*Frequently+asked+quesitons

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Frequently Asked Questions iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii //**"How do we fund our garden?" **// There are several ways to go about this. You can hold fundraisers and solicit community donations from local businesses. In addition, investigate local and national funding sources. [|Find more facts about how to seek funding and grants.].

//**"How do we find an appropriate location for our garden?" **// Several factors may impact your choice for the location of your garden. Locate it in an area that gets direct sunlight for most of the day. Test your soil to determine if food grown there will be safe for consumption. If the soil is not safe, create a garden with raised beds. If your school does not have a suitable outdoor location plants can be planted indoors next to windows which have southern exposure. [|Find more facts about selecting a location.]

//**"How will we organize maintenance of the garden?" **// Prior to starting a garden, create a plan for maintenance. The children will help maintain the garden as they plant new crops. A system for watering the garden and weeding should be created. Recruit volunteers from the community such as retirees. Since the school year is seasonal, a system for summer care must be in place. [|Find more tips about how to maintain a school garden during the summer.]

//**"We are located in a location that is cold for much of the school year, how will we utilize a school garden?" **// It is important to plan when each aspect of the planting and harvesting process will take place. These tasks can take place throughout the school year. In the late winter seedlings can be started indoors. There are many plants that can be harvested in the fall. You can incorporate the garden into a summer program such as summer school or camp. A greenhouse for winter plantings can also be part of your garden. Using plants that tolerate cooler temperatures can reduce the cost of heating a greenhouse. Plants can be covered to prolong their growing cycle. [|Find more suggestions about how to extend the growing season in cooler climates.]

//**"How can we fit a school garden into our already packed schedules?" **// Since the garden is a teaching tool it can be incorporated it into your existing curriculum. There are many wonderful resources online about how to develop lesson plans that are garden centered. Utilize the garden to teach almost any subject. <span style="color: #b52850; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Click on these links to find out how to incorporate garden into your curriculum: [] [] []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Choose a garden location that is well lit and can be seen by classrooms and neighbors. Install motion activated lights. Create a border with either hedges or fencing. Use existing fencing or hedges if possible. If vandalism is a serious concern install surveillance cameras.
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"How do we prevent vandalism?" //**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Install a fence to prevent animals from getting into the garden. Avoid piling brush and keep grass mowed so animals are unable to hide. If you compost, cover your compost pile to deter raccoons. If you are concerned about an animal affecting safety or the pest is a serious nuisance, contact animal control. When dealing with the issue of pests you must be sensitive about how we approach it. Never use chemicals or violence. <span style="color: #b52850; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Find ways to manage weeds and pests without the use of chemicals.]
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"How do we prevent animals from getting into our garden?" //**