The Principal has identified and allocated a small area for us to plant some potatoes and we have been busy preparing the area. All the School Garden Committee needed to do was remove the turf in order to reveal the fertile soil beneath, rich in nutrients waiting to provide the perfect environment for our seed potatoes. Unfortunately hard dusty soil full of rocks was what we actually found.

Hard and Rocky Soil

After hours of backbreaking work we are still digging out the patch in stages and preparing to fill with suitable soil.

Digging in the Rain

Removing Stones

We are edging closer to achieving a small but perfectly formed patch fit for planting. While we continue our outside efforts we have started the seed potatoes in some plastic containers which will live inside the greenhouse. Using our existing crops as an indication of how the potatoes will develop we have high hopes.

Aubergine

Pots Still Growing

Our existing crops are thriving!

We are very excited to see growth from our first batch of planting as shown below. We are also excited because the weather has been warm enough to allow us to plant some Red Baron Onions, Mustard, Basil, Runner Beans, Cape Gooseberries, Strawberries, and Tomatoes.

Pots Growth

Seed Trays Growth

We have at last planted…a little!

The extreme cold weather at the start of 2010 broke long enough for us to plant a few items including Shallot Onions, Broad Beans, Aubergines, Spring Onion, Mint, Parsley, and Sweet Basil.

Also…

During the Lagan College open day in January the School Garden Committee opened our greenhouse to showcase some of the things we are doing. We were delighted at the warm response we received from parents and prospective students on a day so cold that the soil in our greenhouse froze!

Planted Green House 1

Planted Green House 2

The recent extreme cold weather has made it impossible for us to plant in the greenhouse recently but now the worst of the cold seems to have past we are planning to plant within the next few days.

Thanks to our friends in the Hillmount Garden Centre for the time and advice they have given to our committee. This has allowed us to gather the suitable tools, compost and seeds we need.

Some Loading

Some More Loading

Lots More Loading

Lagan College has a tradition of donating Christmas hampers to those in the community most in need. As part of the Christmas hamper collection, the School Garden Committee are collecting fresh produce from pupils and staff if they have, or know someone with a farm, allotment, garden or even a window box, growing anything from potatoes to herbs. We are asking people to bring in what they can but do not want bought products.
Below is a vegetable hamper put together last year by the then Lagan College Young Farmers Club which is now incorporated into the School Garden Committee.

Fresh Produce Hamper

At last we have finished the big greenhouse clean up!

We thought 6 volunteers would get the job done in about an hour. In fact it took 8 of us over four hours spread over three days! The school greenhouse is now clean but unfortunately we have missed the window (no pun intended) of opportunity to plant before the Christmas break.

During the first week back in January we will plant some vegetables and get the project moving forward. For now though take a look at some snaps of the clean up.

Cleaning pots and trays

Sweeping and scrubbing

What a happy team

Clean at last

We are still waiting for confirmation about the location of the outdoor garden site but have received a generous offer that will allow us to get some produce planted. The School Garden Committee would like to thank the Lagan College Head of Science who has given us permission to take over the school greenhouse (as long as we leave the Geraniums in peace).

After the half term break a group of School Garden Committee members will help make the greenhouse a suitable environment for growing produce.  We will do this by clearing out the greenhouse and scrubbing away any trace of the Science departments’ weird and wonderful experiments. Check out footage of some of the Science departments’ experiments by clicking this link: http://lagancollege.com/science/

Pictures of the greenhouse clean up will be posted to this blog, but with all the shiny new surfaces there may be a lot of glare in the pictures!

There has been a fantastic response to the School Garden Committee recruitment drive. Interest in becoming involved with the School Garden project has been registered from pupils across all year groups as well as from a number of teachers. We will soon be formally putting together the School Garden Committee and looking forward to making progress on the garden project.

The pictures below show the proposed site for the garden. As you can see a ‘little’ work will be needed to prepare the site so lets look forward to getting our hands dirty (muddy) in September.

Possible Location 1

Possible Location 2