A new technique and a new word!

This week there was lots more action in the garden.  On Wednesday Danielle gave a second coat of paint to our plant signs so they are now ready for the plant names to be painted on.

On Thursday, Connorhan, Dale, Danielle and Sara learned a new technique: Pricking out.  This is where you gently remove seedlings from the seed tray where they germinated and pot them up into individual pots.

The new word they learned is "Hypercotyl"  This is the part of the stem that stretches from the top of the roots to the seed leaves - the first leaves the plant produces after germination.  You can plant the seedling so the hypercotyl is under the soil.  This gives it stability in the pot and it will grow new roots as well.

Also a volunteer, Chris came to work in the garden to help clear trees from the top area of the garden where we plan to create a fruit-growing area.  He also started to clear a platform ready for two more sheds to be made hopefully next week as well as tidying the OJ greenhouse.  Connorhan immediately noticed how tidy it was - "Are you saying we usually keep an untidy greenhouse?!"

He enjoyed the time there, doing a little weeding too and raking the path - thanks for all the hard work Chris!

On Thursday too, 2W2 tutor group planted some more hedge plants in the new fruit garden outside the canteen - this is all the equipment ready for them to use.  Mrs Mackie's ID class also started planting potatoes out in their raised beds.