This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

You are supported by me for your growing not only at school but at home as well.  I add more content than just the weekly updates and will be adding content such as events, videos, and supportive articles all year long.  The best way to get that content is to subscribe.  Use the email that you would check and use the most, like your home email.  You will get an email each time I post new stuff.  The button is on the right side —-> if you are on a computer and at the bottom if you are using your phone. 

For GTS participants – You should have gotten an email from Lauren about the November survey.  Let us know if you did not. 

Holiday break is coming up in a little over a week.  Indoors under LED lights:

• BEST OPTION: Harvest and share with your students.  Send me pics if you are unsure if they are harvest-ready.  My email is mcdermott.15@osu.edu
• Transplanting outdoors is possible but since we are late in the season and it is cold outside with no chance to harden off the seedlings, there is a significant chance they do not survive the transplant process.  That said,  you may want to try transplanting if you have no other option. Pick the warmest part of the day and recover the row cover immediately.
• If you are harvested and done, then clean out the pots and tray with soapy water and unplug the lights so that it is good to go in January.
• You can send the plants home with the students if you put them in different pots like milk cartons or styrofoam cups.  DO NOT SEND HOME THE GTS POTS!  They stay with the system.
• Here is a transplanting video to help you with the process.

What to do with the aerogarden?  Here are some options:

• We start right in with planting tomatoes right after you return from break.
• If you have good plant growth and want to keep the growing going, then take the aerogarden home to enjoy over break.
• If you do not want to do that, then harvest the herbs, share with your students if you want, and then clean out the aerogarden so it is ready in January.

Next up up a weather report to get us through the week for planning on our season extension:

We have some serious cold coming up. I recommend that you get some plastic ready or double up on your row cover to add a second layer of cover.

There have been great suggestions from the focus groups on things you want to learn about,  keep them coming!  Like more Videos!  I have lots to share:

Outside in the raised beds:

Make sure that when we get to the cold weather you do not uncover your beds on a cold day so that you do not shock your seedlings.  It should be above 45 degrees minimum to pop the top and it is better done around the middle of the day so you can re-cover, and build heat back up for the overnight lows. I do not see many good chances in this weather forecast.  Keep those beds covered tightly so they will maintain a beneficial microenvironment under them.

Any questions about your growing?  Email me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

First up a weather report to get us through the week for planning on our season extension:

There may be a day or two in this weather forecast to get inside the season extension to take a look at the crops. If it gets warm on a day, like 45 to 50 degrees at least, then you can pop the top with your students to see how the plants are doing. Make sure to cover up tightly when done.

Looking a little further ahead, it is supposed to stay close to normal temperatures through February with a larger chance of increased precipitation.

There should be enough precipitation that the crops under the row cover will not need watered.

Outside in the raised beds:

I have been getting questions about what can still be planted outside.  We are likely done with planting in the raised beds. (See Below for a potential!)  Many folks have stated that they did not get good germination.  The warmer than normal weather made germination tricky unless the beds were watered daily until sprouting.  The heavy rain we had the other day may cause some delayed germination under cover that we will find when we are able to pop off the covers.  Make sure that when we get to the cold weather you do not uncover your beds on a cold day so that you do not shock your seedlings.  It should be above 45 degrees minimum to pop the top and it is better done around the middle of the day so you can re-cover, and build heat back up for the overnight lows. I do not see many good chances in this weather forecast.  Keep those beds covered tightly so they will maintain a beneficial microenvironment under them.

I know that some of you did not get a chance to plant outside due to many reasons.  While it is unlikely we can plant, there may still be a chance.  When you get your bed set up with soil added, but have no plants,  place the row cover and plastic over the bed to keep the soil warm.  I will be watching to see if we get a tiny planting window and will let you know.  It is likely the only day this would work would be tomorrow, Tuesday the 29th, and only if the soil is pre-warmed. 

Inside under LED lights:

I think that planting under LED lights can be done, but only if you are able to take the plants home over Christmas break.  Hopefully everyones plants came through the long break ok.  If you have questions, please email me, and send me pics as well.

I keep my bok choy about 4 or so inches under the lights. Up to 6 inches away is OK as well. Those are some pretty powerful lights for growing greens.

 

This is bottom watering technique. The pots you have (I have six packs) are placed in an inch or so of water (with fertilizer if needed) for a half hour or so to take up water from the bottom. This fully hydrates all the soil in the pot. After a half an hour or so, take the pots out of the water, drain the water our of the bottom tray and place the spacer tray and pots back in the main tray to drain. As your plants grow,  they may need watered more often.  I need to water mine every three days now.  For the two inch pots, you probably need to water at least 1-2 times per week.

Inside in the Aerogarden:

How did everyone’s hydroponic units do over break?  Hopefully they came through fine and you have had a bunch of growth.

The Aerogarden website has a tremendous amount of content to assist with maintenance of the units, troubleshooting problems, or how to take care of the plants in the system.  CHECK IT OUT if you are having problems.

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

First up a weather report to get us through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend:

It was 70 degrees just last week but we have cold weather for quite a bit. I do not see a window to pop the top and check plants for a little while.

Outside in the raised beds:

I have been getting questions about what can still be planted outside.  We are likely done with planting in the raised beds. (See Below for a potential!)  Many folks have stated that they did not get good germination.  The warmer than normal weather made germination tricky unless the beds were watered daily until sprouting.  The heavy rain we had the other day may cause some delayed germination under cover that we will find when we are able to pop off the covers.  Make sure that when we get to the cold weather you do not uncover your beds on a cold day so that you do not shock your seedlings.  It should be above 45 degrees minimum to pop the top and it is better done around the middle of the day so you can re-cover, and build heat back up for the overnight lows. I do not see many good chances in this weather forecast.  Keep those beds covered tightly so they will maintain a beneficial microenvironment under them.

I know that some of you did not get a chance to plant outside due to many reasons.  While it is unlikely we can plant, there may still be a chance.  When you get your bed set up with soil added, but have no plants,  place the row cover and plastic over the bed to keep the soil warm.  I will be watching to see if we get a tiny planting window and will let you know.  Right now the days after Thanksgiving break look to be close to 50 degrees so if the soil is warm,  we may still plant.  

Inside under LED lights:

I think that planting under LED lights can be done, but only if you are able to take the plants home over Christmas break.  With the 9 day break coming up,  if you have plants in your rooms under lights, the ideal situation would be to take them on a little field trip back to your house so you can keep an eye on them.  If you cannot take plants home over the upcoming Thanksgiving break then I recommend that you bottom water them with one to two inches of water in the bottom most tray. Take them out of the top spacer tray,  put them in the bottom tray with 1-2 inches of water.  Leave them in the water in the bottom tray until you return from break. They will slowly take up the water over the break and hopefully if nothing goes wrong, they will be growing and much bigger when you return. Consider adding fertilizer to the water as well due to the long length of time away.  And enjoy the holiday break!!

This is bottom watering technique. The pots you have (I have six packs) are placed in an inch or so of water (with fertilizer if needed) for a half hour or so to take up water from the bottom. This fully hydrates all the soil in the pot. After a half an hour or so, take the pots out of the water, drain the water our of the bottom tray and place the spacer tray and pots back in the main tray to drain.

For the upcoming break, I would add even more water to the tray than this. This tray has about a half inch of water, I would add at least one inch to one and a half inch of water for a 9 day break. If you can check the plants over break that would be even better.

Inside in the Aerogarden:

With the long holiday break upcoming we are getting questions regarding how to maintain the systems.  Ideally you would take them home with you.  They travel very well.  I place mine in a brownie pan or similar to catch any tiny spills then bring them back the same way.  If you want to leave your units at the schools, I am not sure they can do OK with no water for the 9 day break from 11/19 to 11/27.  I think they would need a mid-break check and water add.  Make sure to add the fertilizer as needed as well.  If you absolutely have to leave them alone for 9 days make sure to add the water to the line,  have the caps secured over the open holes, and have the timer good.  Add fertilizer if it will need added while you are gone.

The Aerogarden website has a tremendous amount of content to assist with maintenance of the units, troubleshooting problems, or how to take care of the plants in the system.  CHECK IT OUT if you are having problems.

As always, if you have questions, feel free to email me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

Happy Halloween.  Here is hoping for a safe and happy trick or treating experience tonight for the kiddoes.

I get lots of questions about the hardiness zones for plants for central Ohio.  The map has recently been updated.  Here is the new USDA Hardiness zone map:

Here is the map magnified to Ohio:

The map is interactive.  If you would like to access the map CLICK HERE.

Outside in the raised beds:

I have been getting questions about what can still be planted outside.  You can still direct seed spinach, kale, and cilantro right now and water daily until you get good germination.  Cover the beds before you leave on Friday.  This is a good week to thin your baby seedlings if they got planted too thick.  Water a few hours before you thin in order to make it easier to pull the extras. We had a little rain overnight but are still pretty dry.  Our only chance of rain on the 10-day is next Sunday.  Make sure to keep watering your seedlings or new transplants as needed.  For season extension this week.  You can leave row cover alone covering your plants no problem.  For plastic cover, you may need to uncover this week at some points.  The weekly forecast calls for cloudy, but warm.  If it gets sunny and warm it can overheat.

Inside under LED lights:

You can still plant lettuce and bok choi under LED lights for maturation indoors or potential transplanting out under season extension.  Do you have seedling ready to get planted or are getting close?  Check out this video to get you started seed starting:

Check out this video to get you started transplanting:

Inside in the Aerogarden:

You can still start lettuce and herbs in the Aerogarden.  The Aerogarden website has a tremendous amount of content to assist with maintenance of the units, troubleshooting problems, or how to take care of the plants in the system.  CHECK IT OUT if you are having problems.

You are also welcome to email me with any questions at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture.  It can be used by garden students of all ages however!

We have a warm start to the week this week.  I recommend uncovering any beds that have season extension over them.

If you have just recently planted or are going to plant in the next couple of days I would make sure to water your baby seedlings.  We do have a chance of rain on Wednesday but we are still pretty dry out there and the 10 day does not have a bunch of rain in the forecast.

Outside in the raised beds:

I have been getting questions about what can still be planted outside.  You can still direct seed spinach, kale, and cilantro right now and water daily until you get good germination. You can keep your raised beds uncovered this week,  we do not have big cold coming.  Cover the beds before you leave on Friday.  This is a good week to thin your baby seedlings if they got planted too thick.  Water a few hours before you thin in order to make it easier to pull the extras.

Inside under LED lights:

You can still plant lettuce and bok choi under LED lights for maturation indoors or potential transplanting out under season extension.  Do you have seedling ready to get planted or are getting close?  Check out this video to get you started:

Inside in the Aerogarden:

You can still start lettuce and herbs in the Aerogarden.  Their website has great care instructions if needed for the seed pod crops.

As always, feel free to email me with any questions.   mcdermott.15@osu.edu