FAQs
Thanks for being a part of our Sprouts Gardening program! Since we’re just getting started, we’re still working out the kinks so please bear with us. Friday was a perfect example – wow, chaos! But anyway, we promise it won’t be so insane once we break out into 2 smaller groups (meetings will last an hour+). We wanted to lay out the goals & objectives of the Sprouts Garden program since there seemed to be quite a few questions about what this is, what we’re going to do and what you’re going to do.
So, who are we? We’re a couple of moms trying to teach kids about the benefits of gardening, sustainability, their environments and healthy minds & bodies. We’ll be guiding you to set up your own garden and working with kids & parents to plant & maintain their gardens, do some yoga, crafts & even a little cooking to make the concept of growing vegetables relatable to their own lives.
So, who are we? We’re a couple of moms trying to teach kids about the benefits of gardening, sustainability, their environments and healthy minds & bodies. We’ll be guiding you to set up your own garden and working with kids & parents to plant & maintain their gardens, do some yoga, crafts & even a little cooking to make the concept of growing vegetables relatable to their own lives.
What constitutes a garden? For the purpose of our project, we’ll consider whatever you’re growing & whatever you’re growing it in as your “garden” (so, if you’re using pots and not a plot, you still have a garden!).
What do you do? You’ll be responsible for setting up & maintaining your gardening space (in the weeks we aren’t at your house), working with your child & purchasing your own tools and supplies for your garden project. During the weeks that we’re at your house, it’ll be good to have a pitcher of water on hand for anyone who needs some extra to drink; other than that, we’ll touch base with you at the beginning of each week (if you are scheduled to host) and discuss your needs & goals and talk about what, if anything, you’ll need to have on hand. Once we have actual veggies coming up, then we’ll start making little snack items so that the kids can relate what we’re growing to what we’re eating.
What will we do in the Gardening program? Each week your group will go to 2 houses to help plant, weed & water gardens (and then we’ll do the other fun things w/ the kids that are outlined above). We’ll look at what’s growing, what stage it’s in and what’s going to happen next. We’ll also be going on field trips, such as heading to Dearborn Farms to look at what they have growing in their greenhouses!
What supplies & tools will we need? We’re working with Dearborn Farms and will have answers soon on what kind of discount they can give us and what items they have for us to purchse (ie, plants & kid-friendly tools). We’ll also be posting a fairly comprehensive list of tools & supplies you’ll need for your gardening project.
What if I have a shady area? Can I still have a garden? YES! There are many vegetables that prefer shade – such as root vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes, etc), lettuces and on and on. We’ll also put up lists & links for you to peruse so you can decide what you want to plant – whether you have sun or shade.
How do I know if my garden is considered “sunny”? If the area you want to have your garden gets at least 4-6 hours of sun, then you have a sunny area and can grow most vegetables. Please see our link & list of veggies you can grow.
What should I grow? After you’ve decided that your garden is sunny or shady, then talk to your child/children about what veggies they want to grow & eat. You might also want to spend a few minutes with them in the food store pointing out different veggies and see what interests them. They may surprise you!
Can I grow fruit? Yes, some fruit can be grown in our climate. Strawberries, blueberries & raspberries can be grown in pots or plots. However, you may never actually see fruit unless you cover them with some kind of screen or hutch. We can’t grow citrus fruit in our climate (that we know of…). Pumpkins will grow, watermelon and potentially other types of melon. Hey, we can try – you never know!
What’s the Garden Journal for? Your garden journal will be very helpful in keeping track of what you planted, when you planted it and what you need to do from week to week and also just for jotting down ideas & tips that you might hear along the way. It’s also a great tool to get your kids involved – let them sketch in it. Let them draw what they want their garden to look like or veggies they might want to eat. Again, you can keep reverting back to the idea of eating all the colors in the rainbow! They may not want to hear about eating healthy, but if they eat a variety of colors, then they’ll be sure to get the nutrients they need without even knowing it. When you have your garden again the following year, your journal will be very helpful in remembering what you did and when you did it and if you should change something the following year. For instance, we had some trouble with squash, watermelon & pumpkins last year and now I know what to do differently this year. And it’s a memento for your kids – when they get older it’s something they can look back on.
When do we meet? We’ll be meeting weekly on Thursdays or Fridays (depending on which you signed up for) at our designated times. The schedule will be posted so that everyone knows where to go on what date. Once school ends, we can then discuss changing days/times to accommodate Summer schedules.
How do I join the Sprouts? As of right now, we’re full for the 2010 Spring/Summer season. But please follow us on our blog at sprouts.posterous.com to follow our progress and to learn what you need for your own garden. And stay posted, there may be a Sprouts in your community soon!
A word on Safety. Please read our Guidelines and Tools & Supplies section for safety tips. Also, it’s very important that the kids don’t eat anything in the garden without adult supervision & approval.
Don’t eat the MUSHROOMS! The mushrooms you’ll see on your lawn are poisonous. Yes, poisonous. Do not touch them with bare hands and absolutely don’t eat them. Please make sure the kids know this and are aware. If you touch one, wash your hands immediately. HOWEVER, these same mushrooms are fantastic for your soil. Put them into your compost or directly onto your garden dirt – people pay a fortune for mushroom dirt and you can have it for free.
Still have questions? Check the blog (sprouts.posterous.com) for links, info & tips. Still can’t find what you need? Shoot us an email at ahsprous@gmail.com.
Sprouts of Atlantic Highlands 