September in the Garden
Tomato & Basil
September brought us deeper into the science of growing.
This month, our Garden Science students planted tomatoes and basil, two plants that are often grown together in the garden. We explored why gardeners choose certain plants as companions and began learning that a garden is more than individual plants—it is a living system.
Students started their seeds in soil blocks, giving us the perfect opportunity for an experiment. Alongside our student plants, we started additional seeds in traditional seed trays so we could ask:
Do seedlings grow differently in soil blocks than in seed trays?
And then, we waited and observed.
Each week, students checked for germination, examined changes in their seedlings, recorded observations, and added discoveries to their Garden Science journals. We talked about the conditions seeds need to germinate and how light, moisture, soil, temperature, and care can affect plant growth.
Not every gardener grows the same thing! Students who were already growing tomatoes or basil at home were able to explore other crops, including celosia and bush beans. This gave us even more plants to compare as we observed differences in germination, leaf shape, growth habits, and the needs of flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
September also gave us opportunities to think beyond simply growing a plant.
We began introducing the idea of Seed to Market: what happens when something we grow becomes something we can harvest, share, create with, or eventually sell? Students started exploring concepts such as the cost of growing a plant, its potential value, and the difference between cost and profit.
These early conversations are preparing us for our October Seed to Market project and the Plant Affair, where students will have the opportunity to see how gardening, science, creativity, mathematics, and entrepreneurship can all work together.
Our garden continues to remind us that science doesn't always happen quickly. We plant. We observe. We ask questions. We compare. We record what happens.
And sometimes, the most important part is simply waiting to see what grows.
September Garden Science Skills
🌱 Seed starting & germination
🌱 Soil blocks vs. seed trays
🌱 Tomato & basil companion planting
🌱 Plant observation & data collection
🌱 Garden journaling
🌱 Comparing flowers, herbs & vegetables
🌱 Cost, value & profit
🌱 Introduction to Seed to Market
Our September question:
What can we learn when we grow the same seed in different ways?
Check out of Instagram to follow along!
