growing strong – Page 3 – Tracie's Treasures

childminding, family, Garden Classroom, Seedlings

Pumpkin Growing and Beyond

Posted on 16th Oct 20216th Mar 2022 by Tracie Dowling

Back in April the Seedlings sowed pumpkin seeds in the vegetable plot hoping they would grow big for Halloween.

We had bought large pumpkins from the local supermarket last year and kept the seeds, dried them out and stored them in a paper bag to grow for this year. We hoped they would grow big and strong.

Unfortunately, our pumpkins haven’t grown as much as we hoped for yet so the Seedlings went to the shop and bought one for our activity.

First the Seedlings looked at the ones growing in the garden, they were way too small, green and some still had the flower on.

Next we looked at the shop brought pumpkin and Tracie cut it in half for the Seedlings to investigate.

They touched the skin and thought it was cold and hard. When the Seedlings were asked to touch the centre, two of the children said ‘yucky don’t want too’ but Martie prodded it with her finger and smelled it, she wasn’t impressed.

Earlier, while out in the garden the seedlings picked some pumpkin leaves, for the activity they used green paint to make prints of the leaves onto paper.

Tracie cut the pumpkin in half and put it into some orange paint, the seedings swished the pumpkin to make sure it was covered in paint then used it like a stamper onto the prints of the leaves.

The seedlings made lovely pictures of the growing pumpkins in the garden. Alfie squished his pumpkin and the orange paint, mixed with the green to make an abstract painting.

The Seedlings loved the activity and we have displayed them in the front play room.

childminding, Garden Classroom, Seedlings, wanderers

Garden Challenge 2021: Phyllis’ update

Posted on 6th Aug 20216th Mar 2022 by Tracie Dowling

Phyllis has been busy collecting her fruits and vegetables that she started growing earlier in the year.

Phyllis has grown some lovely beetroot which is Tracie’s favourite. They are tasty in a salad or as a compliment in a comforting Scouse. The peppers in the greenhouse are looking good! Chloe loves to munch on these for a healthy snack.

At the moment the tomatoes are still green, but by next week with a lot of sunny weather, they will soon turn red and be ready to eat with the beetroot in a summer salad!

The carrots are looking fabulous watch out for any rabbits Phyllis this is their favourite snack!

As you can see, Phyllis has a vast variety of fruits and vegetables growing. Looks like all her time in the garden has paid off.

family, Garden Classroom

My Dad and Rosies Bee’s

Posted on 8th Jul 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

This is my Dad and Rosie’s garden in Lincolnshire, it is so beautiful and well kept. They both must spend all their time mowing lawns, dead-heading flowers and watering the plants.

Rosie has been working hard to produce a wonderful wildlife garden ready for my dad’s bees to arrive.

The garden has grown up so tall and I bet there are 1000’s of different insects thriving, living in the flowers.

My dad has mowed a pathway to enable them to get through to the hives and greenhouse. I just want to go and run through, looking at all the different flowers there are.

All Dad and Rosie’s hard work has paid off and here is the evidence Thousands of bees have made it their home. They will be busy bees making lots and lots of delicious honey!

How do you all like your honey? I like mine on a chunk of crusty bread mmmm. Hopefully, later in the year I will be able to post photos of the honey!

family, Seedlings

Welcome to Our Setting

Posted on 29th Jun 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

This week we have two new starters in the Little Seedlings.

This is Edie and she is such a cutie, she settled straight in with no problems at all. She loves cuddles and enjoyed all the other Seedlings wanting to play with her.

Edie’s first activity was to make her daddy a Father’s day card. Emma painted her hands to make prints. Edie loves attention and having her photo taken. Tracie made funny faces and Edie copied.

This is our Jack, my grandson. His mummy went beck to work this week so he now comes to join all the fun with the Little Seedlings.

family, rangers

Garden Challenge 2021: Gemma’s Garden

Posted on 20th Jun 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Gemma’s vegetable beds are amazing and full of lush green produce. When the days are sunny Gemma gets Chloe to help water them.

Gemma loves Pac Choi and hers have grown really well. Once they start to flower, which is called bolting, the seeds grow for Gemma to collect for sowing next year!

Gemma’s radishes are amazing, they are as big as a large marbles.

Unfortunately my radishes have not turned out so well! Mine are as big as a grape, but not so juicy.

family, Garden Classroom

Garden Challenge 2021: Phyllis update

Posted on 20th Jun 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Phyllis has been working very hard in her garden over the last few months and it’s all just starting to pay off. Below are just a few of her amazing flowers, they come in all sizes, shapes and amazing colours.

In the edible part of the garden, Phyllis’s fruit and vegetables are growing strong.

Watch out for your cherries Phyllis, I saw a cheeky blackbird flying around, eyeing them up for lunch!

The tomato vines are growing tall and strong, Phyllis is having to use canes to support the stems and cuts the side shots off to ensure the goodness goes into the growing delicious tomatoes.

Phylis has made a delicious Sunday roast using the potatoes and cabbage from her garden. They taste so much better than the ones you buy in the shops. What I want to know is where’s mine!!

This is Phyllis’ Christmas Dinner bed! She has made it in her front garden and all the vegetables will be used on Christmas day! I cant wait to see it all dished up, I had better get an invite!!!

family, Garden Classroom, Seedlings

Strawberry Wall

Posted on 12th May 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Today, in between the rain and the wind, the Seedlings braved the weather to plant up the Strawberry wall. Tracie prepared the wall by filling it with peat-free compost.

At the weekend Tracie dug up the strawberry plants from our plot that the seedlings made last year, she prepared them for the seedlings to replant in the wall.

We have decided to build a new pond in the old strawberry bed for all our growing frogs!

This is Mr Frog, he made Tracie jump! She was sitting on the sofa watching us play when the frog jumped next to her to see what she was doing! We all thought it was funny! Tracie very carefully picked up Mr Frog and took him over to the pond.

family, Garden Classroom, rangers, Uncategorized

Garden Challenge 2021: Gemma’s May Update

Posted on 12th May 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

At the beginning of May, Gemma sent us some pictures of her garden vegetable raised beds that she had made. They have come on so well and are all starting to grow nice and strong.

Its mid-May now and only two weeks since the above pictures and the raised beds have grown so much! Gemma and the children are doing so well, they must all have green fingers!!

Chloe has been helping Gemma after school with watering and trying to keep Cooper their dog from jumping on them! All our pets want to join in with gardening!

Garden Classroom, Uncategorized

Strawberry Potting On with the Seedlings

Posted on 21st Apr 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Today the seedlings and Tracie went over to the greenhouse to check on their strawberry seeds.

Georgia said she thought there will be loads of strawberries all ready to eat! Tracie said it was too early in the year for strawberry picking, we just want strong healthy plants at the moment.

We opened the door and peaked in, Georgia huffed, “No strawberries in here!”

Tracie took a tray from the side and showed everyone. These are the seedlings we sowed and they have all grown really well, in fact, so well we need to re-pot them so they can get bigger!

Tracie explained to a disappointed Georgia and Sophie that the plants need to grow big and strong. When it’s June and we have lovely hot weather little white flowers will appear, then the strawberry fruit will soon be here.

Tracie took the trays of strawberry plants over to the table where she had prepared soil, toilet roll inserts, scissors and gardening tools ready for repotting the growing plants.

First the seedlings cut each toilet roll inserts into 3 pieces. Then they carefully placed them all into a tray. The seedlings took turns to fill each roll with soil.

Using a fork tool, Tracie carefully moved each seedling into a roll. The Seedlings took turns to gently push them down into the soil.

The plants now have little individual pots to give them space to grow.

All the seedlings worked hard together as a team to re-pot them and are really looking forward to the summer when we can all eat strawberries for afternoon tea. Maybe a game of tennis too!!

Garden Classroom, Seedlings

Garden Challenge 2021: Tracie’s Garden Update

Posted on 16th Apr 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

The Seedlings have been so busy this month in the garden. We have enjoyed the lovely bright days even though its been cold.

Sophie helped Tracie to plant a cherry tomato plant. We have been watching it grow from a tiny seed that we sowed last month. We have put a tall cane next to the plant so when it grows tall we can use it for support.

Fearne made sure the tomato plant had plenty of water to help it grow. Fearne asked Tracie for a drink as she wants to grow up bigger!

While we were weeding and tidying up the front garden, Georgia noticed that the potatoes had started growing. Fearne said “they’re not potatoes!” Tracie explained they are potatoes and that the plant grows big and strong, feeding the potatoes growing underneath.

Alfie didn’t want to help plant the vegetables he just wanted to sit and watch! The cheeky monkey! We planted our beans around a wigwam made out of canes, we then added netting around it to support the plants to climb up.

We have decided to plant our vegetables in between the flowers this year as we have so many strong plants. We cant wait to see them grow and make some cauliflower cheese nom, nom!