WINNSBORO, La. (KNOE) – The LSU AgCenter held a special workshop in Winnsboro to help teachers, school gardeners and volunteers keep school gardens growing year-round.
Organizers say many school gardens start with a lot of excitement but can be tough to maintain once the heat sets in, weeds take over and schedules get busy. The workshop focused on practical, easy-to-follow steps educators can use to keep gardens alive and keep them useful for students.
The training is part of the LSU AgCenter’s Planting the Seed program, blending classroom instruction with hands-on practice. Participants learned how to start plants, manage the basics and avoid common mistakes that can lead to uneven growth and setbacks later in the season.
One of the instructors, Izzi Frank, Seeds to Success horticulture program specialist, walked participants through planting techniques and explained how consistency early on can help plants develop evenly.
Teachers at the workshop said they were already leaving with ideas they could use immediately. Catherine Todd, a teacher at Riverfield Academy, said the hands-on approach is what makes lessons stick with students.
“I think that children learn best when they’re actively involved in their learning, as opposed to you just tell them the information. They’re not going to remember it, but if they do it, if they discover it for themselves, if they’re hands-on, if they use all of their senses, then they’re going to remember it,” Todd said.
According to the LSU AgCenter, school gardens are increasingly being used across Louisiana as outdoor classrooms, giving students hands-on learning opportunities in science, nutrition and food systems.
The workshop was held at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Region office in Winnsboro.
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