The Schoolyard Gardens program is excited to start working with The Family Conservancy’s “Growing Healthy Kids” project. The project will focus on healthy nutrition and physical activity by introducing the “ I Am Moving, I Am Learning” curriculum to students in local preschools. With the help and guidance of our program, the Family Conservancy will […]
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 […]
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 […]
Foreign Language Academy Harvest Party
The middle schoolers in Mr. Robinson’s class have been tending to their vegetable garden at Foreign Language Academy almost every school day this semester by watering, weeding, and observing the growth of their vegetable plants. Last week the students harvested red and golden beets, spinach, Swiss chard, snap peas, radishes, carrots and kale, and were […]
Time to Dig Up Those Sweet Potatoes!
Fall is here, and that means it’s time to harvest the sweet potatoes in your Schoolyard Garden! The preschoolers at Exploring Minds were so excited to help harvest sweet potatoes from one raised bed in their garden. Sweet potatoes take around 150 days to grow. Harvest your sweet potatoes when you notice the soil starting to bulge […]
Peanut Harvest at T.A. Edison Elementary
Students in garden club at T.A. Edison Elementary School harvested a special crop from their schoolyard garden on Thursday—peanuts! In May, before school let out for summer, students in garden club planted sweet potatoes and peanuts, both of which are good summer crops for Schoolyard Gardens. The students removed the shells from the raw peanuts, provided […]
How to Harvest and Prepare Sunflower Seeds from your School Garden
Sunflowers are a great addition to any schoolyard garden. Not only do they add beauty to your garden over the summer, they also provide a tasty treat for children when they return to school in the fall. Ready around September, sunflower seeds are an enjoyable and familiar snack that you can prepare with your students. […]
Thinning Seedlings in Your Schoolyard Garden
Now that your schoolyard garden is planted for the fall, and your seeds are starting to sprout, it’s time to inspect your seedlings and do some thinning! If you notice that your seedlings are growing too close together, thinning them out early on—two or three weeks after planting—will give your veggies enough room to grow. […]