Students learn sustainable gardening techniques

A group of Mt. Scott students and staff are learning about sustainable gardening through visits to the nearby Learning Garden Laboratory (LGL).

The group traveled to LGL in the fall for a wet and cold day of gardening. The activities focused on winter gardening by identifying what grows at that time of year, how a compost pile works, and the importance of planting cover crops for the winter. Students spent the day learning how to identify and trying winter greens, how to make sauerkraut from cabbage they picked, how to pickle and preserve vegetables, planting a winter garden in a green house, clearing summer annuals from the garden, and mulching the garden for winter.

Students also had the opportunity to take home winter greens and garden produce to their families. The group will head back to LGL in January for more winter gardening.

Established in 2005 through a partnership between Portland State University, Portland Public Schools and Portland Parks and Recreation, Learning Garden Laboratory provides a space for K-12, undergraduate and graduate students to practice sustainable gardening, growing food and healthy nutrition. This 11-acre garden education site located in Southeast Portland has evolved over the years, creating new partnerships in order to expand its capacity to provide space as a learning laboratory. The newest partnerships include Oregon State University’s Extension Services as well as OSU Master Gardener and Organic Gardening Certification programs. Partnerships such as these, paired with assistance from LECL graduate assistants, PSU senior capstone students and volunteers allows for LGL to be a fun, interactive space for learning hands-on about sustainable gardening and growing food.

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