Planter Project Overview and Instructions:
After some considerable thinking about how to hold a Horticulture class remotely (that's a challenge), I realized that it doesn't take much for the resourceful individual to grow plants. We're going to do some planter gardening! A planter is literally any container that you can grow plants in.. just about anything that can hold soil can be used.. even a milk jug with the top cut off, a butter container, mayonnaise jar, bucket, you name it. If you have the materials, you can even build your own planters out of wood or other materials. In the coming week, we'll be gathering the needed resources to start our planter gardens. I realize that in a quarantine situation, coming up with resources is a real challenge. I think you'll be surprised how much you can do with limited resources. Here are the items you need to track down:
1. A suitable container or containers.
2. Nutrient rich soil.
3. Seeds
4. A site/place with light but some shade to protect from Florida's direct heat and sun this time of year.
Container/s: As I detailed before, the container/s can be built or made from most any household vessel.
Soil: If you already have potting soil, you're in business, if not, we'll have to get creative. The "soil" in Florida is mostly sand with little nutritional value. There are some plants that like sandy soil, but most plants that do well in planter gardens need nutrient rich soil. If your home is near a wooded area, this is the best place to find good soil. Anywhere leaves pile up, like beneath our Florida Live Oaks, you'll find soil. Brush away the top layer of leaves until you find the dark decaying matter beneath.. that's planter garden gold! Sift out the twigs and in-tact leaves and gather the soil into your container.
Seeds: As for seeds, I know you can't go out for seeds from the store. You have options: if you want you can order seeds as you have for class before. You can use seeds from produce you've eaten.. for example, I'm growing a lemon tree from seeds i gathered from a cut lemon. Most seeds will grow if given the proper conditions.
Site/Place: Your front porch, patio, balcony, even a window sill can be suitable places depending on the size of your planter/s and the plants you're trying to grow.
READ the following article about Planter Gardening from "Good Housekeeping" Magazine... LOTS of great info and tips for success.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20707074/container-gardening-tips/
RECORD EVERYTHING.. both with pics and video and in notes/charts... just as you were doing with your gardens at school. If you build something, make a video or take pics to show what you have done, how, and why. Record where you got everything and how you made your choices. Track all of your steps. With all this gathered footage, pics and information, you'll be given instructions for how to assemble your multi-media report/presentation of your planter garden experience and success (or lack thereof).
1. A suitable container or containers.
2. Nutrient rich soil.
3. Seeds
4. A site/place with light but some shade to protect from Florida's direct heat and sun this time of year.
Container/s: As I detailed before, the container/s can be built or made from most any household vessel.
Soil: If you already have potting soil, you're in business, if not, we'll have to get creative. The "soil" in Florida is mostly sand with little nutritional value. There are some plants that like sandy soil, but most plants that do well in planter gardens need nutrient rich soil. If your home is near a wooded area, this is the best place to find good soil. Anywhere leaves pile up, like beneath our Florida Live Oaks, you'll find soil. Brush away the top layer of leaves until you find the dark decaying matter beneath.. that's planter garden gold! Sift out the twigs and in-tact leaves and gather the soil into your container.
Seeds: As for seeds, I know you can't go out for seeds from the store. You have options: if you want you can order seeds as you have for class before. You can use seeds from produce you've eaten.. for example, I'm growing a lemon tree from seeds i gathered from a cut lemon. Most seeds will grow if given the proper conditions.
Site/Place: Your front porch, patio, balcony, even a window sill can be suitable places depending on the size of your planter/s and the plants you're trying to grow.
READ the following article about Planter Gardening from "Good Housekeeping" Magazine... LOTS of great info and tips for success.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20707074/container-gardening-tips/
RECORD EVERYTHING.. both with pics and video and in notes/charts... just as you were doing with your gardens at school. If you build something, make a video or take pics to show what you have done, how, and why. Record where you got everything and how you made your choices. Track all of your steps. With all this gathered footage, pics and information, you'll be given instructions for how to assemble your multi-media report/presentation of your planter garden experience and success (or lack thereof).