As so many of you likely have, my family and I have enjoyed the start of the warm-ish spring weather and yard work that comes along with it. This weekend we began the new cycle of edible gardening and I was struck by the rich learning that is embedded in these routines.
Even for those of you that don't have a yard or have space for garden beds - container planting, flower boxes, and small pots in window sills can provide this learning exposure.
Life Cycles - Often we focus on the 'new' life evidence we see in spring - buds, seeds, eggs, etc. but spring is also a great time to celebrate and notice the 'end' of life cycles in nature. We found many decomposing leaves that fell last fall, remnants of past plantings via roots or past seed pods left in the gardens. The process of following a plant from seed, to seedling, to flowering plant, to fruit is so exciting and rewarding (especially when you can harvest and eat it!)
Needs of a plant - One of the most obvious benefits of gardening is understanding the needs of a plant. Depending on the age of your children it can be as simple as noticing the needs for sun, soil, and water. The beauty of planting is that as my children get older and remember their own experiences they can recall that certain plant types need more nuanced things (temperatures, hours of sun exposure, root space, surface growing space, places to climb, etc.) We recalled last year's experience of her tomato and summer squash getting all twisted together and planned plant placement differently.
Relationships of organisms- My daughters have also begun to think about companion planting (i.e. which plants to plant together.) and my daughter lined her garden bed with the pest-deterring marigolds and we used natural pest deterrents like Allium bulbs (garlic/onion family) planted around flowering bulb plants. "Mommy, you're so lucky your garden bed has so many worms!" I loved this comment celebrating the supporting and helpful role that worms play in nutrient distribution, soil aeration, composting, and more!
Don't worry - I shared my worms!
Soil & Earth sciences - Getting our hands dirty in soil can also help build a better understanding of the different types of soil. What does the color of the soil indicate? Are there sandy places that water drains through quickly? Do you have areas that have high levels of clay in the soil that lead to standing puddles of water? What would a good mix of soil and organic matter/compost look like in garden beds? I always love when students notice the changing of the soil color and composition as they dig into the earth - authentic learning of soil profiles!
Technology/Engineering - We also love to think about the many tools that come with gardening - hand tools, wheel barrows, composting containers, watering devices, farming machines, etc. There are engineering considerations of matching tool to job and also to benefits and drawbacks of automated tools, soil additives, etc. that can lead to rich conversations and engineering
considerations!
As you enjoy the hints of spring in our outdoors, get your hands dirty and think about ways you can build in gardening opportunities for your children. Learning through discovery always leads to more questions.... leading to more learning!
