Gardening

Before grocery stores there were gardens!

Overview Economical benefits of gardening Inexpensive safe inputs for gardening

with children. How to make paper planting pots from

newspapers and seed tapes for things like lettuce/carrots (for small scale gardens), easy enough for kids to make, great classroom activity.

Economical benefits of gardening Pkg of lettuce seed $3 and that produces lettuce

equal to about $50 worth of produce. Pkg of Carrots - 100 seeds in one $3.50 package

compared to buying a bunch of 8 carrots at $3.20/bag - Savings assuming 80 carrot seeds grow would be $32.00

Strawberry plants - get some runners from a gardening friend cost free compared to $4.50/box at the store....10 boxes from a small bed of your own - Savings $45.00 and no pesticides!

Mental Health Benefits Gardening connects us to natural like nothing else. We feel the soil, feel

the peace, and see what we accomplish.

Looking after plants gives us a sense of responsibility.

Gardening allows us all to be nurturers.

Gardening keeps us connected to other living things.

Working in nature releases happy.

Being amongst plants and flowers reminds us to live in the present moment.

Gardening reminds us of the cycle of life, and thus come to terms with that most universal of anxieties: death.

Some aspects of gardening allow us to vent and aggression whilst others allow us to feel in control.

Indoor Gardens

Sweet Potatoes on PEI

Inexpensive safe inputs for gardening with children.

Feed your garden just like we feed our bodies...kids can bring in items to help feed the garden in terms of compost (create an on-site compost pile)

Coffee grounds, straw, leaves, egg shells, wood ash, seaweed, wood chips, grass clippings etc.

Purchased lime (wood ash) to make soil more alkaline, coffee grounds (sulphates) to make soil more acidic.

Add minerals – seaweed (Phosphorus), epsom salt (Magnesium), crushed baked egg shells (Calcium), etc.

Homemade Plant Pots http://www.forgreenies.com/origami-

newspaper-seedling-pots

Where and How to Grow? Good drainage Good soil Compost, Compost,

Compost! Row North to South for

best sun Raised beds best for

poor soil

Old tires Good for short

rooted plants Fill with good

soil

Where and How to Grow?

Use recycled materials to create raised beds

Make sure you can reach to centre from sides. Great for no tilling and height for easier gardening

Where and How to Grow? Wood pallets often

free to take Good for short

rooted plants Can be heavy and

hard to pull boards

Where and How to Grow?

Raised beds with mulch between garden in Ch'town

Raised beds with grass currently.

Resources

Mother Earth www.motherearthnews.com Farmers Almanac

http://www.almanac.com/

Thank you – Questions?

www.simplifyandsave.ca