Ms. Smith's 1st Graders Plant in their Salad Garden

Yesterday Ms. Smith's 1st graders planted in their salad bowl raised bed. They planted seeds of watermelon radish, red lettuce, oak leaf lettuce, cilantro, purple carrots and orange carrots. All of the seeds are heirloom seeds donated by either Renees or Seed Savers Exchange.  Carrots were very popular!  The children learned to barely cover the small seeds.

Ms. Marie planted an heirloom tomato plant and showed them the correct way to plant this type of seedling. We took off the bottom 1/3 branches (which will become roots as will the tiny hairs on the seedling). We then planted the seedling so the bottom 1/3 was covered by soil. This will make a stronger plant.

Before planting the children dug in the compost that was added to amend the bed and make the soil healthy.  We also added fertilizer before watering. We covered the bed to keep the seeds warm and help them germinate quicker.

Ms. Smith's class and Ms. Creed's class are sharing this bed.