Troubleshooting
Go with the flow
Have a problem? Don’t panic. The first thing to do is make sure you actually do have a problem. We’ve organized this troubleshooting section to guide you through prevention, recognizing a problem, diagnosing and treatment or control of the issue. Review the prevention guide to learn how you can avoid problems in the future, and continue looking for the teachable moments in your garden adventure.
Prevention – Before there’s a problem.
Arming your class with information and observation is your best chance to stop issues in your classroom garden. Monitor your plants regularly, checking for weakened or diseased materials. Monitoring plant health is a great way to sharpen student’s observation skills! These are our best strategies to avoid problems before they take root.
First Steps – Does the garden have a problem?
Often times a classroom gardener will panic about something ‘normal’ or conditions that can be fixed through restoring favourable growing conditions. We’ve compiled a few simple questions and a plant-needs strategy to help you determine if your problem can be fixed with a little TLC, diligence or ruthlessness in discarding weakened plant materials.
Diagnose – What is the problem?
Know what’s happening but not what’s causing it? We’ve compiled a list of common symptoms, as well as the most common environmental, disease, and pest issues here. Act quickly with issues but remember the appearance of pests or disease does not spell the end of your garden. Even damaged or weakened gardens can still produce a great crop and these issues can lend another dimension to your lessons. Remember – green thumbs are made, not born!
Control – Addressing the problem.
Generally, the presence of plant problems will require one of two approaches: minimal intervention or significant intervention. If your plants are strong and the problem is small, they may not need much intervention, especially if caught early. Always discard diseased, damaged, or weakened plant tissue and read on for more tips on controlling your plant issues.
Still stumped?
After going through the steps above, are you still scratching your head? Submit a help ticket to your Coordinator for extra support!