Seasonal Planting Guide and Calendar for School Gardens Lowcountry Region
Bound Book/eBook
Amy Dabbs
Statewide School & Community Gardening Coordinator
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CHARLESTON
Team Members:
Dabbs, A1, Snipes, Z2
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Clemson Extension Agent, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, Charleston, South Carolina, 29401
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Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson Extension, Charleston, South Carolina, 29401
Abstract
School Gardening for South Carolina Educators is a horticulture-based training program designed to help South Carolina educators grow successful school gardens to address childhood obesity and improve academic outcomes. The program was developed to address the lack of basic horticulture knowledge and skills among educators who want to incorporate school gardening into their classroom instruction. Clemson Extension offers the School Gardening for SC Educators program through a partnership with the College of Charleston’s Food System Change Initiative with funding from Boeing SC. The program includes low-cost online training, technical support, hands-on workshops and educational materials to help school and community gardens increase the capacity for gardening with youth. By marshalling Clemson Extension’s network of resources including Master Gardeners, 4-H agents and horticulture extension agents, the program has helped establish and maintain over 150 school gardens statewide. Over 500 educators, parents and volunteers have received training in five key modules including site analysis, raised bed gardening, vegetable gardening, food safety and community resources; a hands-on workshop builds confidence in skills learned. Technical support is provided through turn-key garden kits, timed delivery of transplants and seeds to schools based on the regionally specific Seasonal Planting Guide and Calendar for School Gardens. \r\n\r\nTwo versions of the book were developed, tailored to upstate and lowcountry school gardeners with planting dates that are specific to these regions of the state. The book also includes a school gardening checklist and worksheet for developing a sustainable schoool garden, a getting started guide and information on how to build healthy soils in raised beds. The guide begins in early fall when students return to school and clearly illustrates proper spacing for each crop. Each bed is numbered and crop families are rotated through the beds to help avoid insect and disease pressures. The planting calendar describes which week a crop should be planted or harvest and how each crop is established; either by seed, bulb or transplant. A space for notes allows teachers to make notes for futrue years and graph paper is provided for site planning.\r\n\r\n
Years of CES Service: 0