Kids Garden Contest - Summer Visits

After completing the spring garden deliveries, the Transition Town team—Dave, Laura, and Chris—set out to reconnect with the young gardeners to see how their gardens had fared. They were eager to learn about the children’s gardening experiences, including what they grew, how their plants thrived, and whether they enjoyed managing their own gardens. We successfully followed up with 6 of the 9 contest winners, discovering a rich tapestry of gardening stories filled with both triumphs and challenges. These reflections echoed the common ups and downs of gardening that we all experience.

A follow-up discussions covered important seasonal preparations. The team offered advice on how to "put their garden to bed" for the winter, helping the young gardeners plan for the off-season and ensure their gardens are well-prepared for the next growing year. This proactive approach will set the stage for a successful and vibrant gardening season when May arrives in 2025.

Maddie and Wilder -

Maddie and Wilder embarked on a vibrant gardening adventure, cultivating carrots, corn, basil, cucumbers, and potatoes. With so many vegetable ideas, they faced the delightful challenge of deciding what to plant. They found joy in tending to their garden, often taking the opportunity to weed while others were occupied with activities around the house.
Their excitement is building as they eagerly await the harvest of their corn, looking forward to enjoying the fruits of their labor. The garden became a magical place for them, as they delighted in discovering wood frogs, caterpillars, and a colorful array of butterflies, which added an enchanting touch to their gardening experience.

Hatteras and Nash -

Hatteras and Nash cultivated a vibrant garden with an impressive variety of plants, including carrots, marigolds, lettuce, Roma tomatoes, and cucumbers. They specifically planted marigolds to help deter garden pests, making their garden both beautiful and functional. One of their favorite activities was creating fresh lettuce salads from their own harvest.
Laura provided valuable guidance, teaching them how to thin out their carrots and other plants to ensure ample space for growth. Their tomato plants flourished with lush, green foliage, showing signs of excellent health.
Despite their success, they encountered some challenges. Rabbits visited their garden and nibbled on the carrot tops, prompting them to install a fence to protect their crops. Overall, Hatteras and Nash found gardening to be a fun and rewarding experience, particularly enjoying the fresh vegetables they grew.
Looking ahead, they plan to plant garlic in the fall to prepare for a bountiful garden next year.

Elijah -Elijah’s garden included strawberries, radishes, green onions, and both beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. He dedicated almost every day to tending his garden, with his neighbor friend often joining him to help out.

Despite his diligent care, Elijah encountered a few challenges. Slugs and birds became unwelcome visitors, particularly enjoying his strawberries. He tried to use copper strips to deter the slugs, but found it tricky to keep them securely in place.
Elijah is planning to explore the “Three Sisters” planting method next year. This Native American technique involves growing corn, beans, and squash together, with each plant supporting the others in a symbiotic relationship.

Elijah has thoroughly enjoyed the experience of having his own garden, relishing the pleasure of snacking on homegrown vegetables and the satisfaction of nurturing his own plants. For the upcoming season, he’s contemplating adding something new to his garden, such as cucumbers, to further diversify his harvest.

Henry & Will -

Henry and Will grew a diverse garden featuring cucumbers, basil, carrots, and green beans. While their gardening efforts were generally successful, they encountered some challenges with the soil's performance. To address this, they added composted fertilizer, which helped improve the soil quality.

The green beans were a highlight, though they turned out a bit tough to the bite. They also took an educational approach to their cucumber plants, learning about the differences between male and female flowers and the crucial role of pollinators in transferring pollen from male to female flowers to fertilize the fruit.
Henry and Will did an excellent job thinning their carrot plants, ensuring there was enough space for the carrots to grow properly beneath the soil. Their basil plants thrived, and they've enjoyed using the fresh basil to enhance their spaghetti meals.
Overall, having their own garden significantly increased their engagement and enthusiasm for gardening, making the experience rewarding.  They liked that the garden was located close to the house for easy access.

Guy and Evelyn -

Guy and Evelyn’s garden flourished with zucchini squash, watermelon, and sweet peppers. This summer, they have enjoyed a bountiful harvest of zucchini, which grew so vigorously that it took over a significant portion of the garden. All their plants were started from seeds, showcasing their commitment and patience.
They delved into the fascinating world of zucchini pollination, learning about the differences between male and female flowers and how pollinators transfer pollen from male to female flowers to fertilize the fruit. Their garden benefited from an abundance of bees, drawn in by the surrounding flowers that attract these crucial pollinators.
In addition to their current crops, Guy and Evelyn are excited about their plans for next year, considering growing carrots and perhaps potatoes. They also tackled a challenge with powdery mildew affecting their zucchini leaves, learning how to identify and remove the infected leaves to keep their garden healthy and productive.

Merrill  -

Merrill's garden featured a mix of flowers and vegetables of potatoes, dahlias, peppers, radishes, and carrots. Despite her efforts, she faced some challenges with the garden mix soil, which didn’t support optimal growth for her plants.  She was encouraged to enhance her soil in the fall, so next spring it will be set for a new growing year.

Merrill diligently watered her carrots and maintained good spacing for most of them, though some plants still required thinning to achieve the best results. Her tomato plant has shown promising growth, adding a touch of anticipation for the harvest.
Looking ahead to next year, Merrill has decided to skip growing radishes but plans to maintain her current approach with the rest of her garden. She found great joy in tending her garden and appreciated the support of her sister, Amelia, who helped in the garden as well..