C mi Ki Gardener Elaine Schindler & Erica Dornbusch - dornbusch.ca
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Cosmic Kid Gardener Elaine Schindler & Erica Dornbusch
Elaine Schindler
Elaine is a mother, grandmother, teacher,
runner, fencer, skier, archer, kayaker, gardener,
and outdoors lover. She enjoys observing nature
with her husband and family in the woods
and fields around their home.
Photo: R.S. Cousins Photography
Erica Dornbusch
Erica is an illustrator who creates books for
kids among a bunch of other kinds of art making.
She plays outside every day and considers a
spring soaker a good reward for joyful exploring.
Cosmic Kids Creating
garden bliss
When it is spring the whole outside world seems to call to us,
"Come see, come see, come notice what is new!"
Cosmic Kid
Gardener
Words by: Elaine Schindler
Art by: Erica Dornbusch
© 2013 Dornbusch, Schindler
Words by: Elaine Schindler
Art by: Erica Dornbusch, www:cosmictoad.ca
Design by: Erica Dornbusch
Content: Erica Dornbusch & Elaine SchindlerWhen it is spring the whole outside world seems to call to us, "Come see, come see, come notice what is new!" We've been through weeks of winter when many days were drab and cold and gray. Now there is color and warmth. We feel the sun on our bare arms. The trees feel it, too, and the birds, the bugs, and the earth. The world seems to change every day and we want to be a part of that change. For me, spring means it's time to celebrate and to begin planning and planting my garden. My garden is my special place where I can observe nature, share time with my grandchildren, grow delicious and healthy things to eat, and be kind to the Earth and its inhabitants. Do you feel like celebrating, too? Would you like to grow things in a garden?
Ground frozen?
You can still start your
In these pages,
garden today!
Newspaper Seedling Pot you can find, learn, www.cosmictoad.ca
Share pictures
6-9
7 share and create. . . of your container
garden!
Plan and seed
your garden
just like an
expert!
Why do The Cosmic Toad is hidden many
Cosmic
times in the pages of this book
How many times did you spot him?
Kids 4 Activ
it ies Ga
Garden? lore!
lore!
ies Ga
Activit 15
Who Glossary
Visits
Your
Garden?
Journal
18 12 - 13Why We Garden ...watch nature close up and
Why do we plant gardens?
I like to: feel connected to my environment.
It's easy to go to the supermarket to buy ...share time and the garden's bounty with
vegetables, fruit, or bunches of flowers. loved ones. My father taught me about patience,
Gardens require work! gratitude, and attentiveness while we gardened together
when I was a kid. Now I love to bond and share
So why do we do it? experiences with my grandchildren in my garden.
Activity ...eat the freshest food. Did you know many
of the fruits and vegetables in the grocery
store have been treated with chemicals and
Who do you want to garden with? were shipped long distances?
Talk about them here.
Share or draw a picture of
your favourite gardening buddy.What would you like to grow?
Want to share your pictures
or stories about your garden?
We’d love to see them!
check with your grown up
and then upload your jpg
image to the Cosmic Toad
Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/thecosmictoadPlanning Your Garden
Does your yard have room for a big
garden? Is there a place to dig along
the south side of the house, along
Attach stems of your tomato
a fence, or around the mailbox? Arrange rows to run north to south plants to sturdy wooden stakes
If you have a small yard, or no yard to give each plant as much sunlight with loose twist ties or strips of
as possible. Plant tallest plants on cloth. As plants grow taller through
at all, you can still grow in a raised the north end, medium height plants the season, add more ties. Pinch
bed, an old tire, or a large flower pot in the middle, and shortest plants on off little side shoots that sprout
the south end of the garden. between the main stem and
on the porch or deck. Climbing leaf stems.
plants don't take up a lot of space
Water seedlings and transplants
and can grow up a *trellis or fence. every 1-3 days. Established plants Melons, squash, and cucumbers
Read seed packet directions and need to be watered about once a like to grow on 8"-10" high
week if Mother Nature doesn't mounds, with 3 plants on a 2-3 ‘
make sure to give each plant the water them for you with a good, diameter mound. They like to
space it needs. Draw a plan on soaking rain. grow on compost piles, too!
paper, buy seeds (or plants) and
keep a journal. Use straw, grass clippings or Early spring is the time
leaves to mulch around plants. to plant radishes, peas,
Mulch keeps the soil moist and lettuce, and spinach.
helps control weeds. They like cool weather
For containers or raised beds: Lettuce, spinach,
and can be directly sown
radishes, marigolds, dwarf sunflowers, tomatoes,
in the garden.
strawberries...
For big gardens: Squash, pumpkins, corn, sunflowers, Use a *dibble to make planting holes
bee balm, milkweed, potatoes, carrots, beans, tomatoes... for large seeds, spacing the holes Grow flowers near your
according to directions on the seed vegetables. The bees
packet. A dibble is also handy for they attract will help
For climbing: Peas, green beans, morning glories,
making planting holes for garlic pollinate the vegetables.
hyacinth beans...
cloves, bulbs, and seedlings.
*See glossary for definition
Did You Know?
The best time to pick vegetables and flowers is the cool hours of morning.Activity Newspaper Seedling Pot
Let’s Get Growing! Place one sheet of newspaper on top of another and
cut them lengthwise into thirds.
Yogurt cups, egg cartons, and even egg shells can be used to start plants from seeds
indoors. You can also make small pots from newspapers. Fill containers with
*organic seed starting mix, plant seeds, keep moist, and place near a sunny window.
The first "baby" leaves that appear are *cotyledons, not true leaves. On tomatoes
cotyledons look like two helicopter propellers. Plants should have 3 or 4 sets of true
Place a small non-tapered glass or small 6oz. can (the type
"adult" leaves before you transplant them into the garden. On tomatoes these leaves
tomato paste comes in) at one end of a strip, with about an
are are crinkly and indented. inch of the paper hanging off the end of the glass.
Your seedlings will need to be *hardened off before you plant them out in the
garden.
If you are purchasing plants from a nursery, choose short healthy ones with thick
stems. They will transplant better than tall, spindly ones.
Roll up the glass loosely, folding the overhanging edge of
Large seeded, fast growing plants, such as beans, peas, and corn do not transplant the newspaper down over the bottom as you go. Flip the
well and should be sown directly in the garden rather than started indoors. glass right side up and press down firmly on the table.
Activity Make a Container Garden
Fill recycled objects with potting soil to make unique gardens:
Like regular gardens, container gardens need water and full sun, at least
5-6 hours a day. Make sure the containers have good drainage.
wood pallets old tires Standing pots close to each other when planting helps
old boots 5 gallon plastic buckets (restaurants will give these away) to hold any loose sides together. You may tape or staple
kid-size plastic swimming pools cinder blocks if you desire a more perfect looking pot.
Choose small plants for small containers. Big plants like tomatoes grow well in 5 gallon
buckets. Did you know a tomato will grow roots from the stem that is planted under ground?
Dig a hole so that most of the stem is covered by soil, burying it up to the first set of leaves.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders. Fertilize with *compost tea or *worm castings.
*See glossary for definitionPlanning Your Garden (cont’d)
Use this area to plan your garden ahead of time using what
you’ve learned. When you know where things will go, it will My Garden Plot Plan
help you be organized in your approach on planting days and
beforehand, when you’re preparing the ground for your plants
to grow and spread out under the sun and rain. It can also
help you get excited about the coming warmer weather while
it’s still too cold or early to plant your seeds and seedlings.
Activity
Mark Your Rows
Paint rocks to look like
vegetables, fruits, and
flowers, then place them at the
beginning of your rows
Some Are:
Do You Know Hitchikers
How Seeds
When you come home from
a hike and find burs on your
Travel?
pants and socks, you are
seeing an important way seeds
get to a new home. Animal fur is
a great place to stick and ride!
Some Are: Some Are:
Flyers Eaten
Some seeds float on Some seeds get help
the air or in water to their traveling to a new place
new destination where in someone’s stomach.
they might land and take After the animal digests
root. the fruit, the seeds are
deposited to begin their
growth cycle in a pile of natural fertilizer.Planning Your Garden (cont’d)
Keep a record of your garden’s growth. Record the date and type of plant
along the bottom of this chart, and keep track of its growth from week to week.
Which grows faster? Which changes the most? Which produces fruit first? Activity
Example
Make a Secret Green Getaway
Collect long branches and arrange
them in a teepee shape. Then grow
Date Date
climbing beans up them to make
a green fort. This can also be done
with sunflowers grown in a circle.
(Ask a tall companion to tie them together up high)
Date Date
Date Date
Date Date
Date
Started
Draw or write the name of the things you planted on the seed packets.
Math activity:
keep a record of growth of fast growing plants like sunflowers.My Garden Notes:
What I planted:
E
ggpla
AUBE nt
A fru
RGINE
subco it which
n is tho
its cu tinent. W ught
to
ltivat ri
ion as tten docu be native
early menta to th
as th ti e In
e 5th on also in dian
centu d
ry in icates
Chin
a.
’yi, er,
san: se
q
iezi, it
where In China yo mean
we sa
y 'chee u say 'qie zi s egg
plant!
se' wh '
en be (eggplant) ’
ing ph
otogra
phed
What’s Happening: Did You Know?
Week # Week #
Week # Week #Week #
Who Visits Your Garden?
Activity
On the following pages, find 35 sneaky
garden friends and learn how to create a
sanctuary for beautiful wild visitors
Week #
Your friends and family will not be the only visitors to your
garden. Invite wildlife guests by planting things they like to
eat and providing homes for them. A tree frog chose my tool
basket for its shelter and a mouse chose to make its nest under
an overturned pot. In late summer Monarch caterpillars spin
beautiful gold-flecked chrysalises all around my garden.
Week #
To welcome guests:
Plant milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies.
Milkweed is the only food source for Monarch caterpillars.
Plant red bee balm for bees and hummingbirds. Hummingbirds like
tubular flowers, especially red ones.
Week #
Plant zinnias for butterflies. The broad flowers make nice landing pads!
Let sunflower heads ripen and stay on the plants through fall and winter,
and watch the birds hang upside down from them to eat the seeds.
Set up bird houses. Bluebirds and wrens eat harmful insects
and are fun to watch in the garden.
Throw weeds, trimmings, and kitchen scraps onto a compost pile.
Worms will thank you!Did You Spot Everybody…?
Summary & Glossary Did You Know?
Gardening terms to know Monarch habitat revitalization
Compost
Decayed plant material used to enrich the soil. Did you know that one of our favourite butterflies,
the Monarch, is in danger? The mysterious 3,000 mile
Worm castings migration of these beautiful black and orange butterflies
Worm manure (poop). It is an excellent natural fertilizer is monitored by scientists. In late summer the butterflies
and can be purchased at a garden center. travel across Canada and the United States to a remote
Organic forested area in central Mexico. In December, 2012
Without chemicals. scientists were alarmed by the lowest Monarch population
ever measured at the overwintering sites. In the United States
Chrysalis
the food source of the Monarch caterpillar is being wiped
A protective case spun by a caterpillar. The transformation into
out by the use of herbicides. Caterpillars will only eat leaves
a butterfly or moth takes place inside the chrysalis.
of the milkweed plant, and when herbicides are widely used
Germinate by farmers, milkweed is killed and there is less food for the
To sprout from a seed and begin to grow into a plant. caterpillars. You can make a difference by planting milkweed
Herbicide in your garden and by asking your gardening friends
A chemical substance used to kill plants, especially weeds. to do the same.
Hardening off
Getting seedlings ready to transplant into the garden by gradually
increasing the time they spend outdoors each day.
Cotyledons Activity
The first leaves to appear from a germinating seed.
Trellis
Make a compost tea
A structure used to support climbing plants. Recipe
Fill a bucket 1/3 with compost then add water to completely fill.
Mulch
Materials such as leaves, compost, or grass clippings placed around Let it steep for several days, stirring each day. Strain through cloth
plants to enrich the soil and keep it moist. (an old shirt will do) into another bucket. Dilute the tea 1:10 and
Dibble give your plants a generous drink.
A pointed hand tool used to make holes in the soil for planting.You can also read
