April 2015 Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Aroostook County Regional Gathering: April 29

Androscoggin County Regional Gathering: April 30

Maine School Garden Day Intensive: May 2

Maine School Garden Day: May 9

Penobscot County Regional Gathering: May 14

Somerset County Regional Gathering: May 16

Waldo County Regional Gathering:May 28

Washington County Regional Gathering: June 6

Grant Deadlines

Plum $500 Youth Grants: Rolling

Digital Wish Grants: Monthly

RetreeUS: Rolling

Fruit Tree 101: Rolling

Let's Move! Salad Bars to Schools: Rolling

School and Community Garden Grants: Multiple

Regional Gathering Observation

Many of you have expressed interest in connecting with other educators to share garden curriculum.  A platform exists for this: Teach ME Food and Farms. This is a searchable database of lessons aligned to Common Core and Maine Learning Results. There is a "Suggest a Lesson" heading where you can submit lessons you have found useful. The lessons will be aligned and posted to the database. 

Find Us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook and share your photos, ideas and questions with other school gardens!

April in the Garden 

Think ahead and start planning garden related tasks and activities for the remainder of school year and summer. If you’re considering holding a School Garden Open Houseduring Maine Harvest Lunch Week in late September, think about what you want to still have growing in the garden when visitors come, and plan accordingly. Sunflowers and pumpkins are easy to grow and can be started indoors two weeks before planting outside once the danger of frost is past, or directly sown in late spring and early summer.  

If you haven’t done a soil test in the last year or two, do one once the ground has thawed. This way, you’ll know exactly what soil amendments your garden soil needs and target your funds accordingly. Contact your local Cooperative Extension Service for more information.

Remove old plant material and winter debris from your garden. If you mulched/covered your gardens, remove the coverings, including that around fall plantings of garlic. Side dress garlic with compost once it emerges.

If you have a hoophouse, continue to do successive plantings of hearty lettuces, greens and radishes, and harvest those that have matured. Doors should be left open during the day, depending on the inside temperature and fabric covering may be needed at night to buffer temperatures around young plants. If you grow spinach, you may find this lesson useful.

Forrest Hills Community School