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Keiki with the Ocean View Boys and Girls Club got hands-on experience potting their own plants.
Keiki on Hawaiʻi Island are discovering the joy of growing their own plants with the help of the UH Master Gardeners.
Master gardeners are volunteers trained by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to share gardening knowledge with their communities. They recently distributed more than 200 plant seedlings to 10 schools and youth programs from Waimea to Naʻalehu, reaching more than 1,300 students.
Organized by Cooperative Extension Agent Marielle Hampton and West Hawaiʻi Master Gardener President Michael Paris, the ongoing initiative nurtures young gardeners by supplying plants, site visits and providing expert growing advice.
Young sprouts, big lessons
Using seedlings instead of seeds saved time and gave students immediate hands-on practice. “Students were able to plant their own seedlings, water them daily, and see how much they had grown in six weeks,” said Elijah Navarro of the Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation in Naʻalehu.
The West Hawaiʻi Master Gardeners conducted regular check-ins, helped tailor plant selections to each garden’s conditions, and responded to questions and concerns from educators.
“They brought in a variety of plants and vegetables to see what would grow at this elevation,” said Sandy Mayberry, the garden teacher at Kealakehe Elementary School.
The West Hawaiʻi Master Gardeners will continue the project, with plans to expand to additional sites. For gardening questions, they can be reached at (808) 322-4893 or konamg@hawaii.edu.
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