, antibacterial, antifungal and is said to lower blood pressure and even may prevent cancer! Kansas City Community Gardens offers two types of garlic: Softneck garlic is generally more productive than hardneck garlic and stores for longer, but it […]
Hogan Middle School Grow in the Garden
Students in Ms. Bodenhamer’s art class have worked hard all semester tending to their vegetable garden. This fall, Hogan Prep Academy Middle School participated in our Grow in the Garden program, a 9-week gardening series in which the Schoolyard Gardens staff visits the school every other week to conduct lessons on different themes, including thinning […]
Using Row Cover in Your Schoolyard Garden: Protect Your Veggies from Dropping Temperatures!
Since schools plant their fall gardens somewhat late in the season due to the school calendar, some vegetables need a little protection from frost as winter approaches! Keep an eye on the weather. As you notice temperatures dropping this fall, install row cover over your veggies so that they last a little bit longer. Row […]
Cleaning Out Your Schoolyard Garden For the Winter
Now that the temperatures are dropping, and your fall garden is slowing down, it’s time to think about wrapping up the growing season in your schoolyard garden. Before winter comes, and it’s too chilly to work outside with your students, you will want to clean out your garden so that it’s neat, empty and ready […]
Sweet or Savory Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes are a favorite among children and adults alike for their versatility. They can be enjoyed in a pie topped with whipped cream, or eaten as a savory side. I’ve found that many children enjoy eating sweet potato fries, especially when they can dip them in ketchup! Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium […]