The Polytunnel and Young People

I have been pondering for some time how to use the Polytunnel to encourage the students to gain any interest in gardening and the outdoors. To draw them away from the mobile phone.

Here are some ideas to develop the crop grown in a polytunnel to pique young people’s interest in gardening.

Interactive Crops

Fast-growing vegetables

I will be looking at choosing vegetables with short maturity times like radishes, lettuce, or micro-greens. Young people will be motivated by the quick turnaround and can enjoy the fruits (or vegetables) of their labour faster.

Unusual or colourful crops

Planting purple carrots, cherry tomatoes, or rainbow Swiss chard. The novelty can spark curiosity and get them invested in seeing how these unique crops grow.

Gamify the Growing Process

Planting competitions

We could divide the polytunnel into sections and have teams compete to grow the most vegetables, the tallest sunflowers, or the heaviest pumpkins.

Fantasy garden league

Assign point values to different vegetables based on difficulty or rarity. Young people can compete to have the most points in their garden section.

Connect with Social Media

Time-lapse videos

We are setting up cameras in various locations. We could set-up a time-lapse camera to capture the growth process of a plant from seed to harvest. We will post the results to the website.

Make it Fun and Educational

Planting parties

We could organise planting parties with music, snacks, and games. Make it a social event where young people can learn while having fun.

Scavenger hunts

Hide clues around the polytunnel related to the plants being grown. Young people can learn about different vegetables and their properties while searching.

DIY projects

We will set up a crafting area where young people can make seed bombs, plant markers, or scarecrows using recycled materials.

Involve Young People in Decision Making

Crop selection

Let young people have a say in what vegetables are grown in the polytunnel. Conduct polls or surveys to get their input.

Theme the polytunnel

Choose a theme like a pizza garden (growing tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs) or a butterfly garden (planting flowers that attract butterflies).

Conclusion

Not sure how many of these ideas we will try but we are wanting the students to be involved at every level and hopefully enjoy gardening as a hobby. By incorporating these elements, we hope to turn the polytunnel into a fun and engaging space that ignites young people’s curiosity about gardening and the wonders of growing their own food.