Parkdale High School Students Conduct an Experiment at Behnkes

Environmental Science students at Parkdale High School, under the direction of their teacher Mrs. Margie Green, are presently conducting an experiment using organic fertilizers on Christmas Grape Tomatoes. Students have designed this experiment in order to determine the influence of these additives on the overall health of the plant, crop productivity, and nutrient runoff. Recognizing the problem of nutrient eutrophication in the Chesapeake Bay and wishing to reduce nutrient runoff, students hope to be able to use the data to formulate recommendations for local residents on the use of such fertilizers.

Students will be visiting Behnke's Nursery over the next two months to monitor growth and record data to determine fertilizer influence. Later when the greenhouse tomato plants begin to produce tomatoes, students will perform community service projects by making formal food donations to various centers, helping students to develop community awareness and to take an active part in supporting their local community. The Behnke's Nurseries have additionally graciously permitted donations to be collected so that the proceeds could be forwarded to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.

Through this additional effort, students will develop greater awareness and stewardship of their global community. Approximately 150 students are presently taking part in this experiment, having planted seeds in mid-January and placed them under the lights of a grow tower in the classroom. Four weeks later the tomato plants developed their second set of true leaves and students then transplanted the seedlings into sterilized one gallon containers. Each class prepared a specific mix of fertilizer, peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite, placing their name on a labeled splint inside their container.

Containers were then color-coded according to the fertilizer: navy blue is bone meal, red is dried blood, olive is triple phosphate, royal blue is cow manure, yellow is chicken manure, and peach is the control. On Saturday, eight students and six adults transported160 tomato plants to Behnke's Nursery in Beltsville, Maryland. Students and adults arranged the fertilizer groups along three long benches in the east end of the Houseplant greenhouse where the containers were numbered corresponding to each student's name. A log book containing instructions for recording data and rulers and pencils has been placed with the plants so that students may drop in and record growth data for each group.

Students have graphed plant height and mass and are currently testing nutrient runoff. They are presently analyzing initial data to determine trends. Parkdale High School would like to sincerely thank Behnke's Nurseries for their generous donation of table space in their beautiful greenhouse for this investigation. By allowing students this opportunity to explore and to work in their facility, many with no prior gardening knowledge have been provided a variety of enriching experiences. Students' curiosity has not only been piqued by the experiment, but their minds have been expanded to include the fascinating and beautiful realm of plants as displayed throughout the buildings. Many have expressed a desire to return with their families to tour the facilities.