4H Project Updates

All the projects we have done including Pizza Garden 

Sweet Potato

Mango seedling

As we are getting to the last two classes for 4H, I wanted to let you see how my gardening class projects are doing. I began working out of the 4H curriculum within the first class the four kids in my small class were bored, bored, bored . (as so was I!) So I asked them what they wanted to know more about.... catnip, mango,lemon trees,apple trees, avocado, sunflowers are the answers I received from them. So the first class I did something I thought might be fun we planted a pizza garden!! Tomatoes (2 kinds-Big Boy and Yellow Pear) Basil, Oregano, Sweet Peppers were what I came up with... I purchased the seeds, starter greenhouses and markers and away we went! After that we learned about avocado and mangoes, while you can't grow them outside here in NC they can make fun houseplants. Well we got our seeds from the fruit at the grocery (for all our items above) germination rate is 1 in 10. So far I have gotten ONE mango seed (above pic) to sprout, very excited about that one! The other things that are doing awesome are the pizza garden, I knew those would. Apple, lemon, avocado have been the ones that I haven't gotten to sprout yet but I am not giving up!!
Just wanted to share how the seedlings are doing! So what are you growing from seed??

I'VE GOT CABIN FEVER~ For Gardening!!

 You know that feeling!!  We all have gotten it!! Winter is here and I must say I was happy for the short break that we here in NC received in January.

I made this bed up on one such long two weeks stretch of almost 70 degree weather! Now, the whole time I was doing this I could my gardening buddy (aka Grandma Simmons) in my head saying, "Now kid, you shouldn't be planting anything right now. Do some weeding instead or just dig out the bed now." She always talked me out of of doing silly things like this.... well I can't just call her anymore so I went against her head in my head, this time! In my defense, I can say that I think that they will be just fine... only because they were already in pots(from me last year taking starts,family heirloom plants,etc for our move; which now isn't happening;)  and starting to bud out. I made sure to cover them with mulch and water them in. I also didn't disturb the roots at all. Time will tell if I just kill them all, but I am thinking that they will be ok...more like crossing my fingers and toes!

 4H Gardening Club Projects

The following our garden projects that grandma would approve of for this time of year. The boys are in 4H and I also teach gardening to a small group of kiddos. After much trail and error, I have just been teaching them the basics using the plants, that they want to grow. Their eyes light up when we decided to grow the things that they were interested in.  Here is just a few of the projects that I am growing with them in my window sill!

Avocados ~ Here is a great YouTube Video on how to start them! http://youtu.be/5zrIuyliJQ0

Next is a Pizza Garden! I mean what kid doesn't like pizza! I got this idea from shopping at Home Depot and seeing the $10 kits they had for sale. Made these for @$4 each. We have Big Boy Tomatoes, Yellow Pear Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Oregano and Sweet Basil!

Sweet Potatoes! YUMMY~ Here is site I used for the print out for the kids. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-plant-and-grow-sweet-potatoes/index.html