LEARNING ACTIVITY
Creating a food garden: installing a no dig garden bed
Category: Food Production
Climate Region: Arid | Temperate | Tropical
State or Territory:
Age Range: 7-13

STORY

Beth and her Junior Landcare group started to discuss their plans for their food garden. There were so many ideas being shared on what types of garden would be best at growing the plants they wanted. One of her friends Eliza suggested that their group should think about a no dig garden bed, this was a garden bed she had established with her parents in their backyard. Eliza remembers her mum saying that these are easy to build and can be built over existing beds or on hard ground. The group agreed that this is something they should look into.

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW

No dig garden beds are easy to build and can be built over existing beds or hard stony ground. They create a living nutrient rich soil for food gardens. Use this learning activity to get hands on and help establish a garden bed quickly and efficiently.

This learning activity is part of a sequence of 5 individual learning activities focused on creating a food garden. The order of these learning activities are: vision, site assessment, installing a no dig garden bed, planting and harvesting.

Outcomes

For children to:
• understand the steps involved in creating a food garden
• enjoy being active and productive outdoors and build their social and teamwork skills
• learn how to create a living garden soil organically by mixing carbon rich (brown materials) and nitrogen rich (green materials) ingredients.

SEASONAL NOTES

When making a no dig garden in spring and summer, run as a morning activity to avoid heat stress for people and plants.

Did you know?

Mulch is of great benefit in a garden. It acts to prevent water loss, minimise weeds and helps to keep the soil cooler especially in warmer months.

Did you know?

Chicken manure has the most amount of nitrogen out of all animal manures. It is also very high in phosphorus and potassium.

Did you know?

Straw has more carbon than grass clippings.

Did you know?

Mulch is of great benefit in a garden. It acts to prevent water loss, minimise weeds and helps to keep the soil cooler especially in warmer months.

We value your feedback

When you have finished this learning activity, please tell us what you think with our survey.
Your feedback will help Landcare Australia improve the activities in the Junior Landcare Learning Centre.

Why not try one of our other Junior Landcare learning activities?

Love Letters to the Land

Biodiversity|First Nations Perspectives|Food Production|Waste Management

Creating a food garden: vision

Food Production

Creating a food garden: planting

Food Production

Creating a food garden: harvesting

Food Production