|
So much growth!! The recent heat wave sizzled a few of our leaves, and our tomatoes didn't seem too happy about it. Nonetheless, we've been busily growing and harvesting food from our garden! This is how our garden looks eleven weeks later. We've added compost tea and egg shells to reintroduce nutrients into the soil. The egg shells in particular help tomatoes thrive. Can you tell how much growth has taken place? The 2024 growing season is officially underway! Our young scientists first began planting outdoors on May 4th, and the growth has already been incredible! This year, we're growing cucumbers, basil, thyme, oregano, butternut squash, an assortment of pollinator-friendly flowers, rainbow chard, and loofah. Our young scientists play a vital role in the care of our gardens, and benefit from its success by harvesting what's grown for eating or cooking at home. It's barely been a month, and look how much our garden has already grown! Our 2023 growing season is in full swing and young scientists have been busy caring for our plants and harvesting yummy food. This year, our backyard garden got a complete makeover and a heaping amount of fresh compost from our very own backyard system. The results are a lush green landscape! So far, we have harvested under a pound of basil, eleven pounds of cucumbers, and five pounds of tomatoes. And there's more to come! Weather permitting, our typical growing season lasts through mid to late October, with young scientists helping to transition the garden to its winter state. Here at the Lab we love gardening and connecting with nature! DID YOU KNOW.....
Gardening has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Interacting with nature and engaging in horticultural activities have positive effects on mental well-being and can contribute to improved mood and cognitive function. Gardening promotes biodiversity, as it provides habitats for various plants, insects, and animals, which helps maintain a healthy ecosystem. Involving kids in gardening teaches them about the natural world, plant life cycles, and the importance of sustainable practices. Kids also gain valuable life skills such as problem-solving, cooperation, and planning. Gardening nurtures a connection with nature and encourages environmentally conscious behaviors. We've already begun growing and learning from and with our garden! As we begin to care for our growing food, there's lots that can already be observed. Young scientists in the Home School STEAM Group recently explored soil composition and compared the soil in our back and front gardens. There are lots of differences, many of which we were able to observe with our magnifying lenses and handheld microscopes. During Science Saturdays, we've been Diving Into Dirt and recently learned about compost and the role our worms play at the Lab. A lot of the garbage, and some of our science tools, are compostable. This means that instead of placing it in the garbage or recycling bin, we feed it to our worms. Over time, they eat the garbage and turn it into compost. Recently, young scientists added over thirty pounds of freshly harvested compost to our front garden. This year, we are growing a lot more flowers in order to attract more pollinators. We also have different types of tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchinis growing, along with dill, basil, and mint. We can't wait to see how our garden grows this year! Our young scientists have been busy providing care to our garden. So far, we've harvested lots of mint and lemon balm which we used to make yummy tea to taste test at home. Leafy greens such as collards, kale, and lettuce, have been grown to feed our backyard flock of chickens. Young scientists have taken home cherry tomatoes and three different types of basil. We've been impatiently waiting for our cucumbers to be ready. Oh so soon! |
