FRESH from the Garden

A message from Amy & Doug

Great job to all the schools who have completed their spring planting! We have had the pleasure of helping Carver, Irvin, and Winecoff with their gardens. We love seeing students engaged in the planting process.

Now that crops are planted, it's a great time to use the garden for teaching. Here is a great lesson on measurement created by Erika Currin from Pitts School Road Elementary.

Look for more teacher-created lessons to come from our March curriculum writing sessions.

Looking for more resources? Visit the STEM website.

In the Garden Now

Plant

It's too late to plant any cool season veggies indoors; however, if you plan to have

a summer garden, now is the time to plan for your summer beds. Plan your beds according to your spring harvest.

There is still time to get lettuce and radishes in the ground in time to harvest while school is still in session.

Perennial herb transplants, such as rosemary, lavender, thyme, and sage, can be planted in the garden now.

Harvest

Keep an eye on your radishes and lettuce that were planted in mid-February. They should be ready to harvest soon.

Kale and spinach won't be far behind. If we have a warm spell, be watchful for bolting - when the plant throws up a flower shoot. This can change the flavor of leafy greens - they may become bitter.

Maintenance

It's time to make sure you have your trellises ready to go for peas - this is a great makerspace activity for students.

Continue to check beds daily to determine when to water. As plants grow and temperatures warm, watering will need to be increased.

Weed beds as needed - make sure students can tell the difference between weeds and crops!

As temperatures warm, the

threat of pests increases. If you see white cabbage moths, cabbage worms (round, green inch-worms) are close by.

The name is a bit deceiving -

you'll find them feasting on broccoli, cauliflower, and other

cole crops, not just cabbage.

Remember, they like to hide along the leaf veins, often on the underside of the leaf. The best

way to control these and

learn about life cycles is to

hand pick (and squish) .

Lesson Planning

First Peas to the Table

March is the perfect time to observe plant life cycles, and what better way to do that than planting peas! This lesson plan integrates math, social studies, ELA, and engineering into an inquiry-based science lesson. Who will have the first peas to the table?

Download Lesson Plan

Growing Healthy Bodies

Fresh Peas with Mint and

Green Onions

Children (and often adults) who have only ever eaten canned or thoroughly cooked peas are surprised by how sweet fresh peas are. This green salad is a great choice for a classroom snack in preparation for St. Patrick's Day. Don't forget to set and bait a Leprechaun trap!

Get the Recipe

Book Review

First Peas to the Table

by Susan Grigsby

Students love to compete. The stage is set when Maya's teacher announces the class will have a "First Peas to the Table" contest, just like Thomas Jefferson and his neighbors held each spring.

Reading this book is a great way to launch your own class competition. Students learn the importance of patience, compassion, and recording information, as well as information about our nation's third president.

Q&A

Q: A lot of our indoor plants have

a "green mold" covering the dirt. Are they safe to plant in the garden?

A: Yes, they are perfectly safe to plant. This is most likely algae, which grows well in moist, high light conditions.

Once the plants get large enough to provide some shade and the soil dries out between waterings, it will be harder for the algae to grow.

Q: How do I know when to harvest my radishes?

A: Radishes mature quickly and are best picked early. The older they get, the spongier and hotter they become. The easiest way to tell if your radishes are ready is to look where the leaves meet the ground. Often you will see the top of the root (the radish) pushing above the soil line. If they look about the size expected (about the size of a bouncy ball), then pull one up to verify. If you cannot see the top of the root, just brush some of the soil off to expose the root. Cracking is a sign of over-maturity.

Questions? Contact us!

Amy Bowman • [email protected]

Doug Vernon • [email protected]

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