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Grow Green

May 17, 2021 | obrienbc

Growing your own garden is a great way to save money, provide family fun and get exercise. Community gardening, Farmer's Markets and eating local are all the rage. Get help gardening, from learning the basics to more advance gardening, with these resources and activities to help you complete this 62 Days square and Grow Green.

 

Jump back to 62 Days of Summer for more ways to participate in the summer program!

 

Photo: Colleen O'Brien-Brumley

Books

Beginner's garden : a practical guide to growing vegetables & fruit without getting your hands too dirty by 1971- Alex Mitchell
The bee friendly garden : easy ways to help the bees and make your garden grow by Doug Purdie
Dig in! : 12 easy gardening projects using kitchen scraps by Kari A Cornell
Gardening your front yard : projects and ideas for big & small spaces by 1977- Tara Nolan
Grow a garden! by artist Alexis Frederick-Frost
Native plant gardening for birds, bees, & butterflies. Upper Midwest by Jaret C. Daniels

Hoopla

Hoopla* offers a variety of gardening ebooks, movies and music for the whole family to enjoy.

  • Michigan (ebook) Month-by-Month Gardening is the perfect companion to take the guesswork out of gardening.
  • Growing the  Midwest Garden (ebook) features in-depth chapters on climate, soil, pests, and maintenance, along with plant profiles of the best perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and bulbs.
  • Secret Garden (Read Along) (movie) Uprooted from her home and sent to live with a mysterious uncle, Mary discovers that it just takes a little bit of magic to help gardens and friendships bloom.
  • Planting a Rainbow (movie) A mother and child plant a rainbow of colors in their flower garden.
  • Rock and Roll Garden (music) features many of Bari Koral's most popular hits, including Hey Ducky, The Backpack Song & Best Friends.

*The Hoopla database is accessible with a Canton Public Library card.

Activities

Creativebug* 

* The Creativebug database is accessible with a Canton Public Library card.

Programs

Garden to Table: Edible Sprouts Grab-and-Go program Tuesday, July 20 (All day) to Tuesday, July 27 (All day)

Mini-succulent Art program on July 1st. 

Apps

Keep track of your progress, connect with other gardeners, identify plants and more with these free Apps for iOS and Android.

  • From Seed to Spooning Garden - makes growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs in your backyard or container garden easy.
  • FlowerChecker - a plant identification service using the expertise of real botanists identifying 90% of all plant species. A bonus, no ads!
  • PlantSnap - if you have ever wondered how to identify a plant, or a mushroom, or a tree, this app can be a big help. It's goal is to provide a "digital interface" between people and nature and is available in 30 languages.
  • GardenTags - all-in-one app provides a wealth of information by connecting you to a community of gardeners and an encyclopedia of information including over 20,000 plants. 

Websites

Michigan State University - a fantastic resource for gardening in Michigan. Their website is ripe with tips, tricks, ideas, and even an ask a question section for those extra tough plants that just seem to struggle no matter what one does. As you consider starting a garden or building on an existing one, be sure to check out their recommendations for plants that thrive in our climate.  Check out their printable calendar of planting on the Michigan.gov website. They also provide a free Gardening Hotline!

Bees in the D - gardening is not just about what you put in the soil, but also attracting pollinators to work their magic on flowers, fruit trees, and plants is not only necessary but amazing. Find out more about local bee saving efforts and what you can do to help the bees.

​​Green Education Foundation (GEF) – This national non-profit organization is committed to creating a sustainable future through K-12 education. It’s Garden Resource link has printable pdfs and monthly recommendations for organizing, harvesting, and maintaining your backyard garden.

New York Botanical Gardens - The NYBG  Virtual Garden Tours offers something for everyone! Take a quick walk through seasonal gardens or enjoy a narrated tour by an expert.

Farmer's Markets and Community Gardens

Don't have space for a garden at home? Fear not, local Community Gardens and Farmer's Markets, specifcally the Canton Farmer's Market, will still enable you to be part of the eating local movement.

 

 

Take those fruits and vegetables you've grown and keep participating in the 62 Days of Summer program by completing the Garden to Table square and claim another pom-pom!

 

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer page for more ways to have the best possible summer!