Gardening
Resources
- Gardening Workbook
- Scoutmaster Bucky's Merit Badge Advancement Quick Reference
- Scoutmaster Bucky's Acknowledgement Form
Related
Gardening Requirements Current Scouts BSA requirements
as of March 8, 2025
as of March 8, 2025
1.
Do the following:
a.
Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards associated with
gardening and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate,
and respond to these hazards.
b.
Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could
occur while gardening, including cuts, scratches, puncture wounds,
insect bites, anaphylactic shock, heat reactions, and reactions from
exposure to pesticides and fertilizers.
2.
Do the following, and discuss your observations throughout the process with
your counselor:
a.
Grow six vegetables, three from seeds and three from seedlings, through
harvest.
b.
Grow six flowers, three from seeds and three from seedlings, through
flowering.
3.
Give the nutritional value of the following:
a.
Three root or tuber crops
b.
Three vegetables that bear above the ground
c.
Three fruits.
4.
Test 100 seeds for germination. Determine the percentage of seeds that
germinate. Explain why you think some did not germinate.
5.
Visit your county extension agent's office, local university, agricultural
college, nursery, farm, or a botanical garden or arboretum. Report on what
you learned.
6.
Explain to your counselor how and why honeybees are used in pollinating
food crops and the problems that face the bee population today. Discuss
what the impact to humanity would be if there were no pollinators.
7.
Identify five garden pests (insects, diseased plants). Recommend two
solutions for each pest. At least one of the two solutions must be an
organic method.
8.
Do ONE of the following and record weekly observations. Discuss the results
of your project with your counselor.
a.
Build a compost bin and maintain it for 90 days.
b.
Build a vermipost bin (worm compost bin) and maintain it for 90 days.
c.
Build a hydroponic garden containing three vegetables or herbs, or
three ornamental plants. Maintain this garden through harvest or
flowering, or for 90 days.
d.
Build one water garden, either in a container (at least 12 by 6 inches
and 6 inches deep), or in the ground as a small, decorative pond no
larger than 6 by 3 feet and 24 inches deep. Maintain the water garden
for 90 days.
e.
Prepare a honey super for use on a hive or colony. Remove a filled
honey super from the hive or colony and prepare the honey for sale.
f.
Grow a garden of your own using soil from seed or plantings to harvest
or for 90 days, whichever is earlier. This can be an outdoor garden or
indoors using appropriate containers, and should include at least three
types of plants approved by your counselor.
9.
Do ONE of the following:
a.
Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge
in gardening. Pick one and research the training, education,
certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with
entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting
salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this
career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you
might be interested in this career.
b.
Identify how you might use the skills and knowledge in gardening to
pursue a personal hobby and/or healthy lifestyle. Research the
additional training required, expenses, and affiliation with
organizations that would help you maximize the enjoyment and benefit
you might gain from it. Discuss what you learned with your counselor
and share what short-term and long-term goals you might have if you
pursued this.
