The greenhouse with outside planting beds, planting barrels, and the drum composter
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The greenhouse with outside planting beds, planting barrels, and the drum composter |
The greenhouse has just concluded another successful indoor growing season and has turned its attention to the outdoor raised beds and barrels adjacent to the greenhouse where numerous plants are now beginning to sprout and thrive. First, we will give you an update on what is happening at the greenhouse this summer and then we will review some of the highlights of the past year with you.
On July 5th, the Wesley Red Winter Wheat that had been planted last fall was 
harvested, after quickly ripening during the month of June. The wheat was gathered in sheaves and is being stored in a "mouse-free zone" in a private home, until the fourth graders use it next fall for several projects, including grinding the seeds to make flour. A photograph of the ripe wheat is shown to the right. The crop most definitely became "amber waves of grain" just prior to harvesting it! Our thanks to Clark Gall of Eustis, Nebraska who gave us the seeds for our plot.
In two of the raised beds, the first grade classes planted "three sisters" gardens consisting of corn, squash, and beans. The plants are growing rapidly and very soon mounds of earth will have to be built around the corn to keep it upright. When the gardens are ready to be harvested in the fall, the first graders, who will then be second graders, will use the crops during their first social studies unit titled "Native Americans." Pumpkin seeds and carrots have also been planted in a raised bed and are developing quickly. In the barrels, peas, lettuce, beets, and potatoes are well advanced. The peas are already climbing up the string and poles set out for them!
Along the fence enclosing the propane tank that is the source of fuel for the greenhouse's heating system, snapdragons have made a comeback from last year's crop. Other snapdragons that germinated in the greenhouse this year have been transplanted to the same area to fill in any empty spaces. A few other plants that were growing in the greenhouse have been transplanted to "summer camp" in barrels outside of the greenhouse. They include geraniums, pansies, marigolds, and nasturtiums.
The three apple trees planted by the Greenhouse Committee two years ago were in full bloom this spring and are now heavily laden with apples. The trees are really thriving!
Complementing the greenhouse is the raised garden on the rear patio that was dedicated to Nancy Gordon, Estabrook teacher who died in January 2001. The dogwood tree planted there was just beautiful this year and the rosebushes continue to bloom and bring color to the back of the school.
Keeping everything well hydrated during the summer is a cadre of first-grade parents in addition to the Greenhouse Committee. Many thanks to one and all for keeping the "green" in "greenhouse"!
In July, three teachers will be participating in a summer workshop funded by the school system that will increase the value of the greenhouse to the school as a teaching-learning site by looking at the curriculum frameworks and the curriculum itself to identify areas that will benefit from projects that can be undertaken in the greenhouse. Numerous "intersections" have already been identified and the greenhouse supports many learning objectives of the curriculum. The workshop will enable teachers to do a thorough job in a systematic manner to identify activities that can be conducted in the greenhouse to optimally implement, extend, and enrich the curriculum.
Essentially, as I mentioned earlier, the work of the greenhouse has turned to the outdoors. A few plants remain in the greenhouse, such as, a very hardy banana plant, a papyrus plant that sprouts new branches continually, an oak tree, a Douglas fir, a few plants that were used to fill terrariums, and some bean plants. Later in the summer, they all will be removed so that the greenhouse can be thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the opening of school.
The hydroponic garden of tomatoes was enormously successful! The garden almost literally went through the roof of the greenhouse from all of the good care the plants got. A photo of Estabrook's own "green monster" (albeit with a touch of red) is on the right.
School Counselor Christine Zendeh worked with several children planting marigolds and zinnias. Later, they started a crop of peas in an outside barrel, which is thriving.
Kindergartners, under the direction of Parent Volunteer Helen Bowns, planted cosmos seeds in the greenhouse and then brought them to their classrooms. One kindergarten class grew plants in the "Root Vue" planter, which enabled them to see how roots grow and what forms they take. Two kindergarten classes used the facilities of the greenhouse to plant pansies. The greenhouse obtained begonias for a kindergarten class that were transplanted into painted pots the children had made for Mother's Day.
Mrs. Ray's first grade created a seed-to-seed marigold-growing project using tonic bottles. The children planted the marigold seeds and then collected the seeds from the flowers that grew. Parent Monica Higgins oversaw the project. Ms. Wilson's class, reading Beatrix Potter's books, came to the greenhouse and planted vegetables mentioned in her books, e.g., lettuce, beans, chamomile, and parsley. Later they had a "Peter Rabbit scavenger hunt." Thanks to Crystallin Hoffman and Alex Dohan for their work with Ms. Wilson's class! The children visited the greenhouse at least once a week for several weeks, making observations, and eventually had a delicious salad snack using greenhouse grown ingredients. They also started a second lettuce crop in one of the outside barrels.
In March, second graders planted marigolds and zinnias, hoping they would have beautiful flowers for a Mother's Day surprise in May. For ten weeks, they cared for the plants and watched them grow, making notes in their science journals, and, by Mother's Day, everyone had a plant in bloom. The greenhouse was filled with color!
To commemorate Earth Day, the second graders launched school-wide lunchtime composting to complement their soil unit. Parents Fawn Rosenberg and Martha Slone talked to the classes about composting and set up a system to collect compostable scraps from lunch. Thanks are in order to Anne Maasland and to Gretchen Denison for helping with lunchtime collections. In two weeks, they had enough to fill the greenhouse compost drum. As the contents "ripened," the second graders monitored them for temperature and moisture content. The contents are now fertilizing one of the raised beds beside the greenhouse, a successful conclusion to the project!
As they have done for a couple of years, third graders planted herbs that the colonists might have used, including, basil, chamomile, chives, dill, and parsley. Fourth graders planted herbs that people in medieval times might have had, e.g., lavender, rosemary, mint, and sage. The fourth graders took their herbs to the medieval feast that was the culminating activity of the unit. Thanks to Helen Bowns, Lori Deliso, Cindy Silva, and Mimi Watstein for making this project a successful one.
Fifth graders planted grass seed in the beautiful coil pots they made in art class. Thanks again to Mimi Watstein for her work on this project. Ms. Kelliher's class planted sweet peas that they later transplanted to large pots in the sunken patio at the front of the school to see if the plants will climb up the string and poles adjacent to them. Come by and take a look this summer! Fifth graders also planted beets, peas, and lettuce in the outside barrels, just prior to the closing of school.
Other projects during the year included a "Pelargonium Patrol," aka Geranium Gang. The patrol consisted of a group of fifth graders who spent a recess delivering geraniums to various classrooms. For several weeks, a team of very industrious fifth graders screened soil from the loam pile and transferred it to the raised beds in which the first graders planted their "three sisters" crop. Thanks to Crystallin Hoffman, Chris Bartlett, and Stephen Dooley for supporting the fifth graders in this project. Another group of fifth graders potted up baby spider plants from Ms. Ray's and Ms. Burr's magnificent plant!
The greenhouse was the feature article in one of the Lexington Education Foundation's newsletters this year and, in turn, a visit to the Estabrook Greenhouse was one of the raffle prizes at LEF's Educated Tastes fundraiser. Harold Millican gave the tour to the Fiske family that won the prize. Do not be surprised if the building plans for the new Fiske School include a greenhouse! The greenhouse is very grateful to LEF for the generous grant it received to purchase furnishings and supplies at its inception.
In keeping with the requirements by the state to control garden and/or greenhouse pests in a manner that will be safe for children, the greenhouse, under the keen eye of Helen Bowns, tested the efficacy of biological controls by placing lacewings, stingless wasps, and some ladybugs in the greenhouse. It is a little early to say whether or not we will be able to rely solely on biological controls, but we will definitely be following the guidelines of the state to use products and methods that are safe for children and the environment.
The Greenhouse Committee thanks all teachers and volunteers for their hard work and enthusiasm during this past year.
On to the fall!
Click here to look at the Estabrook Library's list of Gardening books.
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Last update 10/13/03 by webmaster DLK