2nd Grade Gardening

[Lauren Danner]

Photo Log from Judy Sims!

                                               Spring Garden Activity at Monte Vista School

The wheat crop is a lighter green now. It doesn’t need watering to get to maturity. Hopefully we’ll be able to harvest some of the wheat before the end of the school year--and make bread! As we sorted out worms from the dark “brown gold” compost made by the worms, we learned about vermi-composting. We will add this compost to the lime tree in the MV orchard garden. Near the garden entrance the weeping mulberry tree is developing berries. Lots of berries!  Today we "deep watered" the tree with the hose during garden time. The worms we removed from the worm compost mixture (vermi-compost) got a new habitat in a worm bin, with plenty of fresh produce to eat, along with soil, used paper towels, and straw on top.  Water was added to make everything moist--but not too wet. We observed and felt the difference in the soil outside the garden where gophers have been digging, and the worm compost. We know which soil is best for growing vegetables that are nutritious and delicious. We amended the lime tree we adopted this year in the MV orchard garden with worm compost. We also added comfrey leaves on the soil area under the drip line of the tree--more “vitamins” for the tree’s roots to absorb. We saw and smelled the citrus blossoms on the lime tree. If the bees have visited the blossoms and pollination has taken place, then the tree should produce another crop of limes. This shows the amended soil and comfrey leaves that we used under the lime tree. We are caring for the lime tree by feeding it as we add to the nutrients in the soil. The mini-garbage pail is where food waste from Mrs. Sims'  home is collected. She collects food waste and feeds it to her worms in a worm bin just outside her house.  Coffee grounds are also added.   This shows the various kinds of food waste that the worms are fed from food preparation kitchen scraps. Let’s see how the worms build worm compost in our Monte Vista worm bin.  How long does it take for the food scraps, garden waste and paper to turn into compost?  Lots of micro organisms and other bugs work with the worms to decompose the material that will become "brown gold."

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Lauren Danner  

~Program Coordinator | School Gardens Program...Cultivating the Future

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