For the first unit in my 3rd STEM course, Food, I learned the science behind our food and how we grow our food. For our first action project, we created our own organic garden. our own gardens and choose 10 plants in which we think will grow best together. In order to do that we each had to pick a location to place our raised garden bed and collect soil from it. After collecting the soil we had to test it to see if the soil quality is good and if our soil our soil needed fertilizer. That was a fun experience for me because I like to take care of my garden, so it was interesting to see if I was doing a good job. I think my backyard was a good place to plan another garden out, because in the past I have seen other plants grow successfully near that location. The only parts that I had trouble on were coming up with the dimensions for my garden and drawing it, because I’m not the best at math and drawing. I was proud at how I handled those obstacles though. I took my time with the drawing of the garden and I practiced my math until I knew for sure I understood it.
I decided that I will plant my seeds in my own garden because since Chicago is a busy and a dirty city, I think it’s best for my seeds to be put in a place where I know they can get the best care. I also chose that location because I think my backyard is in pretty good shape to handle 10 other plants. Those 10 plants and vegetables include Rosemary, Sage, Cabbage, Lettuce, Carrots, Tomato, Celery, Beans, Cucumber, and Mint. I know that plants need 16 nutrients in order to survive, and I learned that the 3 most important ones are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. I believe that my soil is of good quality because I take pretty good care of my garden. While collecting my soil I discovered signs of life. There were worms moving around, and I also picked out tiny plants. I also observed the color of my soil. The color of my soil was a really dark brown, or almost black, and I know the darker the soil the better. In order to find that out I tested my soil for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and pH. My garden will have the following dimensions: 8ft in length, 8ft in height, and 20 ft in width.
The soil test gave me an idea of the kind of fertilizer I need in order for my seeds to flourish. I learned that my soil has a pH of 6.75, a sufficient amount of Phosphorus, an adequate amount of Potassium, and a sufficient amount of Nitrogen. I still need more nitrogen. This year Chicago had a harsh winter, which is probably why I need to replenish the soil with more nitrogen. A harsh winter may kill off plants. Therefore, plants won’t be available to contribute nitrogen to the soil. one the factors that caused the soil to have the enough Nitrogen. In order for that to happen I would need to add 6 pounds of Cottonseed, which provides 6% of Nitrogen. Nitrogen is important for the soil because it is an essential part photosynthesis. Nitrogen also gives plants the strength to grow rapidly, and increase its seed production. If you don’t have the right amount of Nitrogen or none at all, the seeds planted there would not be able to grow.
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| RD. "Organic garden". Photography. 2014. Chicago ,Illinois |
The 10 plants that I decided to plant were the following: Rosemary, Carrot, Tomato, Lettuce , Garlic, Basil, Celery,Beans, Cucumber, and Cilantro. I would plant Rosemary right beside my carrots because the Rosemary cuttings can be used to to repel carrot flies. Tomatoes will be grown right next to the lettuce because lettuce can stay pretty small, and it will be able to grow better in the summer, when shaded by the growing tomato plant. Garlic will grow near the cucumbers and celery because it benefits them. I would also try to keep Basil close to tomatoes because it helps improve the growth and taste of tomatoes. Cilantro will also be a big help because it repels aphids, and spider mites. As a nitrogen fixer I plan to use beans because it adds nitrogen to the soil.
I think my plan will work out because I made sure that all the plants supported each other in some way.
