Community Garden Workshop

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens

Instructor: Tyler Mason
Workshop Title: Growing Vegetables on the High Plains
Students: Community gardeners at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens
Student Demographics: Learners for this workshop are adults between the ages of 30 and 70.
Students will have participated in the 2015 community garden program at the Cheyenne Botanic
Gardens. Gardeners pay an annual fee of $35 for an 800 square foot garden plot. Income levels
fall between low, middle, and high. However, the majority of gardeners can be described as
middle-income earners. The community garden program is open to families with children.
However, this workshop is focused on adult learners. The ethnic background of the students is
similar to that of the city of Cheyenne demographics, in that approximately 78 % are Caucasian,
15 % are Hispanic, 3 % are African-American, 1 % is American Indian, and 3 % are classified as
Other (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015).
Learning Situation: This workshop is designed to teach rookie and veteran gardeners about
vegetable gardening on the high plains. It will occur on a Saturday in September after the first
frost of the season. The entire workshop will last approximately three hours. I estimate 45
students will be in attendance. The workshop is free and open to all community gardeners and
interested Cheyenne citizens. It will be promoted through the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens
website, E-mail newsletter, radio program, and the Wyoming-Tribune Eagle newspaper.
Educational Philosophies Incorporated: This workshop is designed to help community gardeners
and interested Cheyenne residents improve their gardening expertise. I incorporated several
educational philosophies to make this workshop informative and engaging. Largely, I built this
lesson plan with andragogy principles. It also incorporates practices from the social cognitive
theory, the experiential learning theory and the constructivist learning theory.
Adult Education Rationale: The principles of andragogy serve as the basis for planning this
gardening workshop. My lesson plan objectives are aimed at teaching adults with relevant
experiences, an internal drive, and a strong sense of self (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Because
adults derive meaning from their life experiences, a workshop at the end of the growing season
will allow learners to reflect on current and previous garden experiences. I focused on using
learning activities that will help gardeners improve their harvests for future years in order to
appeal to the adult learners need to understand the benefit of learning new information. My
ultimate goal with this lesson is to facilitate a community of truth on gardening. According to
Palmer (2007), a community of truth places knowledge at the center of the learning experience.
The instructors role is to facilitate learning experiences and discussions with and between the
students.

Learning Objectives: The learners will gain a deeper understanding for vegetable gardening on
the high plains by participating in discussion, reviewing garden handouts, and engaging with
other students and the instructor. The principle objective is to use current and previous gardening
experiences to improve gardening knowledge and skills. This will be measured by addressing the
following four objectives.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Describe weather phenomenon that influences gardening on the high plains.

Explain ways to offset difficult climactic conditions.
Identify insect and animal problems affecting yield.
Synthesize a list of productive vegetable crops for the high plains.

Resources and Teaching Tools:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Computer projector
Pull-down screen
PowerPoint Presentation for workshop
Notes Page (Appendix A)
Cheyenne Planting Schedule (Appendix B)
Hardy Vegetables Short List (Appendix C)
Harvest Yield Spreadsheet (Appendix D)

Interest Approach: Last year was one of the most difficult years for gardening on the high plains.
We endured drought. We sustained two major hailstorms. One storm even dropped quarter-sized
hailstones for ten minutes. And Cheyenne continues to boast a high average wind speed of 13
miles per hour. Luckily, we have plenty of sunlight and an altitude of 6,000 feet to keep us warm
in the summer. Finally, lets not forget about last November when the temperature dropped
suddenly from the mid-50s to the negative 30s. It looks like our pine and juniper trees are still
struggling. Suffice it to say we have our work cut out for us as gardeners. Yet, here we are.
Were thankful for this years tomatoes, peppers, and squash. As gardeners, we continue to
dream about growing the perfect artichoke or watermelon. When it comes to poor yields, we
adopt the Chicago Cubs professional baseball team mentality, theres always next year. My goal
is to help you have your best harvest yield ever next year and for years to come. We can do this
by working and learning together. My name is Tyler Mason and I work as the horticulturist for
the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.

Subject Matter Content

Growing Vegetables on the High Plains

Educational Philosophy/Rationale
Before the workshop starts, I will pass out copies
of the Notes Page (Appendix A), the Cheyenne
Planting Schedule (Appendix B), the Hardy
Vegetables Short List (Appendix C), and the
Harvest Yield Spreadsheet (Appendix D).

Tyler Mason
Cheyenne Botanic Gardens
Horticulturist
(Slide 1)

I will start with the Interest Approach. Then I will

introduce myself and the learning objectives.
What challenges do you have with the weather in
Cheyenne?

Objective 1: Describe weather phenomenon that

influences gardening on the high plains
(Slide 2)
Educational philosophy involved: Andragogy
Adults have much experience and knowledge that
forms a basis for building new information. They
need to feel their knowledge is respected and
valued to establish rapport with the instructor.
Since I will be younger than most of the
gardeners, it is essential to gain their respect.
Activity: Have the learners write down their
answers on the Notes Page (Appendix A) as their
peers present them.

Gardening in Cheyenne includes

1. Drought
2. High elevation
3. Wind
4. Short growing season (May 20-Sept. 20)
(Slide 3)

What strategies do you employ to overcome difficult

climactic conditions?
(Slide 4)

I will explain my experiences and difficulties

while gardening in Cheyenne. My goal is to share
information with the learners regarding our USDA
hardiness zone. We are considered zone 5 based
on temperature, however the intense wind.
Elevation, and inconsistent moisture put added
stress on our plants. I will encourage students to
select zone 4 perennial vegetables and herbs.
Objective 2: Explain ways to offset difficult
climactic conditions.
Educational philosophy involved: Experiential
learning
Adults are active learners that synthesize meaning
from previous experiences. I will help them
reflect and share those experiences so all the
students can learn from them (Kolb, 1984, p.26).
Activity: Have the learners write down the
answers on the Notes Page (Appendix A) as their
peers present them.

Overcome the weather by

A. Extending your growing season
1. Start seeds indoors
2. Plant outside with insulation
a. Wall of water
b. Floating row cover
c. Painters plastic

I will offer solutions to complement the strategies

previously described by the class. I will also help
clarify and explain why these solutions extend out
growing season. I will use my gardening
experiences to provide illustrations to help
gardeners learn about season extenders.
(Slide 5)

Overcome the weather by

B. Warming the soil to plant sooner
1. Rake the soil so its level and clump free
2. Water the soil so it is moist 12 down
3. Tightly stretch plastic over the soil
4. Plastic creates a greenhouse effect
5. You can plant 14 days later

Educational philosophy involved: Social

cognitive theory
By modeling and describing ways to extend the
growing season, other learners can identify ways
they can improve their seasonal harvest. Adults
are able to learn practical skills by learning from
others in a social situation (Merriam & Bierema,
2014). I will model and encourage other gardeners
to model behaviors for new gardeners to adopt.
I will describe how warm soil creates a
microclimate for seeds to grow even when the air
temperatures are cool.

(Slide 6)
Overcome the weather by
C. Mulching planted beds
1. Mulch keeps the soil moist
2. Smothers weeds
3. Reduces erosion
4. Maintains even soil temperature

I will demonstrate the benefits of mulch by

walking the learners around the childrens garden
to see how mulch suppresses weed growth and
holds in moisture. (Estimated time for activity is
10-15 minutes with time for questions).
(Slide 7)

Overcome the weather by

D. Planning succession plantings
1. Plant herbs every two weeks (parsley, cilantro,
basil etc.)
2. Sow veggies every two weeks (lettuce,
radishes, spinach, etc.)
(Slide 8)

I will explain the importance of succession

planting to maintain a continuous supply of fresh
herbs.
I will also ask learners how they prefer to store
herbs for culinary use.
Educational philosophy involved: Constructivism
Previous experience is a resource for adult
learners. It can also inspire adult learners to try a
new approach, if the previous experience is a bad
one.
Teaching tactic: Problem-based learning
I will explain that I tried to freeze cilantro in an
ice cube tray for homemade salsa. This turned into
a culinary disaster. The flavor profile of frozen
cilantro is very different from fresh cilantro. Then
I will ask the community gardeners what has
worked for preserving cilantro for them.

What issues do you have with insects and animals?

(Write on the white board all the problems community
gardeners have with pests).
How have you dealt with pest problems in your garden?
(Slide 9)

Scenario # 1
Time: Mid July
Crop: Cabbage
Primary Symptoms/Signs: There is scattered feeding on the
outside edges of the lower leaves and a slimy substance on
the surface of the soil.
Secondary Symptoms/Signs: The soil under your plants is
cool, shaded, and moist.
What is the problem?
How do you treat it?
(Slide 10)

Objective 3: Identify insect and animal problems

affecting yield.
Educational philosophy involved: Social
cognitive theory
Adults can learn much by observing and repeating
productive behaviors that their peers have
employed. After adults stop listing answers for
dealing with insect and animal problems, I will
introduce scenarios to help them identify and treat
living pest problems.
Educational philosophy involved: Social
cognitive theory
Teaching tactic: Cognitive apprenticeship
I will use a case study to help my learners
understand the process for identifying plant
problem. By incorporating a cognitive
apprenticeship teaching approach I can model the
thought process for effective problem solving
(Merriam & Bierema, 2014).
First, I will explain the differences between signs
(principal damage/insect/animal/disease) and
symptoms (plants response to the damage)
Second, I will explain the difference between
biotic problems (living) and abiotic problems
(non-living). Most notable biotic problems are
scattered and abiotic problems are consistent
throughout the plant.
Third, I will encourage my learners to use all of
their physical and mental capabilities to identify
problems.
In this case, the primary sign of scattered feeding
on the lower leaves is a strong indicator of insect
damage. Secondly, a slimy substance on the soil
surface is a good indicator of slug damage.
Additionally, wet soil is a great habitat for slugs.
The easiest solution is to let the soil dry out
between waterings. Slugs often occur as a result
of overwatering. Also gardeners could use beer in
a saucer to trap and kill slugs. Or gardeners could
apply Sluggo to kill slugs on the soil.

Scenario # 2
Time: Early August
Crop: Tomatoes
Primary Symptoms/Signs: There is yellow stripping
between the veins of leaves on all of the leaves
Secondary Symptoms/Signs: None
What is the problem?
How do you treat it?
(Slide 11)

Educational philosophy involved: Social

cognitive theory
Teaching tactic: Cognitive apprenticeship
Ask the students if they have ever had any
problems like this occurring in the past.
Explain that this is a typical problem in Cheyenne.
The key indicator is the time of year. It is late in
the season, so crops have been growing for some
time. The primary symptom is easy to identify as
interveinal chlorosis (fancy science term for
yellowing between the veins on leaves).
I will explain that because the problem is the same
throughout the entire plant, that it is likely an
abiotic problem. This is usually caused by stress
from overwatering, inadequate sunlight, weather
damage, or lack of fertilizer. This problem is
caused by Cheyennes alkaline soil (too high pH).
It makes the iron unavailable in the soil.
Explain that the solution is to either lower the pH
of the soil with Sulphur or apply chelated iron as a
fertilizer. Both lower the soil pH, so Iron nutrients
become available.
Its important that gardeners understand that not
every problem is caused by an insect, disease, or
animal. Using a cognitive apprenticeship
approach is appropriate to help adult learners
think through problems instead of misdiagnosing
and mistreating them.

Scenario # 3
Time: Mid June
Crop: Carrot tops & lettuce
Primary Symptoms/Signs: The tops of carrots and lettuce
are chewed down to .
Secondary Symptoms/Signs: None
What is the problem?
How do you treat it?
(Slide 12)

Educational philosophy involved: social cognitive

theory
Teaching tactic: Cognitive apprenticeship
I will ask my learners if they have ever had any
experience with this in the past. Most likely some
one will identify the problem as rabbit feeding. I
will explain that some problems are difficult to
diagnose because there are so few symptoms.
Sometimes, we need to rely on our previous
experiences as gardeners to identify typical
problems.
The primary sign is chewing on the entire shoot
system of the plants. Also non-selective feeding
is a sign of rodents. Insects tend to prefer certain
plants over others.
I will explain that rabbits are a serious problem at
the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens because they have
so few natural predators and an abundance of
food.
The easiest way to treat rabbit problems is to put
up a fence around your crops. A second solution
is to apply Shake Away, which smells like a baby
threw up after eating 10 pounds of garlic and hot
sauce.
(Estimated time for all 3 scenarios is 30-35
minutes with questions and comments).

Growing food suitable for the high plains

E. Timing is everything
1. Start seeds indoors (where possible)
2. Direct sow when temperatures are appropriate
(Slide 13)

Objective 4: Synthesize lists of productive

vegetable crops for the high plains.
Have learners refer to the Cheyenne Planting
Schedule (Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, 2015)
(Appendix B).
Educational philosophy involved: Andragogy
I will explain the reasoning behind using the
planting schedule so my adult learners understand
the reasoning to learn this new material. The
benefit is a more productive harvest.
I will walk the learners through the planting
schedule so they understand crop timing and the
differences between cool season and warm season
crops.

Growing food suitable for the high plains

F. Grow cool season crops (spinach, leafy greens,
rhubarb, potatoes, peas, onions, beets, carrots)
G. Grow Cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi)
(Slide 14)

Educational philosophy involved: Experiential

Learning
According to Kolb (1984), learning is as much of
a process as it is an outcome. I want to encourage
the students to approach gardening as a life-long
passion, where they can try different crops
(concrete experience), reflect on the crops that
grew well (reflective observation), synthesize
knowledge from that experience (abstract
conceptualization), and apply they knowledge
with another crop (active experimentation). Its
important that they see their learning is a
continual process in which their successes and
failures lead to better gardening.
I will describe the differences between cool
season crops and Cole crops. Cool season crops
have the ability to withstand cooler night
temperatures and still grow. Cole crops form a
head that allows the plant to pull sugars in to use
as an antifreeze agent.
Ask the adult learners what experiences they have
with growing cool season crops and what methods
they use to grow the crops.
Then we will visit the hoop house at the childrens
garden to see how cold protection improves
vegetable growing. I will also demonstrate the
affects of floating row cover and water containers
on raising the nighttime temperature for plants.
The goal is to help learners combine the effects of
season extenders and cool season crops to extend
the harvest. (Estimated time for activity is 20-25
minutes with time for questions as people often
ask about the cost and type of materials used to
build a hoop house).

Growing food suitable for the high plains

H. Great cherry tomatoes
1. Sun Gold - Orange variety
2. Matts Wild Cherry - Reddish/pink
3. Yellow Pear - Sweet and delicious
4. Black Cherry - rich, smoky, and dark
(Slide 15)

Educational philosophy involved: Social

cognitive theory
Teaching tactic: Community of truth
This section of the workshop is often a favorite
for gardeners. I think the most appropriate
teaching tactic is to incorporate a community of
truth learning environment where the subject of
which crops to grow is at the center of the
conversation (Palmer, 2007, p.107). In order to
accomplish this I will facilitate an interactive
discussion with the adult learners. I want to
embrace the circuitous path the conversation may
take between rookie and veteran gardeners. I
expect some agreement and conflict to arise about
which crops to grow. It is my opinion that the
conflict will lead to more thought provoking
questions and discussion surrounding the subject.
I am optimistic that the dialogue will provide an
opportunity for open and honest discussion.
Collectively, the class will have more experience
as a whole than me. Its essential for me to let the
class wander in and around the subject of favorite
plants on the high plains.
During the discussion, I will offer some of my
favorite cherry tomato varieties. The goal will be
to explain that cherry tomatoes have the benefit of
taking fewer days to develop than medium or
large sized fruit. Therefore, they will produce
more finished fruit than a typical tomato variety.

Growing food suitable for the high plains

I. Great tomato varieties
1. Legend - Hybrid variety, 68 days
2. Stupice - Heirloom, 60 days
3. Black Plum - Russian heirloom, 72 days
(Slide 16)

I will explain the benefits of growing short season

tomato varieties. On average they take 2-3 fewer
week to develop than traditional Brandywine
varieties that could take up to 90 days to mature.

Growing food suitable for the high plains

J. Great vegetable varieties
1. Tavera bush bean - 54 days
3. Chioggia beet - 55 days
4. Fairy tale eggplant - 50 days
5. Tom thumb lettuce - 34 days
6. Lacinato kale - 50 days
7. Sugar ann snap peas - 56 days

I will continue the community of truth by

engaging the class in a discussion on other short
season vegetable varieties.
Students will be encouraged to add notes and
reflections to the Hardy Vegetable Shortlist
(Galloway, 2012).
(Appendix C).
(Slide 17)

Conclusion
Gardening on the high plains requires:
1. Careful planning
2. Season extending practices
3. An understanding of weather phenomenon
4. Ability to deduce pest problems
5. Willingness to try new plant varieties
(Slide 18)

I will conclude by briefly reviewing the practices

we discovered as a class. I will encourage
gardeners to share some of the concepts they
found most interesting by reviewing their Notes
Page.

Questions?

I will give adults the opportunity to ask any

questions they may still have.

(Slide 19)
Volunteering opportunities
(Slide 20)

Educational philosophy involved: Constructivism

Teaching tactic: Service learning
I will discuss volunteering opportunities at the
Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. I will explain how
regularly volunteering will provide them an
opportunity to continually synthesize new
information from their learning experiences.

Conclusion: Its my opinion that that gardening on the high plains is difficult and incredibly
rewarding. Sometimes it seems like all the odds are stacked against us. Bad weather, short
season, hail, and rabbits can easily get us down. Its in these moments that we accomplish the
impossible. We have faith that a tiny seed with guidance and support can sprout, grow, and
mature into something as wonderful and delicious as homegrown tomato. Also be sure to use the
Harvest Yield Spreadsheet (Appendix D) to see how your annual yields compare, so you make
appropriate changes for next year. Remember there is a wealth of resources around you; consider
all the experiences that your fellow gardeners shared with you today. Keep in mind there are
plenty of gardening books you borrow from the Botanic Gardens and Laramie County Library.
Also if you are interested in volunteering feel free to talk to me later or check out our website
www.botanic.org.

References
Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. (2015). Schedule for planting you vegetable garden in Cheyenne.
Retrieved from http://www.botanic.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/
plantingschedule.pdf
Galloway, W. (2012). Grow cook eat: A food-lovers guide to vegetable gardening. Seattle, WA:
Sasquatch Books.
Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Merriam, B. Sharan, & Bierema, L. Laura (2014). Adult learning: linking theory and practice.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Palmer, J. Parker (2007). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teachers life.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
United States Census Bureau. (2015). Cheyenne, Wyoming. Retrieved from
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56/5613900.html

Appendix A: Notes Page

What challenges do you have with the weather in Cheyenne?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What strategies do you use to overcome difficult climactic conditions?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What are examples of biotic pest problems?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What are examples of non-living plant problems?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Example of ways to extend your growing season:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Take away messages:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
Appendix B: Cheyenne Planting Schedule

Knowing when to plant is one of the keys to successful vegetable gardening on the high plains.
The following planting dates are based upon Cheyennes average weather. Unfortunately, the
weather in Cheyenne is rarely average. Our climate is more often than not marked by extremes.
Even so, this schedule will help you plan out the optimum planting times.
AVERAGE FROST DATES FOR CHEYENNE:
The last average frost-free date is May 20th. The first average frost date is September 20th.
Remember, the weather in Cheyenne is rarely average! These are the dates that the chances of a
first or last frost are 50 %, so frost can be looming before or after these dates.
The Schedule: When to set out seeds or transplants
Plant After April
15th
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Leafy greens
Cauliflower
Onions
Peas
Potatoes
Spinach
Kohlrabi
Brussels Sprouts
Rhubarb

Plant After
May 1st
Beets
Carrots
Chard
Herbs
Mustard
Parsnip
Perennials
Radish

Plant Around
May 25th
Pole Beans
Bush Beans
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Peppers
Tomatoes

Plant through
June
Bush Beans
Leafy greens
Root crops
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kohlrabi
Peas

Plant Early
August
Spinach
Radish

Appendix C: Hardy Vegetables Shortlist

Suitable crops for the high plains
Great cherry tomato varieties
Sun Gold - Orange variety
Matts Wild Cherry - Reddish/pink
Yellow Pear - Sweet and delicious
Black Cherry - rich, smoky, and dark
Medium sized tomato varieties
Legend - Hybrid variety, 68 days to maturity
Stupice - Heirloom, 60 days to maturity
Black Plum - Russian heirloom, 72 days to maturity
Ornamental and edible vegetable varieties
Tavera bush bean - 54 days to maturity
Chioggia beet - 55 days to maturity
Fairy tale eggplant - 50 days to maturity
Tom thumb lettuce - 34 days to maturity
Lacinato kale - 50 days to maturity
Sugar ann snap peas - 56 days maturity

Appendix D: Harvest Yield Spreadsheet

Date
6-10-15

Crop
Cabbage

Notes
Half are ready for harvest

Weight (pounds of produce)

2.5 pounds (example)

Total: 2.5 pounds