Growing Smiles Fundraising - Blog #facts

Succulent Plant Care

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 14:50:05 -0700

Succ-essfully Taking Care of your Plant

This 10 plant variety pack offers you the flexibility of gifting, keeping indoors, or planting outside. Easy to care for succulents are a great addition for anyone. Possible Varieties include: Echevaria- Perle Von Nurnburg, Miranda Red, Purpusorum, Affins and Pulidonis. Sedum/Sedevaria- Hens and chicks, Hako Chocokate Ball, Tetractinum Coarl Reef, and Lemon Angelina. Senecio- Mandraliscea

Water

Succulents don't like to be over watered. Let them dry out between watering. Sometimes the bathroom has too much moisture for them to thrive.

Light

Succulents prefer full sunlight all the time. Rotate your succulents frequently (every couple weeks) so they all get adequate light. You can bring them outside when temperatures are above 15°C

Fertilize

Succulents only need fertilizer once or twice a year. Once in the Spring and once in the summer.

Maintain/Soil

Succulents prefer porous sandy soil that drains well.

Temperature

Ideal temperatures for succulents shouldn't drop below about 15°C. They can handle heat very well.

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World Water Day - March 22

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 14:39:57 -0800

Conserving Water when you Work in a Greenhouse

Watering the Plants.

A lot of water can be wasted if it does not reach the roots of a plant. Sprinklers and "overhead" watering end up wasting water that doesn't reach the soil and the roots. For some plants overhead watering can damage the delicate flowers or even cause moldy berries.

Our greenhouses have special floors that are designed to retain water and allow the plant roots to soak up what each individual plant needs. These floors water the roots of the plants directly instead of the tops of the plant/soil.

Another way we can water the roots of a plant directly is by using drip irrigation lines. These are basically special hoses with attachments that are connected to a spike inserted in the dirt of each potted plant. The hose feeds water to each plant using a drip system so the roots have time to absorb the water. We use this technique with our larger crops and hanging baskets.

Watering the Right Amount at the Right Time.

Plants need varying amounts of water to be happy! Did you know that too much water can be just as harmful as not enough water? If plants are watered too much, their roots can “suffocate” from the lack of oxygen! This is known as root-rot, which can be identified when an unhappy plant has very damp/heavy soil and the roots turn brown.

Our growers are experts at using our water efficiently to avoid waste and keep our plants happy!

Water Recycling Systems.

Most of our greenhouses are designed with some kind of trough or collection system that captures any run-off water the plants don’t absorb. We collect the used and dirty water, then filter it ourselves so that it can be recycled and re-used for the same plants.

Water-Conscious Office Space.

Our offices are equipped with water-efficient appliances and motion-sensing taps.

The amount of water wasted in the production of single-use bottles, plates, and cups is astronomical. To reduce the number of plastic bottles being used, and the number of cups being washed, the company provided water bottles to each employee and installed a water filter. Our office also has a full-sized kitchen with stoves to allow employees to cook meals rather than bring in take-out. Using the provided dishes and dishwasher is another way we reduce waste and water consumption.

What Now?

There are small things you can do each day that add up to a big difference!

Here are a few tips:

Water your plants with repurposed water or collected rainwater.
Skip the Rinse on your dishes when loading them into the dishwasher.
Cut your grass around 2 inches tall.
Water plants only when needed in mornings or evenings.
Use water responsibly: take shorter showers, turn off the taps, check for leaks in your home regularly, and install water efficient appliances.
Be a part of the conversation! What does water mean to you?

Thank you for reading today! We hope you have learned something and will join us in the preservation of the Earth’s precious fresh water.

There are many things every one of us can do to reduce water-waste, but we hope that knowing bigger facilities like our greenhouses are doing their part will inspire you to create an environmentally-aware workplace and home.

More Resources.

If you would like to learn some more, this is a short list of resources to get you started:

Website: https://www.worldwaterday.org/ World Water Day by the United Nations Water.

Short Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ6ZIdIgv2A by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on World Water Day 2021: What does water mean to you?

Website for Kids:https://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/?view=list and https://wateruseitwisely.com/kids/ is an informational site that has more than 100 ways to conserve water, including videos, games, tips and challenges for kids.

Article with Infographic:https://authoring-amwater-prod.awapps.com/nyaw/conservation/wise-water-use by New York American Water with tips for conserving Water in your Garden/Yard during the summer.

The (Spring) Plant Process

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:27:57 -0800

From Cuttings to Your Garden

Click Here To See A Video Walkthrough Of Cuttings!!

Have you been wondering how we grow our plants? Did you know that not all plants are grown from seeds? That’s right, we can also grow plants from cuttings too!

CUTTINGS

What is a cutting? When certain plants are fully grown, we cut small pieces off that can be used to start a new plant. These small pieces of plants are referred to as “cuttings” and need to be nurtured to grow new plants.

Starting in January each year, we receive boxes of cuttings from all over North and South America. These boxes need to be opened, counted, and sorted right away to prepare them for planting. This is very important as every single plant has a specific pot and mix that it belongs to. Each individual cutting will be stuck into a soil pod that is part of a tray.

The trays of freshly-planted cuttings are put onto special racks in the greenhouse where they get watered by an overhead misting machine every 10 minutes. This ensures that the cuttings don’t dry out before they have the chance to be properly rooted. Once they have roots, the baby plants can get planted up into larger pots.

Click Here To See A Video Walkthrough Of Seeding!

SEEDS

Almost all our herbs and vegetables are grown from seeds that we plant ourselves.

We use hand-fed seeding machines to drop the seeds into place on a tray of soil. These trays move on a conveyer belt that adds the appropriate amount of soil, fertilizer, and water for each pot. Some trays can hold up to 250 seeds at a time! The trays are then transferred onto carts that are rolled into the germination chambers.

Depending on the plant, they may remain in the germination chamber for two to five days. The germination chamber controls the temperature and humidity to ensure that the seeds have optimal conditions to sprout.

After germination they can then go into their temperature specific zones in the greenhouse. Many plants will be seeded right into the pot they will be shipped to you in, but others may need to be planted up into larger pots.

TO YOU

After the plants have taken root, and been planted up into their correct pot size, they go to a greenhouse for the remainder of their growth period. Our planning team is responsible for planning out the timeline for every single seed and cutting we receive. Before we receive the supplies, they already know when/where the plants will be stored and grown - it’s a lot of work!

After arriving in the greenhouse, the plants are cared for by our growing teams until they are ready to be shipped. Greenhouse staff pick-up plants based on the orders we print, and load them onto carts that get delivered to our shipping warehouse. From the warehouse they get loaded onto trucks and transported to its destination. That’s you!

Dirt is Not Soil (and other fun facts)

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:21:58 -0800

Dirt is not Soil.

Although many of us may use the words dirt and soil interchangeably, they are not the same thing. Dirt is often made of clay, sand, silt, and rocks, with no beneficial nutrients or microbes. When you add water to dirt it doesn’t easily clump together. We cannot grow plants with dirt.

When soil becomes displaced we call it dirt. Therefore, we work with “soil” in the garden, and then wash the “dirt” from our hands when we go inside.

Soil is a living system.

Soil is a natural body made up of minerals, air, water, organic matter, and living organisms. There are more microorganisms in a handful of soil than there are people on earth, and these make up a microbiome. Soil also has bacteria, fungi, worms, and insects that feed on plant tissues, breaking them down into nutrients that plants can absorb.

Soil is at the bottom of the food chain.

Soil is the pillar of life on earth. It provides nutrients for the plants, bacteria, and other micro-organisms, soil is the very foundation of our food chain. Without it, the intricate web of consumption would not be possible. Without plants there would not be animals.

We not only rely on plants as food ourselves, but also to provide shelter and our way of life. Without soil and plants, we would not have access to medicines and fuel. Without trees, we would not have wood for fire, paper, and houses.

Soil can die.

Like all living things, soil can also die. When soil is cut off from its ecosystem, it becomes dirt. Excessive tilling, erosion, depletion, and overuse of chemical pesticides or fertilizers damage the soil’s ecosystem. And remember, when soil is depleted of its organic matter it will turn back into dirt.

Soil is a non-renewable resource.

This is perhaps the most surprising fact on the list, and you might wonder how that can be possible. Wood is considered a renewable resource because we can regrow trees, so how is it possible that soil – the very thing that trees grow from – is not renewable?

To be considered a renewable resource, we must be able to recover the resource within a human lifespan. To develop an inch of topsoil can take more than 500 years. While it is true that we can improve the soil in our home gardens by adding compost, nutrients, and fertilizers, this is not something that can be done effectively on a large scale. It is important for us to protect our soil and agricultural lands with good practices for sustainable soil management.

Soil can impact air quality.

Well-managed soil can take a ton of carbon out of the atmosphere. In addition to being a beneficial part of our ecosystem, soils can supply and retain nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. On the flip-side, mistreated soil can also create an immense amount of carbon emissions.

Soil cleans our water.

In fact, soil is the world’s biggest water filter. As water passes through the ground it is cleaned through physical, chemical, and biological processes. Good-quality soil can filter our pollutants and purify water, keeping our environments and our people healthy.

Soil is vulnerable.

Soil that is not covered with vegetative matter is vulnerable. Through wind, rain, and physical disturbances the soil is being moved away, faster than it can be replenished. Every year, billions of hectares of agricultural land are eroded.

To protect the soil, it is best to have some form of vegetation planted, even just grass and bushes or trees. They act as a barrier to reduce the impact of rain and slow the movement of water. Roots help hold the soil in place while retaining more water and nutrients.

What Now?

Now that you know how important soil is, you might be wondering what you can do to improve the soil in your gardens. Watch for our post next week on improving your garden soil!

For now, here are a few tips:

· Rotate crops to reduce nutrient deficiencies

· Use vegetation to protect soil in your yards

· Increase organic matter in soil through compost, manure, ground egg-shells, and shredded leaves

· Test your soil to see what it needs before using fertilizers

Thank you for reading today! I hope you have learned something, and will join us in the preservation of our precious soil. Even just taking better care of the soil in your garden and sharing these interesting facts with others will make a difference.

Our growing population is like a double-edged sword to our delicate ecosystem. Using more land for housing AND increasing the demand for food-production. Conservation efforts would be wise to focus on the ever-humble soil that supports every part of our lives.

See you next week for tips on enriching the soil in your garden!

More Resources.

If you would like to learn some more, this is a short list of resources to get you started:

Infographic: Soil is a non-renewable resource by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Article: Forest vegetation plays an important role in protecting water quality by Mike Schira with the Michigan State University Extension. This 3-minute video talks about protecting water with plants.

Short Video: “April: Soils Clean and Capture Water” with Jim Toomey from the Soil Science Society of America will teach you about the different ways soil cleans water.

Long Video: “Soil, Not Dirt: A Digital Journey Connecting Soils, Plants, and Climate” by Rebecca Lybrand, a pedologist at the University of Arizona. This 19-minute video studies how soil is part of the eco-system in a variety of climates.

Website for Kids: https://www.soils4kids.org/ is by the Soil Science Society of America and has a variety of resources such as games, experiments and articles for grades K – 12.