Gardening At The Glen

By Owen K (2nd Grade)

Did you know that Okra is a fruit? Some cultures around the world call okra “Lady Fingers”. Okra comes in different colors. Like Pink, Green, and sometimes Purple. There are many ways to cook and eat Okra. Fried Okra, Boiled Okra, dehydrated Okra and Pickled Okra. My favorite is Fried Okra. The Vitamin C in Okra helps your body have a healthy immune system. Okra is native to East Africa.

It’s almost October which means one of my favorite holidays, Halloween, will be here soon!

We already see candy on the shelves at the grocery store and costumes and decorations displayed at big box stores and craft stores.

So many of these decorations are super creepy and very imaginative, but one of my favorites is the “spider skeleton”.

I don’t know about you, but to me this is really funny. Why is that? What do we know about spiders that reminds us that this decoration is completely fake/fictional?

Leave your answer in the comments.

People breed diverse plant varieties! All of the corn ears in this display are the same species (Zea mays), developed in different parts the world. Although corn originated in Mexico, farmers around the world adopted it and bred their own unique varieties. Farmers and breeders have developed hundreds of corn varieties. Some resist pests or have kernels that are brightly colored, are sweet, or pop when heated. The genetic diversity in these varieties is essential for breeding new crops that can tolerate growing threats like drought and disease. Find this display in our exhibit “Cultivate: Growing Food in a Changing World,” on display through August 25, 2024.

This post was taken from Facebook and shows how humans have created different types of corn by selective plant breeding. Look carefully at the sizes and shapes of the ears of corn and their kernels. There are many different kinds of corn that are grown for different purposes. Can you find a type of corn to write a blog post about? One that would be fun to learn about is Glass Gem Corn. Another old heirloom corn that is popular here in South Carolina is Johnny Red Corn.

Also, if you want to learn where the vegetable we know as corn came from, go to the “widgets” button at the top of this page and search for the post about “teosinte”.

Yesterday I took the caps off of some dried up markers to add to our special rake.

Why did I do that? What will we use this rake for? (It’s not for weeding!)

Bonus hint: I will not keep the plastic marker caps that close together when I use this rake in the garden!

By Juniper W

Last week I got cucumbers from Señor Frank and brought them some home and my dad made pickles. Here is how to make pickling juice (no exact measurements, more vinegar = more sour.) : 

. Make brine (water and salt)

. Add apple vinegar

Grab a container and put the liquids in and leave enough space for food.

Then choose what you want to pickle – cucumber, boiled eggs, or okra. Cut cucumbers into slices or just put them in how they are. Don’t cut boiled eggs, just put them in. And either cut your okra into cm-inch thick or leave them and put them in. You can put extra things in to boost the flavor like hot peppers for spice, a pinch of sugar for sweetness, and dill to make it taste like the ones at the store. Lastly you should leave it in the fridge for 5 days and they should taste great. Now when at cookouts (or anywhere really) your friends will think of you as a big dill!😂

By Asher A

Green grass crab spiders I think are one of the most interesting spiders I’ve seen. I really like the Green grass crab spiders because they look awesome and I think they are very interesting. In this blog post I want to share some information about this cool spider.

Green grass crab spiders have a scientific name; there are over 30 species of them in the genus Oxytate. The one in this picture looks like Oxytate striatipes. Green grass crab spider is the spider’s most known name and what it’s usually called.

Here is what the Green grass crab spider size is. Females can grow to about 6 mm(millimeters) the male can grow to about 4 mm(millimeters). The color of the Green grass crab spider is pale green with a little bit of a mixture of silvery-white and sometimes they can have pink markings.

Green grass crab spiders eat moths, beetles, crickets, aphids, grasshoppers, ants, and small butterflies.

Green grass crab can be found in a manmade habitat that are in North America they are native to North America. Actually Green grass crab spiders live in south carolina and they can be found to be invasive(harmful when in your space or area). Green grass crab spiders do not take care of their babies because they do not lay eggs.

Here is a fact that I found interesting that is about Green grass crab spiders. First of all isn’t it crazy and cool that Green grass crab spiders have 30 species of different spiders?

Sources: inaturalist, picture insect, orkin, pestworld.org, britnnica kids, wikepedia 

A small pine tree grown in a glass box shows the intricate network of white, finely branched mycorrhizal threads or “mycelium” that attach to roots and feed the plant.

These mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with plants, helpng them absorb water and nutrients from the soil while receiving sugars and other compounds in return.

This incredible underground network supports plant health and growth, illustrating the vital conections within ecosystems. 🌱

Picture and text taken from a Facebook post by Kim Alfano.

By Sawyer W

Today I would like to tell you about the bird whose scientific name is Piranga olivacea. Its common name is the Scarlet Tanager.

Scarlet Tanagers are about 6.3-6.7 inches in length, which makes them medium-sized songbirds. It is bigger than a Yellow Warbler and a little smaller than the Northern Cardinal. Males have bright red bodies, black wings and tails, and yellow beaks. Females have yellow bodies, darker wings and tails, and yellow beaks.

Female Scarlet Tanager ©Marieta Maolova / Macaulay Library

Breeding Scarlet Tanagers prefer deciduous (meaning leaves fall out and later regrow) and mixed deciduous-evergreen forest habitats.

These birds live in the eastern United States when breeding. Scarlet Tanagers migrate to warmer weather in the winter to South America and further South in eastern North America.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scarlet_Tanager/maps-range

The females lay greenish brown eggs with brown spots. Nests typically contain three to five eggs. Scarlet Tanager’s nests are flimsy and made high in deciduous trees often 50 feet or more from the ground and made of loosely woven twigs and grasses.

http://freewp.cfsscloud.hk/idb/scarlet-tanager-piranga-olivacea/

Food for these birds includes moths, butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, spittlebugs, and more.

Check out the Scarlett Tanager’s song: https://media.audubon.org/nas_birdapi_file/SCATAN_2.songnum2_KYle_1.mp3?v=b.

P.S. First graders at Meadow Glen Elementary School learn about birds. My bird was the Scarlet Tanager. Here is the picture I drew!

Sources:

• http://freewp.cfsscloud.hk/idb/scarlet-tanager-piranga-olivacea/
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/scarlet-tanager
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scarlet_Tanager/lifehistory
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scarlet_Tanager/id
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scarlet_Tanager/maps-range
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_tanager
• https://study.com/buy/academy/lesson/what-are-deciduous-trees-types-definition-examples.html?src=ppc_bing_nonbrand&rcntxt=aws&crt=&kwd=SEO-PPC-BUY&kwid=dat-2329040505886940:loc-190&agid=1235851302596746&mt=b&device=c&network=o&_campaign=SeoPPC&msclkid=2a08ea42e9bf1ba39a368cb7294f9a9d

By: Syra A

Marigolds are one of my favorite types of plants. They are so pretty, their orange petals glowing in the sunlight. We actually have some growing right now in the garden and they are stunning. 

There are many names for Marigolds. Marigolds is its most known name but its scientific name is tagetes or Tagetes Erecta some other names it’s called by is calendula, ruddles, mary buds, and more.

Marigolds are native to Mexico and Central America and they like areas where it is sunny and has lots of sunshine. It will bloom beautifully, but in shady and cool places they won’t bloom as well.            

Now here are some things to describe Marigolds. Most Marigolds are annual but some can be perennial. Also Marigolds can grow 10-36 inches and if you convert that to ft. the tallest it could grow would be exactly 3 ft. That’s pretty tall. I mean imagine Three 12 inch rulers stacked on each other that would be 3 ft.  Wow! 

If you don’t know what Marigolds look like they are very pretty. They are usually the color red, orange, and yellow or a mixture of that pretty much, but they can also come in other colors like gold, copper, brass, and white or any of those combined. Their average size is 6-12 inches tall and 6-9 inches wide so they need a good bit of space to grow.

Butterflies are very attracted to Marigolds; the other pollinator that’s attracted to Marigolds is bumblebees. Butterflies and bumblebees are the pollinators that are attracted to marigolds. 

Also I have a question: are Marigolds edible? Yes they are!  People usually dry the petals out and put them into soups, stews, salads, and pasta dishes. Marigold petals can also be used to brew tea. Marigolds are identified as plants or flowers not vegetables or fruit.

Here are some growing tips with Marigolds. First the type of soil Marigolds grow best in is loamy soil which is basically soil that drains well. Also here are some tips when you are planting marigolds: if it’s small it should be put in a border but if it’s tall and wide then it would be preferred to be planted in the ground. Also make sure it’s in a water draining environment. You never want your marigolds to get a bit too much water.

When marigolds are planted and bloom little pests will damage a good bit of marigolds. Some of these are aphids, beetles, weevils, leaf hoppers, and red spider mites. There is a solution to these little critters. There are some pesticides that can help.  Here are the three main ones Monocrotophos, Phosphamidon, and Dimethoate.

I love this plant a lot and we already have it at the school in one pot! I wish we could grow more Marigolds. It’s perfect because South Carolina is very hot and has lots of sunshine which is very good. It also would look beautiful in our garden.

Now I have some fun facts about Marigolds. It’s not just a flower, it’s also commonly used in many things and also represents many things. First Marigolds are used on the day of dead. The day of the dead is a holiday celebrated in hispanic cultures. It is a holiday to welcome your ancestors from the dead. People make ofrendas which is a table that’s dedicated to the ancestor you’re remembering. Marigolds can be put on these ofrendas – it’s a common flower to use. Marigolds symbolizes beauty, warmth, welcoming vibes, success, and the connection between the dead and living. Also people sometimes just grow it because they like the flower.

I hope I have taught you a few things about Marigolds I truly love the flower and it is one of my favorites. Please comment on this post if you want to share anything or give feedback!