Gardening and kids

I work with school age children once a week on gardening....It is a hoot! However, we've decided we want to do a vegetable garden at camp and have pretty much figured out the logistics of starting the garden in late May early June when camp doen't begin until July. Here's the problem tho....The camp is out in the woods which means widlife including a bear. Are bears apt to munch on our garden? I'd like to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and corn. What are my chances of success? I'd like the kids to be successful!

Unless you put up a high fence and bury part of the bottom portion, you are going to have problems with all kinds of wildlife. Bears, omnivores, are not the only problem you'll have. You'll be setting up a salad bar for the local wildlife.

How long will the children be at camp? Do you want them to be able to harvest what they plant? Will the varieties planted start bearing a few weeks before the children go home? Being able to harvest and eat what they grow is the greatest part of gardening for children. The 'days to harvest' on most seed packets can sometimes be optimistic. If the seedlings have less than ideal growing conditions, it will take longer for the plants to produce. Cucumbers, squash and corn grow best if direct seeded.

If the students are picked up by their parents, maybe they can each grow something in a pot that can be taken home after camp? Of course, you'd have logistic problems in providing pots and potting mix.

I gardened with my students (4th and 5th graders) for 10 years. When we had a plot in the city's community garden across the street, some of the students and I kept the garden going throughout the summer. When school started in September, the first thing my new students did was prepare the plot for a winter garden. After about 5 years, some of the gardeners complained about our school taking up too many plots and we had to move to a community garden that set aside an area especially for local schools children. The distance and the time it took to walk to the garden forced is to cut down the time spent in the garden. We took all our produce back to the classroom where we cooked and ate our bounty. It was always hardest to get student to try broccoli. Soon, however, they were scouring the plants for secondary heads. Somehow, those never made it back to the classroom. The heads were eaten before we left the garden.

Good luck with your vegetable garden.

BettyDee

The kids don't start camp till July 5th but we'll be trekking out long before that to get started and tehy'll be able to access the site tgrough the fall. Our non-camp facility is 5 miles from camp. They're starting tomatoes and squash in 2 weeks

Without a good fence, I fear that animals will munch your veggies down. The bears shouldn't prove a problem till stuff starts to mature....they shouldn't eat the plants...just the harvest.

Coyotes will eat about anything...as will raccoons...but mostly mature veggies and fruits. Coyotes can ruin a melon patch...they will break a hole in each melon and eat the tasty heart out of each one. Raccoons do lots of damage too. Corn is a special favorite of both critters...coons eat the corn right beside the stalk, coyotes will break off an ear and carry it out of the patch...going back for more each time. They both like most fruits and veggies and can prove pesky.

Rabbits are your biggest problem..they like the plants best...a fence sunk a foot or so into the ground, like betty said is your best defense.

good luck! and if you have any questions please post...we'd also like to hear the progress...even pictures!

No coyotes out at camp at least not yet but the bear is a regular visitor. Not sure about other wildlife as this is a day camp but the camp resident has never said anything about raccoons, etc. Now at home, in the middle of town, I have raccons and possums and skunks (a very friendly one, I might add) and a ground hog who loves to eat my dahlias and hosts.

If you've got bears, you have raccoons and most likely coyotes...but I wouldn't worry about those as much as the critters that like the green stuff...they'll have it eaten before the others get a chance.