The Venus flytrap was quite the spectacle for G.C. Huston students during the Young Growers Day at Saugeen District Secondary School April 19.

Hub Staff

Ladybugs, Venus flytrap and mounds of dirt, together captivated the hands and minds of G.C. Huston students who spent morning with the greenhouse students at Saugeen District Secondary School (SDSS) during Young Growers Day, April 19.

Throughout the morning the young growers got to fill their mobile greenhouse carts, which had been newly outfitted with LED grow lights provided by Mowbray’s Canadian Tire. The carts will hold petunias, tomato and pepper plants, Venus flytraps and a variety of other plants about which the students learned and had an opportunity to plant during their time with the greenhouse students.

Greenhouse teacher Keith Day said students learned how to seed and transplant and feed Venus flytraps; as well they learned about natural pest control using ladybugs. Over the three Young Grower days, Day said he hopes to release 27,000 ladybugs, which come from Sevensville, Ontario.

Day said besides getting things ready to host three area schools - Tara, Hepworth and G.C. Huston for Young Growers Day - the greenhouse students have been busy creating red and white hanging baskets for both Port Elgin and Southampton downtowns, arranged through their respective BIAs; and also have an order in for Summerhill Road in Southampton.

The greenhouse flowers will soon be for sale Thursdays throughout the month of May. The greenhouse students have been working hard getting everything in order while also dealing with heating issues and an onslaught of aphids that caused damage to some plants.

To keep up to date on what’s going on for SDSS Greenhouse’s busy semester, follow them on Instagram @saugeengreenhouse.

Grade 1 students at G.C. Huston got to get their hands dirty during Young Growers Day at SDSS April 19.

Mike and Eleanor Mowbray of Mowbray’s Canadian Tire in Port Elgin helped outfit the mobile carts with LED grow lights by donating $2,100 to the SDSS Greenhouse class. The mobile cart will make its way to G.C. Huston where the students will be able to watch their plants grow. From left: SDSS Greenhouse teacher Keith Day, Mike Mowbray, Eleanor Mowbray and Grade 12 student and Greenhouse assistant Ashley Caume.

G.C. Huston students proudly show off their dirty hands with SDSS Greenhouse students during Young Growers Day April 19.

Grade 11 student Maria Brunton shows G.C. Huston students how to make pipe cleaner flowers.

Grade 1 student Trenton courageously set ladybugs free inside the SDSS Greenhouse during Young Growers Day April 19.

Huston Hawk Dahlia marvelled at the ladybug in her hands.

Ashley Caume distributed ladybugs to flowers with help from G.C. Huston student Erika.