Spuds in Tubs - agriculture in the classroom...

Spuds in Tubs
Objective
As part of science, social studies and now healthy living it has been brought to our
attention that many schools would like to grow food at the school but find it
difficult to work with in ground school gardens. As a solution AITC has developed
potato tub gardens that will allow students to grow and eat nugget potatoes within
the school year.
Materials provided with Spuds in Tubs:
5 – 60 litre plastic tubs with rope handles and predrilled drainage holes
15 – 20 litre bags of special potato growing compost made from spent mushroom
compost, composted dairy cow manure and worm castings
30 plus Warba seed potatoes
35 plant tags
One plastic tarp
One clean compost bag to be used as a class poster
5 AITC rulers
Grow BC map
Kids and Carbs recipe brochures
Procedure:
Spread seed potatoes out on newspaper in the classroom to encourage sprouting.
When the seed potatoes have shoots that are about 2.5cm in length it is time to
plant the potatoes.
Planting
Since the tubs are portable, potatoes can be planted in their tubs either in the
classroom or some other place in the school and then, when the new leaves are just
appearing through the soil, placed outside in a sunny well-protected area of the
school grounds.
Remember: If you are planting inside then be sure to protect the floor with the
tarp provided as the tubs do have drainage holes.
Empty three bags of compost into each of the 5 tubs provided. Gently firm the
compost down after the addition of each bag. If there is a bit too much then save
that compost for future gardening projects.
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