UP ON TOP! GARDEN CLUB,
SUMMER 2022
From June to August 2022, I taught two garden and nature classes a week at the Tenderloin Rec Center through Up On Top!, an organization that provides free after-school and summer programs to local kids. Every sesh had anywhere from nine to 19 young folks in kindergarten to fifth grade; we had a dedicated patio space to bring to life, and were able to get our hands dirty with a bunch of fun outdoor projects. It was really and truly amazing. Here’s an overview of what we explored and accomplished together:
Raised beds + edible gardening.
One of the first projects we started on was our raised beds. Two of the older kids constructed the beds themselves, and the younger kids filled them with soil. We planted seeds (peas, cilantro, lettuce, radishes) and cuttings (mint, basil, onions) in small compostable pots, then transferred them once they sprouted / got established; I also brought in some starts from Sloat (peas, strawberries, cucumber, mint). We covered the beds with mulch, which helped a lot to keep the soil (and plants) from drying out in between sessions. Over two months, we were able to observe so much growth! The kids loved smelling and tasting leaves — mint, especially — and one of the older kids made a sweet Yemeni tea to share. On the last day we were able to harvest a variety of radishes, two small spring onions, and the smallest three strawberries that have ever existed, and everyone got to try a little bit of everything. It was pretty awesome to eat what we grew.
Birdhouse planters + succulent propagation
Succulents are special plants that store water in their leaves and / or stems. They’re hardy and drought-tolerant — perfect for the hot, dry Tenderloin — and they also do great in vertical gardens. I bought some super small wooden birdhouses from Michael’s that the kids painted. Once dry, we packed them with soil, and each kid picked out a succulent cutting to stick inside; then we hung them up on the surrounding fence.
Growing mushrooms.
I was pretty surprised how much some of the kids liked the raw mushrooms; I was definitely not eating (or at least enjoying them) at their age.
Lifecycle of a butterfly + Painted Lady release.
Over the course of a few weeks, we were able to watch caterpillars grow, form chrysalises, then emerge as Painted Lady butterflies. We set them free on the patio and wished them well as they flew off into the Tenderloin.
Floral corner.
We planted a collection of low-water, drought-tolerant plants with a variety of textures, colors, blooms, leaves, and smells in felted pots: Salvia leucophylla ‘Point Sal’; Coleonema pulchrum ‘Sunset Gold’; Hummingbird Mint ‘Arizona Sandstone’; Achillea ‘Moonshine’; Salvia patens ‘Patio Sky Blue’; Santolina incana Silver “Lavender Cotton’; another lavender; Salvia ‘Cherry Lips.”
Ladybug release + craft project!
There’s a beautiful hibiscus tree on the patio and the buds are absolutely swarming with aphids; they’re freaking relentless, so I decided to bring in some reinforcements. I bought a container of ladybugs at Sloat, and the kids were ecstatic when we opened it up and set them free. It was really cool to see how gentle they were with these little beetles, and how delighted they were to interact with them. This might have been the most fun the kids had in the garden all summer, and I’ve got my fingers crossed the ladybugs will eat (and eat and eat) the pests. I also brought some red and black felt and googly eyes, and we made some fuzzy tributes to our new friends.
Vermicompost and WORMS!
I brought in some Eisenia fetida (known as red wigglers) and black gold (known as worm poop) to teach the kids about the wonders of vermicompost.
A blocktopus’s garden!
A goofy little project to zhuzh up the space. A blocktopus is: one (1) wooden block; five (5) small screw eye hooks; paint; two (2) shoelaces cut in half (or twine, or ribbon, or rope…) to make four (4) legs; two (2) googly eyes; glue.
Painting wind-chimes!
I put together this project using old wooden beads, hemp twine, and a pack of wind chime tubes I bought online. All it took was three knots to tie each one together, and the kids got to paint them however they liked — then we hung them up around the space.
Misc misc misc…
Snapshots from the garden, including our unofficial mascot, Sherbert the Lego parrot (and a stunning rendition of Sherbert in felt).
Across the city….
…with a bike, a basket, and a bunch of flowers.
