Eleven classes of eager first-graders walked to the Children’s Garden on February 4 for planting day. Working with a Master Gardener volunteer, each student had the opportunity to plant lettuce, spinach, radish, and carrot seeds in their designated garden plot. The twenty-minute period was very busy as the children carefully placed seeds in the spaces of the planting grids used for square-foot gardening. Arline greeted each group of students and explained the tasks to be completed. MG volunteers Jacky, Cheryl, Shirley, Carolyn P., Robbie, Julie, Jennifer, Nancy, Thomas, and Pam along with Extension Agent Janie helped the students with planting. Extension Intern Geri assisted where needed with distribution of seeds and photographing the action. It was a glorious sunny day for planting!
| A month later on March 3 the students and their teachers returned to the garden for a visit to see what the seeds had produced. Many of the seeds for radishes, spinach, and carrots had sprouted. It was disappointing that no lettuce seeds had germinated. MG volunteers Fran, Cheryl, Shirley, Thomas, Robbie, Carolyn P., Jennifer, Nancy, and Jacky welcomed the students to their garden plots, showed them the sprouts, and pointed out the differences of each plant’s leaves. Extension Intern Geri helped again with distribution of seeds and photographing the busy gardeners as  This lizard was not too happy at being disturbed from his hiding place. |  they replanted lettuce seeds and also some marigold seeds. Now we wait patiently to see what will sprout. On Monday, March 7, each raised bed was fertilized in hopes that the rain forecast will give the young plants a real healthy boost. Some of the radishes and spinach are about ready to harvest. Teachers may bring their students to the garden anytime to check the progress of growth before the scheduled date of April 28 when the students will harvest the garden produce.  |