Last weekend I took a tray of pots of small Gymnocalyciums (mostly my seed-grown G.baldianum, but a few rooted pups of andreae, bruchii and calochlorum) to my daughter's to be taken to her son's school for a Spring Term project.
A letter about this was sent to parents yesterday, and the plants will go home with the children today
I included a larger G.baldianum for the class teacher (or classroom assistant or an interested parent) to look after and, hopefully, to bring into the classroom when it flowers;
an A4 sheet with my suggestions for basic cultivation advice, mentioning the BCSS local (to the school) branch and the children's pages on this website;
and on loan, my signed copy of Graham Charles' Gymnocalycium book.
Ever hopeful, trying to grow plants from arid sunny climates in the UK!
Lithops, Haworthia, Adromischus, other south African succulents including Ceropegia and some Crassula.
What an excellent initiative, let's hope that the teacher or whoever keeps their larger plant alive or the children who bring theirs back alive and thriving will have outshone her.
Wouldn't it be good if we could replicate this in other schools, no personal visits necessary, but contact is made and children encouraged.
My brownies loved the cactus evening I did for them a couple of weeks ago. I think many would have quite happily taken home the plants I took to show them! They all take home a pot of Astropyhtum seeds which they had sowed. The following week two of newest brownies that are only just 7 rushed in to tell me the seeds were growing.
I'm glad that Elf & Safety hasn't stomped on this.
I'm not sure how young Year 1 is, but hopefully they're all old enough to know NOT to water the socks off the plants. My mother had a baldianum when I was little, and it flowered for her (she even overwaters the pond plants)... so I think there's a good chance that the littlies can watch a few flowers grow and unfold! There is nothing lovelier than a Gymno bud.
Happy carrier of Forby Disorder - an obsession with Euphorbia obesa.
NB. Anyone failing to provide a sensible name for me to address them will be called, or referred to, as Fred.
Julie wrote:I'm glad that Elf & Safety hasn't stomped on this
Good point Julie, I did in fact contact H&S last year and had a reply, saying it was basically up to the teacher
There is nothing lovelier than a Gymno bud
Yes there is! A Gymno flower!!! especially the red baldianum in my opinion. Those that have pink flowers (calochlorum and some bruchii) I potted in square pots, in case any boys (or their big brothers/dads) thought a pink-flowered cactus wasn't a good idea
"xxx's mum ... says they love cacti in their house and have a tradition that when a pet dies they buy a cactus (!). They often look at the cactus section in Haskins, she says, and they have quite a few on their windowsill so yours will join the collection. It seems they have had quite a few pets!!"
Memo to self: I must send an email to the Secretary of the local BCSS Branch ... keeping the momentum going.
I hope it doesn't work the other way round too and they didn't have to knock off a pet to justify adding the plant you gave them to the collection Lindsey
This is such a great idea that during a bit of shuffling and some repotting of plants which haven't been able to be resisted by little hands I've started to put aside a few plants with a view to asking my 6yr old daughter's teacher about such an idea for her kids. [being a little village school I won't need to provide many plants anyhow!]
Matt
Joined online Member number 49972. Bradford Branch.
Interests include South American cacti and spiny Euphorbias
Though I'm a southerner I have some Yorkshire roots myself (have been to P.B on holidays) , maybe that's why I love growing plants, preferably indoor plants as I'm a bit of a control freak Gymnos seemed an easy choice, I think 6-year-olds would have difficulty with Lithops! Do let us know which plants you're thinking of passing on to the youngsters.
... keeping the momentum going.
Member number 49972. Bradford Branch.
to the Forums, dalesmatt! (There's an "Introduce yourself" section here 