Now is a great time to start collecting and asking students to bring in recycled containers for seed starting. Single-serving yogurt containers, pudding cups, lunchable trays and “to-go” containers from restaurants are a few possibilities to use for growing seeds. Students can even save their milk cartons from the lunchroom.
There are plenty of options for recycling containers for this purpose. Egg cartons are commonly recommended and can be used, but the ones made of cardboard tend to dry out very quickly and may require watering multiple times each day. Styrofoam cartons will dry out slower but because the container size is so small will still require daily watering. K-cups are another creative option for small seed-starting containers. Drainage holes will have to be added to the containers before adding soil.
Some considerations to make before asking students to bring in containers:
- How many containers do you need? Make this clear so you don’t end up with an excess of materials taking up classroom space.
- Ask students to clean the containers before bringing them in. This will reduce the odor and mess in their backpacks and classroom and distribute the work of cleaning among everyone.
- Specify the type/size/material of the containers.
- Specify the end date for bringing in containers unless you want students to bring them in year-round.
Other tasks to consider for the school garden:
It’s time to formalize a donation request letter to allow local businesses to partner with your garden program. Some materials to request include seed-starting mix, seeds, hand tools, hoses/watering cans and heat mats for seed starting.
Here is a link to an easy DIY for making a grow light for the classroom from Kansas Healthy Yards. If you plan to do this, you may also request donations for the supplies including PVC pipe and a shop light. Check with your administrator for approval prior to installing this set-up.
Get to know your Master Gardeners. The local Master Gardener program is a tremendous resource for garden knowledge and potential volunteers.
Get students started building a compost system. Research the three-bin compost system and help students discover the benefits of compost.
It’s time to get buy-in for new school garden programs. Generating the excitement now will help you establish a volunteer base to keep the garden growing year-round. Don’t forget to share your progress with us!