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Tiny garden plot
Tracey Anderson
Posts: 17
Hi I have a tiny plot of ground at a school, which I am very grateful for, but it is about 9 feet by 6 feet. I want to encourage the children I work with to grow fruit, veg, herbs and encourage wildlife. Have been informed by the school that the soil is of very poor quality, because there is a very high level of lime, which makes it hard to grow much in the school grounds. Should I use containers, or a raised bed? I'd be grateful for any advice. Oh it is in a nice sunny spot though!
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Posts
Get a cheap soil test kit, from a local Garden Centre to find out the exact PH. Then post that on this thread and the advice will flood in.
As far as I know, Lime does not last very long in the soil; a lot of gardening books say; don't bother adding lime, simply grow things that don't need it, so I am wondering if the soil is still 'limey'.
Tracey, you could also consider making your own compost, to add to the soil; if you decide to go this route, there is loads of advice available.
As it is poor soil and sunny why not begin with a wild flower bed
to get them interested with watching plants grow and spotting insects.
you could add wild strawberry plants very small fruit but very sweet.
good luck
I'd agree with Patty, it's a very small space and I think growing veg might me , erm , unrewarding, however a tiny flower meadow might have more benefits
Dont forget to make your own bug houses - these can be wall/fence mounted approx 60cm high - so won't take up any valuable ground space!
If you actually had any earth to put it on I'd suggest getting the children to bring compostable materials from home and start a bin going. Wonder if there is anyone involved who has garden space for a bin.
Wish you all the best.
Thank you all for your ideas and tips. Since I last spoke I have enclosed the area with wire mesh and cheap stakes, the stakes are not strong, but were all I could get for the budget at the time. I have installed a raised bed and the children helped fill it with a peat free compost. I then topped it off with ordinary peat, which was something I didn't want to do, but the peat free was such poor quality that I decided that we would make a compost heap using free pallets so that we could produce our own compost. The children helped me make the compost heap and we made a bug hotel. The children have planted lettuces and my strawberries at home will be put in the raised bed as I don't have enough sun in my little courtyard at home. It was a slow start, but it is now starting to get going. The compost heap is already starting to rot down, we gather brown and green waste for it and it is so rewarding. Next year we will start planting in earnest!
you can make small areas look really great and effective with just plants grown in containers and often small plots are easier for children to mange .Try to fill the containers with simple plants be it veggie or flowers.