WEEK 1

It’s the start of a new season for our afterschool Gardening Club and the weather really turned up for us!

After learning about different tools and how to use them safely, the children prepared the raised beds by removing all the weeds which were placed on our compost heap.   

In the coming weeks, seeds and plants of various fruits and vegetables will be sown and all resulting produce will be incorporated into the school lunch menu by Chef Mark and his team.

Our young gardeners will also experience farming life by tending to some of our lovely animals which include goats, chickens and guinea pigs. 

WEEK 2

This week, the children dug fresh compost into the raised beds to provide nutrition for our new tomato plants. They were also able to plant sunflower seeds into pots and take one home to watch them germinate on their windowsills.

We also had fun pulling out the rhubarb, which Chef Mark is going to incorporate into the school lunch menu.

Rhubarb!

Chef Mark and his team made good use of the rhubarb we picked by making a rhubarb crumble that was offered as an additional dessert during lunch service.

The rhubarb was washed, cut up and stewed with a little sugar before being placed in a dish where the topping was added - YUMMY!

WEEK 3

This week the children filled the raised beds with yet more vegetables, including sweetcorn, leeks and salad leaves. Pumpkins were also planted - we look forward to seeing them grow between now and Halloween!

Sweetpeas and Hollyhocks were planted to create lots of colour and attract pollinating insects. To finish the session this week, the children were able to feed our lovely goats.

Week 4

The children planted some climbing beans in our tyre beds this week, learning how important it was to create adequate supports in the form of 'wigwams'.

Due to the glorious weather we have been having, watering has become a very important job which all the children look forward to. 

We also had the opportunity to visit our guinea pigs. 

WEEK 5

This week the children carried on with general maintenance and watering of the crops and were lucky enough to visit our baby chicks.

WEEK 6

This week the children were excited to see the fruits of their labor (literally), with the strawberry plants and raspberry canes baring lovely berries. The courgettes and marrows are also starting to grow, along with the pumpkins and tomatoes.

We also tended to the goats and chickens.

WEEK 7 

This week we had the dilemma of our water butts running dry - all thanks to the lovely weather we've been having (so we can't complain too much). 

This called for all of our young gardeners to flex their muscles by helping to transport water from main school to fill the water butts up again.