Suggested timing: October
Having already researched, planned, designed, and even constructed the school garden area, it's time to start looking at the Mystery of Growth. Growth is fascinating! There are many aspects which can be studied and explored, either by individual children or as groups, with activities indoors and out.
Short film: The Mystery of Growth
1. What is 'growth'?
Growth is not just a simple process of getting bigger. As well as growing upwards, or outwards, or downwards (in the roots), plants will also change their appearance - the shape and colour of the leaves, producing buds and flowers, flowers producing fruits and seeds. It is important that we look closely at how plants grow and how they change so that we can begin to understand how best to look after them.
2. Types of plant growth
Plant growth differs in a few ways, including:
- Various shapes and sizes
- Differences across plant types, and sometimes within the same group of plants
- Changes across the stages of development of each individual plant
So, different plants can grow taller or smaller, wider or narrower, straighter or in a wonky shape!
3. Seasonality and growing environments
Plant growth is affected by environmental conditions. All plants have preferred growing environments, but can adjust to some change - even the same plant can grow very differently in different places.
4. Healthy growth
Healthy growth is affected by light, water and soil - plants adopt different strategies to make the most of light, to store water, or to get nutrients from the soil.
Although rapid stem growth and large surfaces may give leaves an advantage for obtaining light, it can also result in weakness and the need for support. Pliable stems can recover from trampling and buffeting by wind, however stems that break cannot recover, and the part of the plant separated from water then dies.
5. Nutritional qualities
Each fruit and vegetable types are composed differently - vegetables and fruits contain varying amounts of water, sugar, and fibre (as well as other nutrients).
6. Space for growth
Different vegetables grow to different sizes. It's important to consider this as a part of planning what, and how many plants to grow (in unit 6 'From Planting to Growing' we consider the One Foot Square method).
You have reached the end of this unit. To assess your knowledge before starting the next unit, please complete the short quiz found at the link below.
Please note: you will have to enter your email address at the start of each unit quiz if you wish to be sent a Garden Schools Certificate of Completion once you have worked through all 8 units and quizzes.