Good to Grow



Maida Dantzler, President of the Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc., has chosen Good to Grow as a statewide project during her administration. The Good to Grow program teaches school-age children, their parents, and communities not only how to grow their own food, but how to make healthy food choices.

The idea for this project came about for many reasons. Most importantly, it involves our youth. Childhood obesity is at an all time high and is affecting not only the health of our children, but their ability to learn. One way we can take a positive step towards controlling this issue is through education. By volunteering our talents in the school system via gardening, we can teach families how to grow food that is nutritionally valuable, while having fun and reinforcing school curriculums in reading, science, and math.

As we impress the children of South Carolina to learn more about the food that fuels their bodies, they'll be better equipped to make smarter food choices. When youth are involved in growing fresh fruits and vegetables, they'll have the opportunity to taste something they might otherwise have refused or never have been offered! In turn, it is our hope that the children will inspire their families to garden at home too.

The economic downturn has already stimulated interest in home vegetable gardens and interest and educational programming is at an all-time high in many schools across the nation.

Maida Dantzler would like to challenge each garden club in South Carolina, to initiate or mentor an established school or community garden in their area. Children love to plant seeds and love to see them grow. They also love the extra attention we as gardeners give to them. Our Good to Grow program could be part of a youth garden club or a new activity for your club.

Rebecca Bull Reed, Associate Gardening Editor for Southern Living magazine is assisting me with this project. Please use this site as a guide to answer questions or to stay on track as you and your club organize this potentially life-changing venture for South Carolina families.

To good health and much fun!

Donna Hummelman

Good to Grow Chairman

hummersct@yahoo.com

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26th February 2012

Start seeds indoors now!

March is known for its unpredictable weather, but if you start seeds indoors, they’ll be protected and you’ll get a jump on your harvest.

Seeds can be started in almost anything - paper cups, clean cell packs that have been rinsed with bleach water, and seed starting trays purchased from the garden center.

In his book Month-By-Month Gardening in the Carolinas, Bob Polomski says March is the month to start basil, chives, parsley, summer savoy, and sweet marjoran if you live in the Upstate. To encourage parsley to germinate, soak seeds in warm water overnight.

Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower seeds may also be started indoors now so that they will be ready to transplant in six to eight weeks.

If you live in the Piedmont, sow warm season vegetables in trays indoors. Try eggplant, heat-tolerant New Zealand spinach, pepper, and tomato. Bob also offers this VERY important advice: Sow the seeds of plants that dislike root disturbance in individual cups or peat pellets. They include cucumber, muskmelon, squash, and watermelon.

In the Coastal region of the state, plant perennial herbs like chives, oregano, and thyme when plants become available in garden centers. Now is the time to sow the seeds of parsley, dill, and beets, and Swiss chard.