School gardens: April - July - ready before the summer

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By sowing and planting early crops, it is possible to clear the gardens before the summer holidays. Alternatively, an autumn crop such as pumpkins can be sown afterwards. These can manage for quite a while with less attention. Another option is to sow green manure crops during this period that flower beautifully. This is, for example, how it is done in the Municipality of Nijmegen.

School gardens open during the summer holidays

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Most children do not go on holiday for the entire summer. If a few volunteers open the garden once a week, the children can come and work in the garden. This happens, for example, in the Municipality of Leiden. Nothing is sown during the summer, but sometimes crops are harvested and, of course, the garden is weeded and watered. It is a wonderful holiday activity for the weeks when children are at home.

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School gardens managed by an after-school care program or daycare center

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During the holidays, children often go to the holiday program offered by an after-school care program. Consult an after-school care program in your area to see whether they can maintain the garden during the summer holidays. This also involves more children.

Neighborhood residents keep an eye on the garden

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Neighborhood residents usually do not mind keeping an eye on things. Perhaps someone would also be willing to water the garden occasionally. The end of the school year is a good opportunity to invite neighborhood residents for a cup of coffee and show them the school garden. There are often people who enjoy helping out a little.

Volunteers maintain the garden

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There are plenty of gardening enthusiasts who enjoy helping out for an hour now and then, including during the summer holidays. Gardening is becoming increasingly popular as a hobby, but not everyone has enough time for their own vegetable garden. Helping out for a few hours during the summer holidays is therefore a great solution for many people. And perhaps you can reward them with a small share of the harvest, or with a convivial drink and toast topped with school-garden herbs or flower butter in September.