Can we dig it? Yes, we can!

The day finally arrived for the great bog garden dig and the recent wet weather has certainly helped the boggy conditions!
The top soil had been delivered the previous day and was steaming rather impressively in the corner of the playground.
Despite the persistent rain, we were blessed to have a group of willing volunteers from staff to mums and dads, big sisters and cousins.
The day began with an introduction to what we hoped to achieve through the day and a brief health and safety talk.
Kate from BCEP, had already marked out the site of the bog garden and so our first task was to remove the turf from the area. This was piled up ready for use later to edge the bog garden.

Next job was to dig down roughly 30cm and remove the soil, discarding any large stones along the way.
By mid morning and with a steady stream of new helpers lending a hand, the bog area was dug out.
We gathered quite an audience during break time as the children were fascinated to watch the development of another exciting focal point in the playground.

We then moved on to constructing a trench around the perimeter of the bog garden in which the edge of the weed proof membrane and pond liner would be buried.
After laying the weed proof membrane came the highly enjoyable task of smoothing down the pond liner. It was at this point, the temptation to build a nice relaxing jacuzzi rather than a bog garden, was almost overwhelming!
By lunchtime we had filled in the trench around the bog garden and started to put a layer of topsoil over the pond liner.
At this point, we bid farewell to some of our super morning helpers, whilst the rest of us took a well earned break.
Our afternoon team was somewhat smaller, but thankfully we had made good progress across the morning and were still on schedule.
The main jobs for the afternoon were to back fill the hole with the original soil and topsoil and build up the lower edge of the bog garden to help retain the water.
Our trusty team soldiered on through the rain showers and by the end of the school day we were about done.
The bog garden will need a few weeks to settle and become boggy (which shouldn't be a problem if the rain continues!) before we can begin planting up with the children. Kate had some great suggestions for bog loving plants including water mint, flag irises and snake head fritillary.

New Year for the Fagley Gardening Team

We may not have had the greatest summer, but the veg plot certainly hasn't objected to all the rain!

We return to fine some truly mammoth courgettes and runner beans and even the sweetcorn plants have come on great. The tomato plants are weighed down with fruits though a little more sunshine is in order before they ripen.

 

The strawberries haven't fared so well due to the constant attention of the ever present gulls and pigeons and we seriously need to consider ways of discouraging the local feline population.

Over the next few weeks, the garden team will meet to harvest the produce and tidy up the veg beds. We also need to think about the winter crops we we like to grow.

fagleygardeners' photostream

fagleygardeners' photostream on Flickr.

A lovely day in the garden.

It has been a very busy day in the garden today. Kate from BCEP came to talk to us about installing a bog garden below the slope where the fruit trees are planted. If all goes to plan (and with the help of some willing volunteers) the bog garden will be dug in early September.

We also have a very exciting delivery. Lots of lovely logs. The guys from Eldwick Joinery Service have been beavering away, building a log circle, stepping stones, den building posts and a fabulous log 'throne' seating area. Piccies to follow.

Groups of children from each class came out to join us in the garden and carry out some maintenance. There was lots of weeding, feeding and watering to do. We also sowed some more radishes and some spinach and carrots.

The children in Year One were excellent pest detectors and managed to spot some caterpillar eggs on the brassicas.

Weeding and Label Making

Over the spring bank holiday, a delightfully quaint fence was erected around our veg beds. It has really helped to stop the children using the beds as a climbing frame, shame it can't keep the pigeons at bay too!!

Our veggies planted in May are making good progress, with some strawberries already ripening.
However the weeds are doing rather well too.
Today, the children tackled some of the many weeds that have shot up since the recent spell of sunshine and showers. There is plenty more weeding though.

The KS2 Gardening Leaders have been busy making labels for our veg beds. They have been using the Internet to search for interesting facts about our veggies.

When the Garden Leaders have finished typing up their labels the KS1 garden club members are going to illustrate them with some lovely drawings.

2011 Gardening again.

There have been quite a few changes since my last post.
There are big plans afoot at Fagley Primary to improve the school grounds and offer a plethora of new and exciting learning opportunities for the children.

Along with the installation of new multi games nets, there as been the installation of a fantastic new outdoor classroom/gazebo and the re-siting of the veg beds on the school field.

A few weeks ago, a variety of young fruit trees were planted and this week, children from each class across the school were involved in weeding and planting up the veg beds.

In order to ensure the vegetables are well looked after, three children from each class (five from year 6) have been appointed to oversee the day to day tasks. The children have been organised into three teams, hedgehogs, ladybugs and bumblebees. They will follow a rota of six tasks overseeing two tasks per team each week.
These tasks are:

• Watering


• Pest Patrol


• Planting, sowing and harvesting


• Tool tidying


• Weeding


• Blogging and logging

Phew, so that's the theory. We will have to wait and see how it works out in practice

So far, the children have planted mimulas, pansies, petunias and marigolds in the Reception planters and herb bed.

In the veg beds they have planted, courgettes, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, french beans, sweetcorn and radish.

We had a lovely sunny morning in which to carry out the work followed by a good drenching in the afternoon. The weekend has proved incredibly windy however, so fingers crossed that our tender crops have survived!

A new year of gardening at Fagley Primary

The growing season is almost upon us. As I type, our http://www.rocketgardens.co.uk/ school garden is winging it's way to us.

Year 3 are studying 'helping plants grow well' in science this term and as part of this topic, they will be helping to plant out our lovely new veggies.

Our caretaker has also been busy constructing our new greenhouse acquired through the Morrisons Let's grow scheme. I will be helping him to put the final pieces together tomorrow. So hopefully it will be ready in time to receive our tender new plants.
This year we plan to grow:

Tomatoes
Strawberries
Potatoes
Lettuces
French Beans
Runner Beans
Beetroot
Cauliflowers
Cabbages
Spinach
Courgettes
Leeks

We also plan to grow a medicinal herbs and flowers bed with a view to producing some herbal remedies later in the year.