Our Greenhouse

The Square Foot Garden Project

The goals of this project are simple, yet important:

• We want all of our students to know and experience the science involved with growing.  Every student will have the opportunity of growing from seed to harvest each year. 
• We want all of our students to understand and experience the health and nutritional benefits of balanced and varied diets.  Plant based diets are the most healthful.   We know that children who grow their own vegetables are more likely to eat them.

 This is an ongoing project of ours. Every student has planted in the greenhouse and/or the school garden at least once a year and has met with varied success.

Here is what we have grown throughout the grades. We continue to experiment with crops and encourage grades to explore different options. Likely temperatures and light availability affect plant growth so we continue to learn which seeds and plant varieties will thrive.

Fall Planting

Grade	Greenhouse	Garden
Kindergarten	carrots
Grade 2	beans
Grade 5		Kale & Escarole

Spring Planting

Grade	Greenhouse	Garden
Pre-K	Sunflowers
K & 5th	Zinnia, Marigold, Arugula, Cilantro Basil, Peppers & Tomatoes for Plant Sale
Grade 1		Radishes and Nasturtiums
Grade 3	Swiss Chard
Grade 4	Beets
Grade 6		Onions
Grade 7		Potatoes
Grade 8	Heirloom tomatoes in cloth bags to take home at graduation

In the spring of 2019, North Hampton eighth grade students planted a variety of pollinator-friendly perennials around the perimeter of the garden: coneflower, blanketflower, butterfly bushes and more! Not only will these additions add beauty, but they will attract the pollinators necessary to help ensure the success of our current and future gardening projects. The Pollinator and Butterfly Garden will also enable students to study the life cycle of these insects and better understand their value to the environment.  The greenhouse can be used to expand and develop this portion of the garden to further support the NHS curriculum.

We continue to anticipate surprises and missteps along the way. Naturally our plans will evolve as we encounter them.  It is exciting to share a project across the entire school community. We hope to build on this potential. Once we begin growing, the possibilities seem endless - herb gardens, giant pumpkins, popcorn, historical gardens and heirloom seeds, dye gardens...