Polytunnel Update (May 2022)
Written by Ms Conaty
Just an update on whats actually growing in the polytunnnel at the moment, thanks to Liberty, ARC & Slí Eile students & their teachers Ms Gallagher, Ms Lennon & Ms Conaty. Our caretaker Tommie has also been instrumental in helping us set up the trelisis for the peas and keeping the weeds at bay.
Growing there at the moment is:
Onions, Garlic, Pototoes, Carrots, beetroot, Broad beans, Pok choi, Peas and Radish are in the ground. We have Cucumber, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Red peppers, lettuce, basil, rocket that we are still minding and we will be ready to transplant at the end of May. Some of our tomato varieties this year are seeds that the Green Schools students saved last year.
We manage the tunnel using the principles of organic farming. We use a crop rotation system as part of said management.
In terms of fertilising and growing the soil, we mulched horse manure into it at the end of the last growing season. We also use organic chicken manure pellets and have started making our own compost on site this year. We're hoping it will be ready for next year. We also add nutrients to the soil by using seaweed powder.
Irrigation comes mostly from harvested rain water that we collect in our water butts.
Weeds are all managed manually and we have oscilating hoes to help us with this process.
Pests are managed manually and thankfully we've been successful in keeping pests at bay using organic principals. We are winning so far in the race against the slugs...Long may that last..:-)
We're excited to get cooking up some of our tasty produce at the end of the growing season/start of next school year. Farm to fork in action at AMC.
The Green Schools Committee, the Science Team and the caretaker have joined forces to ensure that the vegetables in the polytunnel are of the highest quality. The students like to hear that they are working in the polytunnel as it provides them with an opportunity to venture out of the classroom and work together in teams, while having a chat!
Only recently a new walkway down to the polytunnel has been created adding to the environment of this area of the school grounds.