Compost and Preparing the Soil
Ages 4 and up (2-3 30-45 minute sessions)
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Objectives:
- To understand what compost is and why its good for the garden
- To introduce the children to machinery that cultivates the soil so they can begin to understand how it works
- Learn basic machinery safety
Materials:
- Compost
- Shovels, pitch forks, spades
- Magnifying lenses
- 3 wooden pallets
- 9 feet of 4 foot chicken wire with 2 inch holes
- Nails and a hammer
- Rototiller
- Another adult
Set up:
Show the children the compost and talk about what it looks like, what they think compost is made of. Reading books about composting will help the children understand how to create compost. Set up a simple compost bin near their garden using the wooden pallets and chicken wire. Use one pallet for the back and the other two for the sides. Fasten them together with nails or rope, and line them with the chicken wire. (Contact your local extension office for more information on composting. The Merrimack county office in Boscawen has a backyard composting demonstration site).
If you don’t own a rototiller, contact a local equipment or machinery rental company. Rear tine tillers work best. Make sure that you’re able to start, operate and stop the piece of equipment. Use gloves, closed shoes and safety glasses.
Part One:
Encourage the children to dig into the compost. Talk about what they see in the compost (worms and many different kinds of bugs). Have them count of the number of worms they find. Many of the children understand the concept of the worm castings being good for the plants and garden.
Begin to move the compost pile to the garden with shovels, pitch forks and other tools. Try setting up a bucket brigade with the children. It might spice up the chore at hand. Several days may be needed to move the compost and spread it out on the garden area.
Part two:
Talk about why we prepare soil for planting. Talk about what would happen if the soil wasn’t turned over in the spring. Cut a square foot of soil out of the untilled garden and show the kids how compacted it is. Talk about water getting through it. Talk about where the roots will be as the plants grow. Explain what a rototiller does.
Part Three:
Have a helper bring the children to a safe distance to observe the machinery at work. Till about half the plot. Stop the equipment. Allow the children to come out and explore the newly tilled soil. Talk about how it’s changed. Have the children feel the difference between the tilled soil and untilled soil.
Questions:
- How does compost help our plants?
- Why do the worms like the compost so much?
- Why is compost good for the environment?
- What is humus?
- Why is it good to compost our yard and food wastes?
- What do the tines on the tiller look like?
- Which soil do you think the plants will like the best?
Glossary:
Compost: Compost is made of many things like grass, leaves, stable waste and food wastes. These ingredients decompose over time and turn into humus.
Humus: the rich dark nutrient rich soil layer of your garden.
Castings: droppings/ manure.
