Using TP rolls and salad containers to sprout seedlings

Got a bunch of TP rolls and plastic containers you’re not sure what to do with? Here’s a great posting from a fellow blogger complete with wonderful pictures. I couldn’t do any better myself, so take a look. The main thing is you’ll need a place to put those plugs once they sprout because they won’t last as long as if they were in a coconut fiber pot or peat pot. http://tinyurl.com/98xe387 Caught it on the FB page for Bloem Living, which usually sends just fabulous photos but today had a bonus!

Introduce neighbors to your school garden

We are using a hose and mini-ditches to channel water to our plants.

Today I met neighbors across the street from our garden. From their kitchen they can see just about anything going on at the front of the school. I needed a couple of plastic bags to corral the rotting tomatoes, the ones touching the ground, so mischievous urchins or naughty teens didn’t see an opportunity to play a different kind of baseball. Robert was out in his garage, eyeing a little maintenance of his door. I had good tomatoes in my bag and figured, I’d introduce myself and swap some tomatoes for bags.  He had nectarines to share from his backyard tree, and had no tomatoes so was very interested in ours! Why didn’t I do that earlier? Pretty soon, his “bride” Charlotte, came out and joined the conversation. As we talked, I learned a lot about the history of our school, which was built on a former fig orchard with a few grapevines near the street in the early ’80s. I heard about the many crazy things drivers have tried to do on our congested street. I made friends who know our custodian already and have met our principal. Most importantly, I hooked up with more eyes keeping watch on our garden and school.

Excited over taproots!

“Wow, look at this huge taproot!” McKayla said, pulling it while students cleared the school garden for planting. The fifth-graders had been studying plants and their roots. She brought it back to her science class. I had no idea what they were studying, but she made the connection!

McKayla shows off the huge taproot from a weed pulled in the school garden.