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WATERING Your learning gardenWatering your Learning Garden regularly is perhaps the most important thing you can do to take care of your garden. It’s also a rewarding activity for your students and a way for them to stay involved with the garden between planting and harvest!
Watering your garden Overview
Watering is the most fundamental need of your Learning Garden and it will be the most regular responsibility for the Garden Team to manage. Successful Garden Teams have adopted a watering schedule that is implemented by a group of classrooms and adults. Watering is a great opportunity for students, staff, and parents to stay involved with the Learning Garden long after it is planted. As a Garden Team, you will need to become acquainted with the watering needs of your Learning Garden and the different methods you can use to water. Remember to create a watering schedule that does not burden any who get involved, including yourself and the Garden Team!
Your three primary methods for watering your garden:
1. Top water by hand, using a hose and spray nozzle. Managed by one person at a time.2. Top water with students, use Upcycled Watering Can Activity or Little Raincloud Activity.
Involves up to one full class at the same time.3. Drip irrigation, use your drip irrigation system and set up a hose splitter to water multiple beds
at one time. Managed by one person at a time.
When does the garden need Top Watering?
Top watering is an effective way to water your Learning Garden throughout the entire growing season. It allows you to water effectively and to confidently water exactly as your plants need. Top watering is always recommended when you start seeds in your Learning Garden until they become established seedlings.
When does the garden need Drip Irrigation?
Drip irrigation is an effective way to water your Learning Garden once the plants have grown several inches and spread their roots throughout the soil. Drip Irrigation is not an effective way to water directly after planting seeds as it does not soak the surface of the soil, but rather drips water slowly soaking the soil below the surface. During the hottest months of the year, drip irrigation can be a very effective as it almost entirely avoids losing water to evaporation.
Why do I need to water my Learning Garden?
Plants require constant access to water for their roots to drink. Plants will grow best in soil with consistent moisture. As you begin watering your Learning Garden, pay close attention to how your soil holds water. Some soils will hold more water and some will dry out faster. Consider that roots
Grey lines indicate typical drip irrigation
layout in your Learning Garden
Watering your garden
typically live deeper in the soil so to effectively test the moisture of your garden soil you may need to dig a small hole about two inches deep.
Remember that water is a precious resource—here are some tips for conservation!
1. Turn off the water when you are not using it.2. Keep water strictly in the soil of the Learning Garden beds.3. Fix any drips or leaks when you find them.4. If water leaks out the bottom of your garden it likely does not need more water.5. Avoid watering in the heat of the day as much of the water will evaporate instead of soaking into
the soil.6. Your drip irrigation system is a great water conservation method. By using drip irrigation, the
water drips into the beds and soil directly around the plants, thereby reducing spray or other water loss.
Watering your garden
How to Use Your Drip Irrigation System:
1. Connect all hoses using quick connects before turning on water 2. Turn on water and check to make sure all hoses are watering effectively3. Check effectiveness by putting your finger over one emitter and you should feel pressure4. Let the entire system run for approximately 10 - 15 minutes 5. Turn off water, disconnect hoses, and store neatly for the next person or group to use 6. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated about three
inches into the soil Remember… Use the drip irrigation system after plants have been sprouted for at least two weeks Monitor drip irrigation effectiveness, use a toothpick to unblock holes if not dripping
How to Top Water with Hand Sprayer:
1. Connect a hose and hand sprayer to the closest water spigot2. Turn on hand sprayer to shower setting3. Water using a back and forth sweeping motion, ensuring a gentle, even spray 4. Avoid puddling, which may disturb and inadvertently move newly planted seeds5. Move from bed to bed, allowing water to soak in before returning to previously watered areas6. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into
the soil
How to Top Water with Upcycled Watering Can:
1. Review TKC’s Upcycled Watering Can Activity
2. Create an Upcycled Watering Can (one per student)
3. Fill plastic bottle with water and loosely screw on the lid
4. Demonstrate how to spread water gently and evenly to limit puddling
5. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
6. Upcycled Water Cans may be passed to the next class on the schedule
Methods for Watering Your Learning Garden
Watering your garden
How to Top Water with Little Raincloud:
1. Review TKC’s “Little Raincloud” Activity2. Fill several large buckets or containers with water, place around your Learning Garden3. Collect 15 – 30 reusable containers (e.g. plastic cups or clean milk cartons) 4. Demonstrate how to spread water gently and evenly to limit puddling 5. Hold a cup of water in one hand6. Place the other hand with the palm facing up towards the sky and fingers loosely cupped about
6-8 inches above the surface of the garden7. Pour the cup of water slowly into the palm of the other hand, letting the water gently drizzle
through the fingers onto the soil in a manner that mimics gentle rain drops8. Move hands together back and forth over the garden to direct water to the dry soil and avoid
create puddles of water9. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated about 3 inches
into the soil10. Little Raincloud supplies may be passed to the next class on the schedule
Methods for Watering Your Learning Garden
Watering your garden
At any given point during the school year, the Learning Garden will need to be watered 4-7 times a week and should be checked a daily. This can be a big commitment for just 1-2 people. Creating a watering schedule is key to sharing the responsibility and will ensure a well-watered and thriving garden. Read the examples and consider the guiding questions below to aid you in creating a watering schedule that will work for your school. Use a calendar to record your schedule and be sure to share it with all of your fellow waterers.
Watering Schedule Examples:
• At 17th Street School the five members of the garden team each water the Learning Garden one day per week. For example, Mr. Park brings his 1st graders out to water the garden every Thursday.
• At Kershaw Middle School, the Learning Garden is watered by three parent volunteers. Dan waters on Mondays and Wednesdays, Maria waters on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Shauna waters on Fridays and Saturdays.
• At Springfield Elementary all interested teachers water daily for one week at a time.• At Gardendale Elementary, parent volunteers water on weekends, Mondays, and Fridays and
the three second grade teachers each water one day per week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
• At Johnson High School, the garden club waters every day after school and rotates weekend watering between the students who live close to the school.
• At McMeen Elementary School, the garden team attaches a timer to their drip irrigation system and checks on it once a week to adjust for seasonal water needs.
Guiding Questions:
1. How many teachers are interested in watering?2. What flexibility do teachers have to bring their classrooms out to water the garden?3. What watering methods will be used (cups and bucket, upcycled watering cans, hand spray or
nozzle, irrigation system)?4. Do you have an outdoor storage space that’s accessible to all waterers and that could store a
hose, spray nozzle, and water key? How about 30 Upcycled Watering Cans?5. Do you have an existing volunteer base or do you have the capacity to recruit volunteers?
Creating Your Watering Schedule
Activity: little rainclouds
• Students will safely and efficiently water the Learning Garden• The entire class will be able to participate in watering the Learning
Garden• Students will learn that the roots take up water to the rest of the plant
• Several large buckets or containers filled with water, place around your Learning Garden
• 15 – 30 reusable containers (e.g. plastic cups or clean milk cartons) • Review lesson and familiarize yourself with your Learning Garden
The Little Raincloud activity features a watering technique that is an effective and safe way to water your Learning Garden with all of you students at one time. Students will learn the proper way to water seeds and seedlings, and teachers will have a manageable, hands on opportunity to discuss plant care and the water cycle with the entire class.
Welcome your students to the Learning Garden and line students up along one side of the Learning Garden. Stand on the opposite side of the Learning Garden so you can address the entire group.
Let your students know that they will soon be watering the seeds and seedlings in your Learning Garden. To prepare, we will be learning a watering technique that we can use in the Learning Garden any time we want to water as a class.
Ask students to explain why they think that seeds and seedlings need water to grow. Solicit responses and if appropriate, encourage students to think about why they need water.
Next ask students to describe what part of the plant will be responsible for taking in water. It is the leaves? The stems? The roots? Let students know that the roots take up water and deliver it to the rest of the plant and because of this we will need to carefully water the soil around each of our seeds and seedlings.
ACtivity Outcomes
Materials & Preparation
TeacherBackground
Introduction
Activity: little rainclouds
Demonstrate how to safely water using the Little Raincloud technique. Students should follow along, pretending to water the Learning Garden as you go through the technique.
Technique: Hold a cup of water in one hand. Place the other hand with the palm facing up towards the sky and fingers loosely cupped about 6-8 inches above the surface of the garden. Pour the cup of water slowly into the palm of the other hand, letting the water gently drizzle through the fingers onto the soil in a manner that mimics gentle rain drops. Move hands together back and forth over the garden to direct water to the dry soil and avoid create puddles of water.
Ask students to line up behind the buckets or containers and hand out cups to the first few students in line.
Have students fill the cup with water and move to a spot in the Leaning Garden that needs water.
Have students share out key parts of today’s discussion and review the Activity Outcomes.
Students should clean-up the Learning Garden as needed.
Garden Activity
Conclusion
ACtivity Outcomes
Materials & Preparation
TeacherBackground
Introduction
Classroom Activity
• Students will understand that seeds and seedlings need water to grow
• Students will create a tool that can be used in the Learning Garden to water seeds and seedlings
• Used plastic bottle with cap, preferably one with handles, 1 per student or student pair
• Thumb tack or a drill with a 1/8” drill bit• Water source (indoor or outdoor) • Craft supplies, optional, for decorating plastic bottles• Review the activity and prepare one example Upcycled Watering
Can
The Upcycled Watering activity features a virtually spill-free watering technique that is an effective and safe way to water your Learning Garden with all of you students at one time. Students create a watering tool that can be reused in the Learning Garden each time you visit. Students will learn the proper way to water seeds and seedlings, and teachers will have a manageable, hands on opportunity to discuss plant care and the water cycle with the entire class. In addition, teachers can introduce sustainable practices through upcycling something that may have otherwise been recycled or thrown away.
Let your students know that they will soon be watering your Learning Garden and, to prepare, will be making a tool today to help make sure we safely and efficiently water your entire Learning Garden.
Ask students to explain why they think that seeds and seedling need water to grow. Solicit responses and if appropriate, encourage students to think about why they need water.
Divide students into pairs and pass out the Upcycled Watering Can supplies to each student.
Show students the example Upcycled Watering Can and let students know they will be making their own to use in the Learning Garden. The Upcycled Watering Can will assure we safely and carefully water our
Activity: Upcycled Watering Can
CONCLUSION
Have students share out key parts of today’s discussion and review the Activity Outcomes.
Students should clean-up the classroom as needed.
Activity: Upcycled Watering Can
Classroom ActivityContd
seeds and seedlings!
Instruct students to visit the front of the classroom, one or two groups at a time, to pierce holes on the front and near the top of the handle (for air passage) of the plastic bottle. If students are older, allow them to handle the drill or the thumb tacks. Younger students will need more assistance, and you may consider prepping the holes prior to class.
While students are visiting the front of the classroom instruct the other students to begin decorating their Upcycled Watering Can using the coloring and craft supplies.
Fill the plastic bottle with water and loosely screw on the bottle cap.
