If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at gardening GEHS’ newest club, Gardening Club, might be for you. 

In Gardening Club members will plant and care for different types of plants. The club is sponsored by Ryan Ridder. 

“We have a plot between the soccer fields and the trails building,” Ridder said.

The club is currently preparing the plot to make it ready for planting next fall. 

“On one plot we’re going to dig up the dirt, and then on the other one we’re going to use cardboard to smother the grass,” Ridder said. “So we’re going to let that sit over the summer and then we can kind of do a little experiment where we compare the effectiveness.”

In the fall Gardening Club will plant native plant species, specifically native pollinator species.

“Kansas soil is very clay heavy, so we want to start by planting species that are going to be kind of used to that.” Ridder said. ”We won’t really have done much to prepare the soil otherwise.”

As the soil is treated more different kinds of non-native plants can be planted. 

“I wanted to start some kind of club here and gardening is fun,” Ridder said. “I mean I can’t say I know too much about it, that’s part of the reason why I have guest speakers come in.”

The members of Gardening Club get to choose what gets planted.

“We already have a pollinator garden on the other side of the building,” Ridder said. “I thought it would be a good idea to have one on this side of the building.”

Gardening Club meets every Tuesday after school from three-ten to three-forty.

“Tuesdays for now it’s three ten to three forty,” Ridder said. “Now over the years if it grows you know we could expand that but just for now starting out Tuesday’s 3;10 to three 3:40.”

If you are interested in joining Gardening Club join the Google Classroom, the code can be found on the seminar slideshow or on a handout found in room 310.