It is Garden Walk time! Mari Sunami on the South Side on Tuesday May 13th, and Bexley Community Garden South on Wednesday May 14th

It is Garden Walk time!   I will be on the South side and the East side next week at two community gardens to talk about what to plant NOW for summer, what is in harvest, what you can still plant for spring, and what pests to watch out for.  Plus take all your questions.   Both events are free and open to the public so bring your friends and your questions!


Mari Sunami Community Garden on Tuesday May 13th at 6pm

The garden can be a little tricky to find so here is a picture of the location from Google Maps

Mari Sunami Community Garden is located at 248 Stanaford Place.  CLICK for MAP


Bexley Community Garden South on Wednesday May 14th at 6:30pm 925 Ferndale Place.

 

CLICK HERE for Directions


 

Urban Agriculture On-Farm Research at The Urban Farm Church on Wednesday May 14th @ 6pm

Have you ever wanted to learn more about on farm research? There are many challenges facing urban producers including urban heat, soil/water/nutrient stewardship, and economic sustainability.  I am collaborating with The Urban Farm Church, Sunny Glen Garden, and South Side Family Farms on a SARE Research and Education Grant to evaluate soil improvement practices over time.  Come to The Urban Farm Church on Wednesday May 14th at 6pm to learn from Farm and Education Developer Taylor Green about organic, no-dig urban gardening and the research project we will working on for the next three years. The class is free but registration is asked for so they know how to plan for snacks!

CLICK HERE to Register

CLICK HERE for directions to the Urban Farm Church

School Garden Week of May 5th, 2025

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

Have you been using the Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons guidebook to assist you with your growing?

 

Want to learn what Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons (GTS) is?  Check out the Guidebook HERE and the 20 Online Modules HERE!  It is a great way for a teacher to learn how to engage their kiddos in agriculture in a data driven and teacher tested method based on the academic calendar. 


Lets take a look at the weather:

 


Outside in the raised beds:

This month’s GTS work in the raised beds is getting the collard greens transplanted and harvested!   Then you do not have to mind them under the LED lights.  If you need to transplant them this week, make sure to harden them off by letting them spend a few hours outside to acclimate to the weather and wind for a few days prior to transplanting. Check out the video below for guidance.

  • It looks like this week has some good growing weather.
  • Make sure you water before you leave for break or the weekend.
  • Your plants should be fertilized according to the package directions to maintain good growth.

Here is a video that show how to safely harvest and store your fresh leafy greens

Here is a video on transplanting


Inside under LED lights:  

This month you are maintaining collard greens under LED lights for transplanting outside in the raised beds later this month or for maintaining under the lights to harvest in the classroom.

  • Make sure to fertilize according to the directions with the pink fertilizer.
  • Water as needed.  They are growing fast!
  • Make sure to check and water on Friday before you leave.
  • If they are ready to transplant, see the video and guidance above.
  • Email questions to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

After you get the collard greens transplanted outside, if you have no other plants under the LED lights, make sure to clean all your pots and trays and store them with the lights, including the cord, in a safe spot for next semester.


 

Inside in the Aerogarden:

This month we are harvesting tomatoes from the Aerogarden.

  • Make sure you are pruning as directed in the Aerogarden instructions.
  • Make sure to pollinate your flowers to maximize your harvest!
  • Check water levels daily!  The tomatoes are growing fast and using lots of water.

For spring break, I know many of you have plants in production.  I do not think that the Aerogarden will do well on its own with mature tomatoes over a 10 day spring break, so if there is no one at the school to take care of them, and you still want production, gently transport them home and back so that production can continue until the end of the year.


 

Keep the tomato under the lights by pruning as needed.

I need some better pics of tomatoes in Aerogarden Harvest units.  Does anyone have a pic to share?  Send them my way!

Aerogarden has some great information on planting on their website.  CLICK HERE for their product manual website.

Click HERE for the Aerogarden planting guide for tomatoes.


 

Want to see what others are doing?  Check out the Columbus City School gardens at ccs_growing_teachers on Insta!

School Garden Week of April 28th, 2025

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

Have you been using the Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons guidebook to assist you with your growing?

 

Want to learn what Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons (GTS) is?  Check out the Guidebook HERE and the 20 Online Modules HERE!  It is a great way for a teacher to learn how to engage their kiddos in agriculture in a data driven and teacher tested method based on the academic calendar. 


Lets take a look at the weather:


Outside in the raised beds:

This month’s GTS work in the raised beds is getting the collard greens transplanted.   Then you do not have to mind them under the LED lights.  If you need to transplant them this week, make sure to harden them off by letting them spend a few hours outside to acclimate to the weather and wind for a few days prior to transplanting. Check out the video below for guidance.

  • It looks like this week has some good growing weather.
  • Make sure you water before you leave for break or the weekend.
  • Your plants should be fertilized according to the package directions to maintain good growth.

Here is a video that show how to safely harvest and store your fresh leafy greens

Here is a video on transplanting


Inside under LED lights:  

This month you are maintaining collard greens under LED lights for transplanting outside in the raised beds later this month or for maintaining under the lights to harvest in the classroom.

  • Make sure to fertilize according to the directions with the pink fertilizer.
  • Water as needed.  They are growing fast!
  • Make sure to check and water on Friday before you leave.
  • If they are ready to transplant, see the video and guidance above.
  • Email questions to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

After you get the collard greens transplanted outside, if you have no other plants under the LED lights, make sure to clean all your pots and trays and store them with the lights, including the cord, in a safe spot for next semester.


 

Inside in the Aerogarden:

This month we are harvesting tomatoes from the Aerogarden.

  • Make sure you are pruning as directed in the Aerogarden instructions.
  • Make sure to pollinate your flowers to maximize your harvest!
  • Check water levels daily!  The tomatoes are growing fast and using lots of water.

For spring break, I know many of you have plants in production.  I do not think that the Aerogarden will do well on its own with mature tomatoes over a 10 day spring break, so if there is no one at the school to take care of them, and you still want production, gently transport them home and back so that production can continue until the end of the year.


 

Keep the tomato under the lights by pruning as needed.

I need some better pics of tomatoes in Aerogarden Harvest units.  Does anyone have a pic to share?  Send them my way!

Aerogarden has some great information on planting on their website.  CLICK HERE for their product manual website.

Click HERE for the Aerogarden planting guide for tomatoes.


 

Want to see what others are doing?  Check out the Columbus City School gardens at ccs_growing_teachers on Insta!

School Garden Week of April 14th, 2025

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

Have you been using the Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons guidebook to assist you with your growing?

 

Want to learn what Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons (GTS) is?  Check out the Guidebook HERE and the 20 Online Modules HERE!  It is a great way for a teacher to learn how to engage their kiddos in agriculture in a data driven and teacher tested method based on the academic calendar. 


Lets take a look at the weather:

 


Outside in the raised beds: We want to get all the plants in the ground that are ready before Spring Break.

This month’s GTS work in the raised beds is getting the collard greens transplanted.  It would be great to get them into the beds to grow before Spring Break if that timeframe works for you.  Then you do not have to mind them under the LED lights.  If you need to transplant them this week, make sure to harden them off to the cold, plus make sure they go under row cover.  Next week’s weather looks better for transplanting if possible.  Check out the transplanting video for guidance.

  • It looks like this week has some good growing weather plus some overnight cold temperatures
  • Make sure you water before you leave for break or the weekend.
  • If you do want to harvest: Make sure to wait until the season extension garden cover is fully thawed before you pop open and check the plants. The best time to do this will be around mid-day. Replace the season extension garden cover after you harvest to let the heat build back up. 
  • Make sure the season extension garden cover is secure on Friday before you leave for the weekend.

Here is a video from the GTS Online Modules to learn more about Season Extension


Here is a video that show how to safely harvest and store your fresh leafy greens

Here is a video on transplanting


Inside under LED lights:  We want to get all the transplants outside before spring break!

This month you are maintaining collard greens under LED lights for transplanting outside in the raised beds later this month.  I put some guidance on this in the raised bed paragraph above. Let me know if you have any questions.

  • Check out the transplanting video to learn about hardening off your plants.
  • Make sure to fertilize according to the directions with the pink fertilizer.
  • Water as needed.  They are growing fast!
  • Make sure to check and water on Friday before you leave.
  • If they are ready to transplant, see the video and guidance above.
  • Email questions to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

After you get the collard greens transplanted outside, if you have no other plants under the LED lights, make sure to clean all your pots and trays and store them with the lights, including the cord, in a safe spot for next semester.


 

Inside in the Aerogarden:

This month we are harvesting tomatoes from the Aerogarden.

  • Make sure you are pruning as directed in the Aerogarden instructions.
  • Make sure to pollinate your flowers to maximize your harvest!
  • Check water levels daily!  The tomatoes are growing fast and using lots of water.

For spring break, I know many of you have plants in production.  I do not think that the Aerogarden will do well on its own with mature tomatoes over a 10 day spring break, so if there is no one at the school to take care of them, and you still want production, gently transport them home and back so that production can continue until the end of the year.


 

Keep the tomato under the lights by pruning as needed.

I need some better pics of tomatoes in Aerogarden Harvest units.  Does anyone have a pic to share?  Send them my way!


Do you need seeds or seed starter for your project?  Contact Katie.

Aerogarden has some great information on planting on their website.  CLICK HERE for their product manual website.

Click HERE for the Aerogarden planting guide for tomatoes.


 

Want to see what others are doing?  Check out the Columbus City School gardens at ccs_growing_teachers on Insta!

Soil Health: Cover Crop Workshop on Wednesday April 23rd at 6pm in collaboration with Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and NRCS

Attention urban farmers and community gardeners!  There will be a Soil health: Cover Crops workshop held at the OSU Extension Franklin County building on Wednesday April 23rd at 6pm.  This class is free although space is limited so registration is required.  We will discuss soil health and cover crops as well as hear about programs that can benefit your production from the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  We will also distribute one free soil test kit to each community garden and urban farm to provide guidance on this years fertility.

You can use the QR code on the flyer to register or you can CLICK HERE.

Location: Kunz Brundige Franklin Co. Extension Building, 2548 Carmack Rd. Columbus, OH 43210.

Please park in the gravel lot west of the building if the parking lot is full.

School Garden Week of April 7th, 2025

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

Have you been using the Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons guidebook to assist you with your growing?

 

Want to learn what Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons (GTS) is?  Check out the Guidebook HERE and the 20 Online Modules HERE!  It is a great way for a teacher to learn how to engage their kiddos in agriculture in a data driven and teacher tested method based on the academic calendar. 


Lets take a look at the weather:


Outside in the raised beds: 

This month’s GTS work in the raised beds is getting the collard greens transplanted.  It would be great to get them into the beds to grow before Spring Break if that timeframe works for you.  Then you do not have to mind them under the LED lights.  If you need to transplant them this week, make sure to harden them off to the cold, plus make sure they go under row cover.  Next week’s weather looks better for transplanting if possible.  Check out the transplanting video for guidance.

  • It looks like this week has some good growing weather plus some overnight cold temperatures
  • We got lots of rain last week, so your garden should be good to go for water right now, check again Friday before the weekend.
  • If you do want to harvest: Make sure to wait until the season extension garden cover is fully thawed before you pop open and check the plants. The best time to do this will be around mid-day. Replace the season extension garden cover after you harvest to let the heat build back up. 
  • Make sure the season extension garden cover is secure on Friday before you leave for the weekend.

Here is a video from the GTS Online Modules to learn more about Season Extension


Here is a video that show how to safely harvest and store your fresh leafy greens

Here is a video on transplanting


Inside under LED lights:  

This month you are maintaining collard greens under LED lights for transplanting outside in the raised beds later this month.  I put some guidance on this in the raised bed paragraph above. Let me know if you have any questions.

  • Make sure to fertilize according to the directions with the pink fertilizer.
  • Water as needed.  They are growing fast!
  • Make sure to check and water on Friday before you leave.
  • If they are ready to transplant, see the video and guidance above.
  • Email questions to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

After you get the collard greens transplanted outside, if you have no other plants under the LED lights, make sure to clean all your pots and trays and store them with the lights, including the cord, in a safe spot for next semester.


 

Inside in the Aerogarden:

This month we are harvesting tomatoes from the Aerogarden.

  • Make sure you are pruning as directed in the Aerogarden instructions.
  • Make sure to pollinate your flowers to maximize your harvest!
  • Check water levels daily!  The tomatoes are growing fast and using lots of water.

 


 

Keep the tomato under the lights by pruning as needed.

I need some better pics of tomatoes in Aerogarden Harvest units.  Does anyone have a pic to share?  Send them my way!


Do you need seeds or seed starter for your project?  Contact Katie.

Aerogarden has some great information on planting on their website.  CLICK HERE for their product manual website.

Click HERE for the Aerogarden planting guide for tomatoes.


 

Want to see what others are doing?  Check out the Columbus City School gardens at ccs_growing_teachers on Insta!

Community Garden Kickoff at the OSUMC Healthy Community Center! Spring Planting and a Block Party on Wednesday April 9th from 6-8pm

There is a free community gardening event on Wednesday April 9th that will feature food, fun, and a little garden education located at the OSUMC Healthy Community Center on the near East side.  The event starts at 6pm with a cook out, some educational sessions at the HCC community garden from 6:30 to 7:30 in two sessions, and a chance to meet and network with your neighbors. They ask for registration to know how much to grill!  The event can be registered from the link below or the QR or Go link on the flyer.  Hope to see you there!

CLICK HERE to Register

Click here to view, print, or download the flyer –> HCC 2025 Garden Kickoff (1)

School Garden Week of March 31st, 2025

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

Have you been using the Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons guidebook to assist you with your growing?

 

Want to learn what Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons (GTS) is?  Check out the Guidebook HERE and the 20 Online Modules HERE!  It is a great way for a teacher to learn how to engage their kiddos in agriculture in a data driven and teacher tested method based on the academic calendar. 


Lets take a look at the weather:


Outside in the raised beds: 

  • It looks like this week has some good growing weather plus some overnight cold temperatures
  • We got decent rain this week, but you still should check to make sure that your garden got enough water, and water if needed.
  • If you do want to harvest: Make sure to wait until the season extension garden cover is fully thawed before you pop open and check the plants. The best time to do this will be around mid-day. Replace the season extension garden cover after you harvest to let the heat build back up. 
  • If your lettuce is ready to go outside under the season extension garden cover, make sure to harden the seedlings off prior to transplanting  I added the transplanting video below to guide you.
  • Make sure the season extension garden cover is secure on Friday before you leave for the weekend.

Here is a video from the GTS Online Modules to learn more about Season Extension


Here is a video that show how to safely harvest and store your fresh leafy greens

Here is a video on transplanting


Inside under LED lights:  

This month you are maintaining collard greens and lettuce under LED lights for transplanting outside in the raised beds later in the spring.

  • Make sure to fertilize according to the directions with the pink fertilizer.
  • Water as needed.  They are growing fast!
  • Make sure to check and water on Friday before you leave.
  • If they are ready to transplant, see the video and guidance above.
  • Email questions to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

All of the seedlings we are planting now can will be able to be transplanted outside later on, or if you want to let them grow indoors until they are harvested you can do that too. I need some pics!  Send some my way!


Inside in the Aerogarden:

This month we are planting tomatoes in the Aerogarden.  If you planted herbs in the Aerogarden last semester you will need to clean out the unit before you plant your tomatoes so you can start fresh with a clean Aerogarden.  Follow the instructions for tomato planting carefully, a link to the guide is below. If you need tomato pods then contact Katie.

  • Plant just one tomato pod in the Aerogarden Harvest.
  • Keep the small plastic dome on the pod until germination.
  • Remove the small plastic dome after the seed sprouts.
  • Thin to only one tomato plant in the system.
  • Keep the other holes covered with the black or white plastic caps to keep light from entering into the reservoir with the nutrient system.
  • Make sure you are pruning as directed in the Aerogarden instructions.
  • Make sure to pollinate your flowers to maximize your harvest!
  • Check water levels daily!  The tomatoes are growing fast and using lots of water.

 

One tomato pod in an Aerogarden Harvest centered in the middle to get the most light, with the rest of the holes capped off.


There are more than one seedling in the cup. You need to gently thin to only one tomato seedling per pod.

 

Keep the tomato under the lights by pruning as needed.

I need some better pics of tomatoes in Aerogarden Harvest units.  Does anyone have a pic to share?  Send them my way!


Do you need seeds or seed starter for your project?  Contact Katie.

Aerogarden has some great information on planting on their website.  CLICK HERE for their product manual website.

Click HERE for the Aerogarden planting guide for tomatoes.


 

Want to see what others are doing?  Check out the Columbus City School gardens at ccs_growing_teachers on Insta!

Mari Sunami Community Garden on the South Side: Monthly Garden Walks and Open Spots!

Mari Sunami Community Garden on the South Side is part of Columbus history.  It is the original garden for the South Side Settlement House which served new Columbus residents for over 100 years.  Community Development for All People has done a wonderful job working to transform the space and recreate it into a vibrant community garden.  There are open spots for growers if you would like your own spot to grow, plus there will be educational outreach in the space and even a few plants and seeds for gardeners to use to get started.

I will be hosting Garden Walks at the garden on three upcoming Tuesdays, all at 6pm, to come learn, get questions answered, and see this unique piece of Columbus history.  Here are the dates:

  • Tuesday April 1st @ 6pm – Spring Planting
  • Tuesday May 13th @ 6pm – Summer Planting
  • Tuesday June 17th @ 6pm – Pest and Disease Management

There are open spots available if you are looking to garden, both in the ground and soon to be raised bed garden where the tarp is located. To ask about an open spot contact Sue Wolfe at garden@4allpeople.net or call 614-937-6543

Full sun location with new water service!

The garden can be a little tricky to find so here is a picture of the location from Google Maps

Mari Sunami Community Garden is located at 248 Stanaford Place.  CLICK for MAP