At the Tayport Community Garden we are always looking to do new fun activities for all ages. Here I will share some of the activities I have helped with during my time at the Garden.
Grass Heads
Keep your grass heads well-watered to make sure that their grass hair grows!
Very well known, cheap and effective Grass Heads are great for all ages, however if you are very wee some adult help to start with will be best)
You will need:
-A pop sock (or cut up tights)
– Soil
– Grass seeds
– Googly eyes
– Glue
– Any other decorations you may wish to add (e.g. small elastic bands make great ears, and sharpies can give your Grass Head a face)
What to do:
1. Put your hand in the pop sock and pick up a small handful of grass seeds.
2. Pull the sock off your hand inside out so the seeds are now inside.
3. Fill the stocking with some soil and tie in a tight knot.
4. The grass goes at the top so hold it up and stick on your googly eyes.
5. Add any additional decoration
6. Water and watch your grass head grow his grassy hair, have fun chopping it hairstyles or letting it grow long.
Sticks on String
It’s very simple to do and quite effective, sticking these sticks in the garden will brighten it up, and they can also be used to support plants that grow nice and tall.
You will need:
-Sticks
-Different coloured string / wool
-Any other decorations you want
What to do:
1. Pick your stick
(If it’s going to support a plant make sure it’s the right length and will be strong enough, bamboo canes or willow are great for this)
2. Select your string/wool and wind it around your stick knotting it in place.
3. Cover as much or as little of your stick as you want but make sure it is nice and tight so it won’t blow off when it’s outside.
4. Add any additional decoration and stick your stick in the ground.
CD bird-scarers
Another activity to try especially if you are growing tasty fruit and veg or just want a bit of sparkle is hanging CDs. Although birds are great they can be pests when they nibble at your veggies, hanging CDs keeps the birds away because they don’t like reflective surfaces.
You will need:
-CDs (you can get blank CDs in lots of shops or buy cheap ones in second hand shops)
-String
-Decorations (e.g. glue, glitter, glass pens, paint, etc.)
What to do:
1. The shiny side of the CD needs to stay shiny so make sure your patterns on the duller/label side of the disc.
2. Decorate this side with as much as you want and make sure everything stays stuck on tight so bits don’t fall into your plants.
3. When it’s dry loop enough string around your CD to hold it tight and be able to hang it up.
4. Hang it up and watch your yummy foods grow under your sparkling designs and keep the birds at bay.
Bird feeders
Seedy fat balls are a great way to make your garden more bird-friendly.
If we arent going to let the birds eat our home grown goodies it is only fair to put out some sort of alternative. Especially in the winter and spring when its cold or chicks are hatching, this is when they need plenty of nutrition.
The first feeders are fat balls.
You will need:
-Bird feed/seeds (chunks of apple are especially enjoyed by blackbirds)
-Fat (lard or margarine)
-String
What to do:
- Melt your fat in a big pan or work until soft.
- Make sure its cool enough to handle if melted then add your seeds.
- Use a spoon or your hands and mix it all together.
- Scoop a generous amount out and shape into a ball.
- If you want to hang the Fat Balls mould around the string.
- Leave out to dry if hanging and put it somewhere you can watch the hungry birds.
Another simple bird feeder is Cereal O’s on string.
You will need:
-Cereal O’s (most toasted oats are great for birds but double check online if the cereal you have is good for birds)
-String/ Wool/ Thread
What to do:
- Tie a knot in your string so the cereal wont fall off the end.
- thread the cereal onto your string.
- Tie a loop at the top and hang around your garden.
Easy PEAsy
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