Grade 12 student Bridgette, showed her new friends from GC Huston what an Aloe plant looks like, and talked about how it can sooth irritated or burnt skin, during Young Growers Day at SDSS April 19.

Hub Staff

The Saugeen District Secondary School (SDSS) Greenhouse students welcomed some young friends from GC Huston to play in the dirt, and learn about planting, for Young Growers Day, April 19.

Grade 12 students at SDSS, Sarah Tennyson and Felicia Fletcher, said the younger kids were having fun and learning a lot.

“We’ve taught them transplanting, we take plants that have already been growing and we replant them into bigger pots,” explained Tennyson with her friend Fletcher adding, “They like playing in the dirt the most.”

Throughout the two-hour learning session the SDSS students taught GC Huston students how to seed, transplant, how to pot-up, how to do micro-green, and deal with tropical plants. They also participated in a scavenger hunt in the greenhouse, coloured posters, and made crafts.

During the scavenger hunt, GC Huston student Simon Small was eager to find the items that were on the list which included a Cactus, Ghost Plant and Aloe, but none of these were his favourite.

“The field trip is about plants, and maybe about recycling,” said Small matter of factly. “I learned about plants and my favourite plant is the Blood Orange, I like it, it smells nice.”

Greenhouse teacher Keith Day said it's a learning day for both age groups.

“They’re super engaged,” Day said of the students from GC Huston. “As long as they're having fun and doing stuff that's what matters.” He added that the older students are learning social awareness and how to give back and share their knowledge.

The plant knowledge has come in handy for the SDSS students as they prepare for a busy spring.

“Every Thursday in May we have a Plant Sale from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., starting at $1.50 and going up to $75, and everything in between. We’re also doing all of Port Elgin’s hanging baskets for the BIA (Business Improvement Area) and Southampton's. We’re also doing Summerhill Road’s basket, so there’s 140 baskets already set out,” said Day.

Eleanor Mowbray of Mowbray’s Canadian Tire was on hand, as Canadian Tire donated the mobile greenhouse carts that will house the plants that the GC Huston students transplanted.

After making the dirt perfect GC Huston student, Grant, found the perfect place to plant, during Young Growers Day, at SDSS, April 19.

GC Huston student Simon Small took a whiff of a few Blood Orange plants during his time in the SDSS Greenhouse, April 19.

Friends Nate (left) and Owen had fun during the scavenger hunt in the SDSS Greenhouse, April 19.

GC Huston students along with SDSS teacher Keith Day (left), SDSS students and Eleanor Mowbray (right in black) stood proudly with the mobile greenhouse cart, that was donated by Mowbray’s Canadian Tire. The cart will help their new plants thrive, until they can be taken home.