Field Trip
On the 7th of February at 7:30 in the morning, we left the Bishops Campus to Soil for Life in Constantia. Soil for Life is an organisation with aims to educate people on how to live sustainable``. They do great charity work, as they use their resources to educate the poor on how to grow food in their own homes as some people cannot afford food.
The four of us were split into 4 different groups. Namely, construction of fertile compost, water conservation, soil and how to design a window garden. Each of our expert groups taught us different key things.
GROUP RECOMMENDATION
We would suggest that every member of the group, goes to all the stations. This will help everyone to have an all round understanding off all the steps required to built a window garden. At the end of the outing, the boys should be allowed to implement what they have learnt by building a sample window garden at the actual facility, so that the demonstrators can see whether everything has been understood correctly.
FIELD TRIP REFLECTIONS
James Elliott's Field trip reflection: Expert Group: Plants
What did I learn that I did not know before?
Plants grow better in tyres, because the tyres retain the heat. The rubber is an insulator. You put mulch on top of the soil in the container, so that water evapouration is minimized. You use pebbles, as filters and drainage, at the bottom of the container. Heating up the needle makes it easier to pierce holes in the base of the plastic container. You can reuse a toilet roll inner, by putting the plant, with soil, inside the toilet roll, so that pests can’t easily access the plant. Sawdust improves the soil. You mustn’t compress the soil, because you want the soil to be aerated.
How will what I learnt help me with my window garden?
It will help me make the plants grow as well as they can. I will plant the plant safely without damaging the seedling. I will put the right mixture of materials in the plastic bottles when preparing to plant the seedling.
How did I feel? Excited/interested/bored?
I was surprised how scientific and precise the method needs to be to plant a seedling. I was excited to apply what I had learnt to my own project. I am interested to see if I am able to create a successful window garden.
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| Watering our seedlings |
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| Adding water to the soil |
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| Planting a seedling in a tire helps to give the plant maximum heat |
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| Creating Plant "Beds" |
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| Our sieved soil |
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| Heating up a sharp needle to pierce the holes in the bottle for drainage |
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| Our finished Recycled flower pot |
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| Sieving the soil |
My Reflection
Abdul Maalik Kerbelker's Field trip reflection: Expert Group: Water And Biotics
From my field trip experience I learnt how all living organisms contribute to an overall ecosystem
and how using PVC pipes and plastic bottles as very effective water saving irrigation system. This shows how inexpensive and convenient effective water conservation can be. I also learnt about the vital and unmatched role soil plays in the overall ecosystem. and how every living thing relies on soil for its survival.I also learnt about the different ways in which different foods can be preserved. Overall the soil for life field trip was surprising a great learning experience. I acquired knowledge about certain aspects of not just gardens but the entire ecosystem. It gave me the opportunity to be outside my comfort zone and experience something fun and new.
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| The sign leading to the garden entrance |
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| General snapshot of the garden |
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| The installation of the PVC and bottle irrigation systems |
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| One of the foods that were preserved in sugar water |
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| One of the natural mini lakes in the garden |
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| One of the man made mini lakes that reuses water tanks to collect water |
Field trip reflection
On my field trip I was in group D
and we learned that a window garden is a very good idea if you have the lack of space and you want to grow some food for yourself. We learnt that the best type of window garden to have is a vertical one as it saves space and water. We also learned how to make a pot plant out of a tire, this is for if you have a bit more space to grow your own food.
Tire planter
Vertical window garden
James Clarke Field
Trip Reflection
I had an
exciting time at the soil for life field trip. I was placed in a group where we
learned all about Compost and how to make very Fertile soil. We learned about
how earthworms vastly increased soils fertility. I believe what I learned on the
field trip could have a significant impact on my groups window garden. I
enjoyed how we were able to make the fertile earthworm infested soil. All in all,
I think it was an interesting and productive day.
Interesting Links about Soil for Life
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