This month, we are harvesting kale, peas, brussel sprouts, collard greens, sweet potatoes, new red potatoes, bok choy, lettuce, turnips, carrots, beets, swiss chard, spinach, green onions, cilantro, herbs and radishes! Watch for those crops coming home in backpacks of students who participate in Garden Club activities. Students are learning about different families of plants, including the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Lamiaceae, and Apiaceae “plant families” currently growing in our garden. Knowing which plants are in the same family helps gardeners become familiar with the needs of the whole family of plants, rather than learning about plants one at a time.
This month, we are planting radishes, beets, and carrots from seed, while we fertilize and maintain our flourishing winter crops. Students noticed after break that the frost killed the summer vegetables, while our frost-resilient winter crops were not bothered by the frost. This was a very direct lesson to observe, and a great opportunity to remove the summer plants like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, replacing them with more cool weather seeds and starts.
Thursday’s after school gardening class is over-capacity for enrollment this quarter, which shows that Sunrise students love spending time in our spacious garden!
If you would like to volunteer to help at Garden Club on Tuesdays from 11-1, email or text Ms. D at: nkechidiallo@gmail.com & (509)879-7639
