Applications are now being accepted for the spring Childrens Vegetable Garden program at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)
Applications are now being accepted for the spring Children’s Vegetable Garden program at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

SAN ANTONIO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for Bexar County and the San Antonio Botanical Garden are accepting applications for the Spring 2015 Children’s Vegetable Garden Program, coordinators said.

The Children’s Vegetable Garden is located on the grounds of the San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, San Antonio.

The program is open to children 8-13 years of age from Bexar and surrounding counties. This year, the spring program will take place from 9 a.m.-noon on consecutive Saturdays from Feb. 21 to June 6.

“During the program, children receive their own garden plot in which they prepare soil, plant, weed, nurture, grow and harvest their own vegetables under the guidance of several Bexar County Master Gardener volunteers,” said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture in Bexar County and the program’s administrator.

Bexar County Master Gardeners work with the participants, showing them how to grow vegetables while teaching them about nutrition, the environment and the benefits of outdoor interests. Many of the activities use Junior Master Gardener curriculum in keeping with mandated knowledge and skills requirements for public schools.

Program registration funds are used to purchase seeds, plants, compost, fertilizer, mulch and other materials. An application can be found at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/ or register online at the San Antonio Botanical Garden website at http://www.sabot.org/‎. Submission deadline is Feb. 10. For more registration details, email [email protected] or call 210-207-3278.

“The spring program cost is $30 per child instead of the usual $50, thanks to a generous donation from our friends at Milberger’s Landscaping and Nursery,” Rodriguez said. “Or two children can share a plot for $40.”

Acceptance in the program will be based on completeness of the application and willingness to attend each session, though two absences are allowed, he said

“Many of the children involved don’t know where their vegetables come from, and most have never seen a vegetable garden, much less grown anything,” he said. “The kids are fascinated with the bugs they find in the garden, the types and colors of the plants, and watching their vegetables grow. It really helps give them an appreciation for nature.”

Rodriguez said the program not only teaches kids about gardening, but also acquaints them with math and science — subject areas where the U.S. is behind academically as compared with other developed countries. It also helps them learn about the importance of teamwork, commitment and responsibility.

For more information, contact Rodriquez at 210-467-6575 or [email protected].

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