Embedded Files
Our 18’ geodesic dome greenhouse, designed by Growing Spaces®, includes a solar-powered central air system, above ground pond, passive solar design and automatic vents. The above ground pond has fish and water plants that keep the greenhouse humid, in addition to providing nutrient-rich water for planting. A local contractor built the planting tables, parent volunteers designed a misting system, and a high school student maintains the pond.
We have 40 raised beds across our large, primary grade and kinder gardens. Students often plant radishes, carrots, beets, and garlic in the fall; lettuce, snap peas and onions in the winter; and sunflowers, fava beans, flowers, and herbs in the spring. Pumpkins, potatoes and cherry tomatoes are planted to greet students in the fall. All beds are lined with ¼” hardware cloth to prevent gopher damage and have drip irrigation. Crop rotation, companion planting, beneficial insects and square foot gardening are relevant raised bed topics that incorporate NGSS and CCSS math standards. Crops that students can pick and eat raw work best.
Our garden features rain barrels and a rain catchment system on the shed roof. Students spend time figuring out math problems involving how much rain needs to fall to fill our barrels. Students then use the rainwater to water our crops. We also collect gray water when rinsing things in our garden sinks, which students can then carry and use to water the trees. To conserve fresh water in the garden, we use various types of mulch, smart irrigation timers, rain sensors, drip irrigation, hose nozzles and moisture meters.
Our school garden is equipped with solar panels on the shed. These collect energy from the sun, which is stored in a GoalZero Yeti 1250 WattHour battery, which then allows us to run small equipment, most notably our irrigation clock. Other items used include a blender, a WiFi wireless access point, our pond pump, a leaf chipper, string lights, a hot plate and power tool chargers. Students gain first-hand experience with renewable energy resources as we make solar-powered smoothies. They can even watch the battery drain as the blender churns! This project was a collaboration with our high school Solar Club and Schneider Electric.
Our gardens feature over 25 new and mature fruit trees. Fruit trees in school gardens need to primarily bear fruit in the fall, winter and spring. In the fall, we harvest from our persimmons, pomegranates, apples, mandarin oranges and passion fruit trees. In the winter, we harvest strawberry guava, navel and Valencia oranges. In the spring, we harvest peaches, apricots, lemons and limes. Students participate in activities involving harvesting, weighing, consuming, cooking, and selling the fruit in the schools farmers market. Parent volunteers prune fruit trees annually. We are in the process of planting an understory beneath the fruit trees with guild plantings, which improves aeration, provide nutrients and attracts pollinators.
We use a variety of compost systems. Students compost all green waste generated from the garden. They help turn the tumblers, water its contents, and sift the finished compost. We also have a vermi composting bin with worms. A parent volunteer leads the compost effort, also using an electric leaf chipper to help speed up the process with large quantities of green waste. Students get to observe decomposition up close.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse