PRSS' S ECO-GARDEN

Terrarium

2008-04-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

FUN ACTIVITY FOR YOU TO TRY OUT!

What Is a Terrarium?
A terrarium is a collection of plants growing in a
glass-enclosed container. The terrarium is set up to provide a
highly humid atmosphere, which means that the air
contains lots of water. Plants give off water from their leaves in the form of gaseous
water vapor. When air in the container comes
in contact with the cooler glass walls, the water vapor
condenses, or becomes liquid. This water runs
down the sides of the container and soaks into the
soil on the bottom. The water is then available for
the plants to take up through their roots. To keep the humidity
high, you should always have a lid on the container
to prevent the water from escaping.

Making a Terrarium

You Will Need
containers, soil
fertilizer (optional),
drainage material,
charcoal
plants

Containers
You will need a glass container. Any size container
will do, depending on the number of plants
you are using. The container should have a removable
cover to control moisture. A piece of glass or
plastic can be used if your container does not have a
lid.
Soil
Enough soil is needed at the bottom of the container. The
soil should be porous to allow good drainage. It
should be slightly moist for planting.
Fertilizer (Optional)
Soil should not be too fertile so the plants will
not outgrow the container. One level teaspoon of
fertilizer can be mixed with each 2 quarts of
soil.
Drainage Material
Gravel is needed to prevent soil from becoming
too wet.
Charcoal
Crushed charcoal will keep your terrarium from
having a bad smell.

What to Do???

1. Line the lower quarter of the container with
wood moss.

2.Put the green side next to the glass.

3. On top of the moss, place a few pieces of charcoal
and ½ inch to 1 inch of gravel.

4. Add soil until it is slightly above the moss.

5. Decide how to place the plants.

6. Scoop out soil to make holes for the plants. Set
the plants in position, and press the soil gently
around the roots.

7. Clean the soil from the plant leaves.

8. Sprinkle soil lightly with water.

9. Cover the container, but place the lid so there is
a small opening for air to get in.
10. Place the container in bright light but not in
direct sun.

11. Water the terrarium only if the soil seems dry.

12. Rotate the terrarium occasionally to give a balanced
form to the plants.

13. If the sides of the container become foggy,
remove the lid until they clear.

14. Remove dead leaves and overgrown plants.

TA DA! YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TERRARIUM!

2008-04-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

the following video might be disgusting but it is quite interesting

title: PLANTS WITH EYES

2008-04-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

Gardening tips

Deadheading - Buds

Most flowers benefit from having their spent flowers removed. This is called deadheading. Flowers that repeat bloom will often do so only if the old, dying flowers are removed. If they remain on the plant, they will go to seed and stop producing flowers. Even many flowers that bloom only once per season benefit from deadheading, because the plant puts its energy into strengthening itself instead of producing seed. Some exceptions to this rule are plants like Astilbe or ornamental grasses, that bloom only once, but continue to look attractive with their drying seedheads.

This is an example of a Centurea montana that is having just its spent buds removed. Centurea montana will set more buds along the stem, so the entire flowering stem is not removed until all the buds have bloomed and faded. A good pair of garden pruners will make a nice, clean cut.

Deadheading - Flowering Stem

Sometimes it is best to just remove the spent flower bud when deadheading, as in the previous page with Centurea montana. However, when each flower is on its own stem, it is better to deadhead the entire flowering stem, rather than leaving a gangly, headless stem attached to the plant. Here a Scabiosa stem is being cut down to the base of the plant.

Pinching

Some plants have very crisp, thin stems and can be deadheaded using your fingers. This type of deadheading is referred to as pinching. Coleus plants are grown for their foliage, not their flowers. Pinching the flowers off of coleus plants encourages the plants to become bushier and fuller. Other flowers that can be pinched include daylilies and salvias.

Global Warming

2008-04-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Global Warming

What does the greenhouse effect have to do with global warming?
The "greenhouse effect" refers to the natural phenomenon that keeps the Earth in a temperature range that allows life to flourish. The sun's enormous energy warms the Earth's surface and its atmosphere. As this energy radiates back toward space as heat, a portion is absorbed by a delicate balance of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere—among them carbon dioxide and methane—which creates an insulating layer. With the temperature control of the greenhouse effect, the Earth has an average surface temperature of 59°F (15°C). Without it, the average surface temperature would be 0°F (-18°C), a temperature so low that the Earth would be frozen and could not sustain life.
"Global warming" refers to the rise in the Earth's temperature resulting from an increase in heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.

What is causing global warming?
Scientists have concluded that human activities are contributing to global warming by adding large amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Our fossil fuel use is the main source of these gases. Every time we drive a car, use electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heat our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the air. The second most important source of greenhouse gases is deforestation, mainly in the tropics, and other land-use changes.
Since pre-industrial times, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by 31 percent. Over the same period, atmospheric methane has risen by 151 percent, mostly from agricultural activities like growing rice and raising cattle.
As the concentration of these gases grows, more heat is trapped by the atmosphere and less escapes back into space. This increase in trapped heat changes the climate, causing altered weather patterns that can bring unusually intense precipitation or dry spells and more severe storms.

Our Eco-Garden

2008-03-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Though our school's eco-garden may seem small, it actually contains a variety of plant species. Let's take a look at some of the plants available in the PRSS science Eco-Garden!

An overview of the garden:

The koi pond:

Morning Glory (Ipomea Purpurea):

Description:
Ipomoea is a group of perennial or annual vines as well as evergreen shrubs and perennials. The vines require support, full sun and humus rich soil. Morning glory is a twining climber, blooms in pink, purple-blue, magenta or white in a trumpet shape on hairy, slender stems and green leaves.

Ixora:

Description: Ixora possess leathery leaves, ranging from 3 to 6 inches in length, and produce large clusters of tiny flowers in the summer. Members of Ixora prefer acidic soil, and are suitable choices for bonsai.
There are about 400 species spread from Africa to India to Southern Asia. For red color, ixora is popular in warm South Florida with blooms all year long. The many types used in South Florida vary with leaf size, plant height, flower size and flower color. Cut flower stems are long lasting brought indoors.

Bouganvillea Galbra:

Description: Large, spreading evergreen vine with abundant, white to bright purple flowers. Full sun produces best growth and flowering results. If in containers, must be moved indoors in the cold weather.

Water Hyacinth:

The leaves are 10-20 cm across, supported above the water surface by long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purplish black. An erect stalk supports a single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pinkish in colour with six petals. Water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners or stolons, eventually forming daughter plants. They may also reproduce via seeds. The common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a vigorous grower known to double its population in two weeks.

Plumed Cockscomb (Celosia Argentea):

Celosia argentea is a tender annual that is often grown in gardens. It is propagated by seeds, and produces up to 43,000 seeds per ounce. The seeds are extremely small.
The Century cultivars are usually taller (1-2 feet), and are bright red, yellow, orange, or pink. The Kimono cultivars are generally smaller (4 inches - 1 foot), and have more muted colors, though similar to the Century cultivars. Other colors, such as white, burgundy, orange-red, etc., can be found. Certain varieties will grow to 3-4 feet in height. Since these plants are of tropical origin, they grow best in full sunlight. The flowerheads can last up to 8 weeks, and further growth can be promoted by removing dead flowers. The leaves and flowers are edible and are grown for such use in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Bird Nest Fern:

Description:Like most tree ferns, the Bird's Nest is popular and pilfered.
It grows in a great variety of sites in rainforests as an epiphyte on large trees or independently growing on the forest floor and rocks if good light is available. It is found in Queensland, New South Wales to the south coast, and Asia. It is well adapted to the sometimes harsh conditions of the rainforest and recovers quickly with the assistance of rain even though the leaves may look wilted, brown and beyond repair.
Its genus contains about 650 species, 26 of them in Australia. It is excellent for growing in a pot, tub or basket (due to its small root system), but is also suitable for culture in the ground. It dislikes being in full shade and wet soil and prefers filtered sunlight and a dry situation such as under eaves or large gums for example.

Spider lily (Hymenocallis Festalis):

The Spider Lily, a spring planted bulb, produces beautiful white flowers. It is also commonly called Basket Lily and Peruvian Daffodil. It is a deciduous, bulbous, hybrid perennial that produces a spidery daffodil flower with extremely narrow petals. The plants features a clump of narrow, strap-shaped, amaryllis-like leaves (each to 36” long) growing directly from the bulb. In the summer, the flower stem rises and is topped by 2 to 5 fragrant, white, spidery flowers, up to 5” across. Spider Lilies can be utilized in borders, open gardens and containers. Spider Lily has basal leaves only. Leaves can reach 60cm in length (24inches). The flowers have 6 Regular Parts. They are white. Blooms first appear in mid summer and continue into late summer. The very showy flowers face outward from the top of a single stalk. There can be 3 to 9 flowers. The habitats are rich damp woods usually near water. It has a rare range. More common in the costal plane area but extending east in isolated locations and north to Kentucky.

Pests:
Spider mites:

They are small, 8 legged, spider-like creatures which thrive in hot, dry conditions (like heated houses). Spider mites feed with piercing mouth parts, which cause plants to appear yellow and stippled. Leaf drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestations. Spider mites can multiply quickly, as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days. They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and flowers.

Whiteflies:

Whiteflies are small, winged insects that look like tiny moths, which attack many types of plants. The flying adult stage prefers the underside of leaves to feed and breed. Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 months. If a plant is infested with whiteflies, you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed. Whiteflies can weaken a plant, eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked. They can transmit many harmful plant viruses. They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew (coveted by ants) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty mold.

Aphids:

Aphids are small soft-bodied insects. They are one of the most common pest groups of ornamental plants. Aphids feed in colonies. They have plump, pear-shaped bodies and two tubes, or cornicles, which project like exhaust pipes from their abdomens.
Pests:

Mealy bugs:

Mealybugs belong to the insect group that is commonly known as scale insects: they have soft segmented oval bodies, but without an outer shell. They are covered with a white waxy powder and may have long or short filaments projecting from the margin; some have none.

Worms:

A worm is a long, thin animal that lives in the soil. They have a soft, long, rounded body and no legs or backbone. They often bite through the plant causing holes to form and eventually the breakdown of the plant.

Caterpillars:

They are mostly phytophagous in food habit, with some species being entomophagous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered pests in agriculture.

Fungus gnats:

Fungus gnats are small, dark, short-lived flies, of the families Sciaridae and Mycetophilidae (order Diptera), whose larvae feed on plant roots or fungi and aid in the decomposition of organic matter. The adults are 2-5 mm long, and are important pollinators, and can also help spread mushroom spores.