Fern Valley: Observe, Film and Plant

Last fall the Multi-Age Class took soil samples from the Fern Valley garden beds outside their classroom.  The plants already in the Fern Valley beds are mostly native, shade lovers, and seem well-chosen for this site, but still the plants are not thriving. I sent the soil samples to Virginia Tech scientists for analysis. I tell the students today that the results of the soil test came back, and according to the analysis the soil does have the nutrients that plants require to thrive.

Ms Ortiz reminds the two groups out today will have 15 minutes outside each as it is a poetry reading to parents after this class. One student in each group of 5 students takes an iPad to film our group, the other students work in pairs to plant a plant each.

We go outside to assess the plants in the garden beds?  Have they grown? Students recognize Daffodils that are flowering. I have brought a thriving Aquilegia (Red Columbine) plant from my garden. The Aquilegia from my garden is already a foot high with flower buds.

In contrast, however the Aquilegia overwintering in the school's Fern Valley bed has re-sprouted only barely an inch high with one leaflet. The Aquilegia in this area of the schoolyard is certainly not thriving. I note too, that no weeds in this area are growing either...

So, if the soil tested OK, what other factors could be affecting plant growth here?

• Wildlife, such as deer and/or rabbits, may be eating the young shoots of some plants here in these beds outside the school building.
• The students and I dig with trowels and a shovel. The soil is so dense with matted roots that the students find it difficult to dig.  These roots are the extensive network of roots from the maple trees on the opposite side of the path.  So, another factor limiting plant growth in the Fern Valley beds, may be that there is too much root competition from the maple trees.

On that note, it seems better not to over-plant this Fern Valley area right now. We simply plant the Aquilegia from my garden in a fairly large hole that I dig amongst the tree roots.  We will observe how this plant grows over the next few months.

We then go as a group to the third bed that is more sunny and further away from trees, this bed is planted mainly with Common Milkweed. The intention here seems to be a Three B's Pollinator Garden bed to provide food for Birds, Bees and Butterflies.  In order to increase diversity and summer and fall seasonal interest, we plant some equally vigorous native plants to provide flower nectar for food for pollinators: Mountain Mint and Bee Balm - Monarda Jacob Kline. The students learn how to "puddle in a plant" and film our lesson.

Let's see if the Mountain Mint and Monarda, plants native to Northern Virginia, will thrive here in this more sunny bed along with the Red Maple trees and Common Milkweed.

Talking of names, one student is named Amelia. Amelia begins and ends with A, and rhymes with Aquilegia too. Perhaps the students would also like to write poetry about plants and being outdoors?

Resources
For plants native to Northern Virginia please see Plant NoVA Natives - www.plantnovanatives.org