In like a lion, out with some plants! www.cityschoolyardgarden.org
March 2018 Newsletter Give to keep our programs growing!

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Join us in welcoming Karen Washington & Renard Turner

Dreaming Big With Clark Elementary

by Sarah Wayne, CSG Garden Coordinator

Early spring is always a great time in the garden – it’s a time to reflect, a time to plan, and a time to dream big! Students at Clark Elementary have been hard at work and excited to plan and prepare for a luscious spring garden.

We started our garden preparations this February. Seven classes in all, grades K-4, helped start lettuce, swiss chard, herbs, peppers and tomatoes under the Clark grow lights. The grow lights are kept in the library and are watered every day by the students. Some of them will be ready to make their way out into the garden in the next couple of weeks!

Our seed starting lessons were a great opportunity to talk about the importance of community and working together – both inside and outside of the garden. As many people may know from experience, some seeds may not come up. The beauty of starting seeds together is that even if a seed doesn’t come up, there is always more than enough to share from the garden in the summer.

The idea of community and working together carried over into our outdoor garden preparation as well. After receiving a load of mulch, students helped spread the cedar chips around the garden. It was a great time to work together, and students made sure to work as a team to get the job done.

And of course, there is always weeding! Ms. Ellis’s 2nd grade class worked hard to get rid of the grasses and dandelions that were starting to creep into the garden beds.

Students have been so excited to see all of their hard work pay off. Sprouts are coming up and the garden is ready for planting. Now all we have to do is wait! And as always, do a little more weeding…

GROWING AT GREENBRIER

by Emily Anderson, CSG Garden Coordinator

We’ve all heard the saying that March comes in like a lion…well, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but this year it certainly started out cold! At Greenbrier, classes have been starting early spring seeds indoors, where the atmosphere is decidedly more lamb-like. So far, students in seven classes have planted a range of seeds, from spinach and kale to zinnias and petunias. They are observing the seeds sprout under clear domes with grow-lights. This a great opportunity for teachers at all grade levels to review lessons about what plants need to survive, plant parts, or the stages of the plant life cycle.

One of the beauties of starting seeds indoors is that the process is simple, but appeals to many ages. At Greenbrier, we have students from both the 4 year old preschool class and 4th graders participating! At all age levels, the students often grow attached to their seedlings, and check to see how they are doing every day. They usually want to visit them to monitor their progress even after they’ve been transplanted outside.

GARDEN CORNER

Cabbage

With inspiration from one of our student drawn Harvest of the Month paintings, we are highlighing one of the world’s oldest vegetables: Cabbage! As spring approaches, now is a great time to starting growing cabbage because it requires cooler weather. Here are some planting tips for harvesting a beautiful head at home, like the one in the picture:

Use mulch to retain moisture and keep the roots cool
If starting from seed, plant 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost, which is usually around the first week in April in Central Virginia
Plant seedlings when they are 3-4” tall or approximately 6 weeks old – as early as 3-4 weeks before the last spring frost, which is now!
Use soil with plenty of nitrogen – cabbage thrives on it
Don’t plant near other plants that require similar soil nutrients – such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.
Containers can be used – just ensure you have at least 8 inches of soil depth and space at least a foot apart on center if planting more than one
Water the base of the cabbage (not the foliage) a minimum of an inch per week
Cabbage is ready to harvest when the head is dense and firm when squeezed

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Spring Seedling Giveaway

City Schoolyard Garden at Buford Middle School Announces the 2018 CSG Spring Seedling Project

Our CSG & Buford Middle School Spring Seedling Project will be
May 2 & 3 from 3:30-5:30pm
at the Buford entrance
1000 Cherry Avenue

Hundreds of veggie, herb and flower starts available for a donation to CSG.
Mark your calendars to help support these amazing student growers who have
been working hard since February to get the Charlottesville Community
8,000+ seedlings this year!

Bringing Balance

Join us Sundays at Now Yoga at their Sunday morning 10:15 Beginner/Gentle Flow! Now Yoga has graciously offered to forward any donations made during that donation-based class to City Schoolyard Garden! The donations will go to support our Buford Garden Aides Program and Buford Spring Seedling Project. Check out their website for more information!

You can also give to keep youth engaged in gardening with City Schoolyard Garden.