General News
28 February, 2023
Healthy soil a priority for students
TIMBOON P-12 School AgHort students have been learning about the importance of healthy soils as they prepare to plant out the new garden beds in the school kitchen garden.
TIMBOON P-12 School AgHort students have been learning about the importance of healthy soils as they prepare to plant out the new garden beds in the school kitchen garden.
Timboon Agriculture Project co-ordinator Andrea Vallance said after a planning session with horticulturalist and TAFE teacher, Trevor Bullen, the students were fortunate enough to be invited to an introductory session at the SWTAFE Sherwood Park facility for a careers and soils workshop.
“Michelle Parker, Nick Graesser and Leigh Fary described their various career pathways and updated students about potential opportunities in horticulture including working in gardens, parks, coastal parks, golf courses, curated bowling greens, nurseries, race courses, in turf management, soil technology, weed or pest management, breeding plants, constructing pavements, landscape design, conservation and landscape construction,” she said.
“A tour of the SWTAFE facilities included the classrooms, garden beds, an automated green house that featured automated fans, openings and misters and participants heard about the horticultural skills that are employed to keep footy ovals, cricket grounds, and parks looking their best.
“Students learnt how to do soil pH tests on a variety of soils to ascertain whether their sample was made up of acid / alkaline soils.”
Mrs Vallance said the sample from the school kitchen garden tested slightly alkaline so students would work some compost or organic matter through it to make it more neutral after learning that a pH between 6.5 and 7.5 was usually best for most plants.
“The class planted its own marigold and lobelia seedlings into two different types of potting mix as practical examples of the importance of planting out seedlings and seeds in the best possible environment,” she said.
“During the visit other examples of courses and opportunities at TAFE were introduced by SWTAFE agriculture teacher, Rebecca coleman, who outlined the agricultural / Horticultural certificates, diplomas and short courses available at TAFE including chainsaw maintenance, chemical users course, operate quad bikes and front end loader operations.”