We are pleased to announce that the Garden Club is now back! Come along every Fridays @ 10-11am and join in on the Fun, We want to show you that being outdoors can be both fun and educational no matter what the weather!

Join us at our Garden Club- Friday 6th November!

When nights get longer than days, we know it’s time to prepare our learning garden area for the winter. We have been grabbing those last few sunny days, embracing the chill and relishing the chance to get outside!

Keeping the growing area healthy with our herbs;

• Clear away and compost dying foliage and stems
• Dig up and destroy mint plants affected by rot and frost. So we can replace next year with new, clean plants.
• Pot up some left-over herbs to keep them growing a bit longer. They can sometimes produce growth throughout the winter on a windowsill.

and our precious fruit trees   

• If you have; Pick every last fruit. Fruit hanging on trees over winter is one of the main sources of brown rot infection in the spring.
• Prune out infected branches and twigs on apples and pears.

And finally, Look after your precious soil.  We have enjoyed the Autumn tasks–remember everything you do now gets you ready for the next great spring!

As you may remember, last year our little green-fingered students were learning all about planting in our Learning Garden at the Tuition club. As spring approches us, our children are excited to have discovered their little seeds grow into beautiful organic produce!. Children can learn new skills, have fun, play and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden tending plants and growing their own food. Most children enjoy being outdoors and love digging in the soil, getting dirty, creating things and watching plants grow. People of all ages can enjoy gardening, but our children in particular have had lots of fun and gaining special benefits. Gardening is educational and develops new skills including:

• Responsibility – from caring for plants
• Understanding – as they learn about cause and effect (for example, plants die without water, weeds compete with plants)
• Self-confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown
• Love of nature – a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant place
• Reasoning and discovery – learning about the science of plants, animals, weather, the environment, nutrition and simple construction
• Physical activity – doing something fun and productive
• Cooperation – including shared play activity and teamwork
• Creativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow food
• Nutrition – learning about where fresh food comes from

We look forward to sharing what our children find under the soil and what they will be cooking with their fresh produce… watch this space!