Mrs Lammers came in to teach Room 1 & 2 about hydroponics.
We learnt that plants can grow without soil! And sometimes it is better to grow them this way because it can be less work. Soil takes a lot of work because you have to turn it over and plant new things all the time. Hydroponics once its set up is meant to be easy.
We got to plant strawberries. Everyone got to help by doing different jobs. We had to put vermiculite and perlite in the case and then poked strawberry plants in little holes all the way up.
It's set up in our class with nutrients and air feeding the plants.
There are lettuce plants growing in a liquid culture. It is set up in a deep tray with floating polystyrene and water and nutrients in the bottom. There are holes in the polystyrene for air and the plants to grow. When Faye lifted up the polystyrene you could see the wet roots dangling down. The roots don't get squashed because the polystyrene floats.
The best part about Faye teaching us was helping set up the hydroponic strawberry unit. 
By Gemma and Sarah
Thank you for comeing
ReplyDeleteFrom Brigid,Sarah and Caitlin
I loved helping Faye and it was cool. I gave spoonfuls of Vermiculite and Perlite.Thankyou for coming and it was AMAZING. I never knew that plants could grow in water and if they could their roots would probably be squashed. BUT THEY WEREN'T.
ReplyDeleteGemma.
Thank you very much for having me and for your messages! I really enjoyed coming to talk to you today and was very impressed with how much you had already learnt about growing this term. I really liked the way you all listened and applied your knowledge when thinking about new concepts. I loved your enthusiasm Gemma, it was obvious that you are really interested in plants and keen to help....maybe one day you will be a plant scientist like your grandfather!
ReplyDeleteFaye