Flower Sprouting by Robin Smith

We may not have had enough time to grow vegetables for our classroom, but we did decide to grow some flowers instead, and we had a fun time with it.  We decided to use Nasturtium and Sweet Peas, which we let the kids plant them in the flower pots themselves:

We used seed pots and the packets were purchased at Home Depot for $1 and $1.50 each seed packet depending on the flower.  They were ready to plant seeds so it wasn’t too complicated to do.  The seed planting pots were also purchased from Home Depot.  What we decided to do was create a chart, from the figure below, where students would have to estimate how long it would take the seeds to sprout.  Not only did this use their skills of estimation, we also taught the children how to plot a line graph.  Not only do they learn how to plant a seed and care for it, but simple math can be applied to the lesson as well.  It’s just a fun activity and all the kids are excited to see the results (just don’t leave them outside overnight as I did, as there supposed to be put inside at night because it’s too cold, so I hope I didn’t ruin there hopes and dreams).

Advice for Spring Planting with Robin Smith

     This spring I decided that planting a garden would be educational and fun for the students in my classroom.  But as I set out to purchase the vegetables we would be using, I had no idea what were in season. So I did some research on the internet, and I figured that if I didn’t know what plants to select, I probably wasn't alone.  I figured that I would share it on Kevin's blog so that any one else, teachers or non teachers, would know what to plant during this time of the year. 

Vegetable:                    Planting Dates:      Distance b/w planting (in)          Plating Depth (in):

           

Beans, snap                  Apr 15 – July 15                             3                                        1

Beans, pole                  Apr 15 – July 1                               6                                        1         

Beans, bush lima           May 1 – July 1                               6                                        1.5

Beans, pole lima           May 1 – June 15                             6                                        1.5

Cantaloupe                   Apr 20 – June 1                             24                                      1

Corn, sweet                  Apr 15 – June 1                            12                                       1.5

Cucumber, pickling       Apr 20 – May 15                            10                                      1

Cucumber, slicing         Apr 20 – May 15                            10                                      1

Okra                            May1 – 31                                     12                                      1

Peas, southern              May 1 – July 1                                4                                       1

Peppers, sweet             May 1 – 31                                    18                                      .5

Peppers, hot                 May 1 – 31                                    15                                      .5

Pumpkins                     Apr 15 – June 15                            48                                      1.5

Squash, summer           Apr 15 – May 15                             24                                      1.5

Squash, winter              Apr 15 – May 15                            36                                      1

Sweetpotatoes              May 15 – June 15                           10                                      1

Tomatoes                     Apr 20 – July 15                             18                                      .5

Watermelon                  Apr 15 – June 1                              60                                      1.5

            So here is the guide for the vegetables to start planting in April.  May is pushing it a little bit because they get out in June, but they will still be able to see some progress after they are done planting and before they get out for summer.  I think a great assignment for them is also to look up this information so that they can research a vegetable they want and find out the information on their own.  It would be fun because they will get to see what there own work produces and provides a chance for them to work on their researching skills.  This really is a fun activity to participate in with the students because they get a sense of pride when they see what they’re hard work has done in planting.  I remember when I was a kid and we did some planting projects I used to be really excited when I saw something sprouting out of the ground so I know it’s exciting for them.  Good Luck!

The Green Thumb Hungers

Earlier today I doubled the size of my garden by adding two new crops: spinach & cherry tomatoes.  The day began with a trip to Lowe’s where I purchased the seeds, a bag of Garden Soil, and a box of Corry’s Slug & Snail Death.  The total price was around $15.  The cashier informed me that tomato plants were on sale for $.50.  I responded that I don’t like to cheat at gardening.

I had already turned & raked the soil a few days prior, so when I got home I was ready to plant.  This time around I was a little wiser (see previous post) and actually followed the directions on the back of the seed packages, only putting 2-3 seeds in each hole.  I then watered lightly around the fresh plantings.  Once the soil is dry, I will lay down some of Corry’s Death in a perimeter around the plants.  Slugs be damned!

With my newly expanded garden, I now have the ingredients to a killer salad.  I guess now I’ll have to start eating salad.

Farming: the true test of a man.

A few months ago I planted my first crop: radishes and carrots.  The radishes have done very well and I first began harvesting them about three weeks ago. They're pretty tasty (spicy little boogers) but for the most part have been a little on the puny side.  I'm pretty sure this is a result of my initial planting. Being a novice farmer, I had assumed that only one in ten seeds would fully develop into fruit producing plants (sort of like children in the pre-industrial world).  As a result of my ignorance, I planted about 10-15 seeds in each hole.  Well, as it turns out, they all sprouted and successfully developed into plants.  I ended up having to thin out (play God and select some plants for destruction) many of my radish plants so they would have more space to grow.  

The other problem I've had is slugs.  These nasty beasts come out every night and devour the leafy green tops of my radish plants.  Many of the leaves of my radish plants are now riddled with holes from slugs feasting on them. For the most part they have ignored the actual radishes themselves; probably because they're too spicy.  Insect infestation was not something I prepared for.

As for the carrots, well, they're a little slow.  It wasn't until a month and a half after planting that my carrots finally showed some signs of life.  Now there are about five to six green tops sticking up through the soil.  I have no idea how long it will be until they are ready to harvest.