Celebrating Past Pupil Success: A Guest Post from Emily H

We are always very interested to hear about the success of our past pupils. Earlier in the year we told you about a student who is having great success musically. We called that post ‘Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns grow’ . We could call this one ‘Monterey Pines from Tiny Pine Seeds grow’ as it is about the success Emily H had when she grew Monterey Pine Trees from seeds and made a real contribution to our local community. But let Emily tell you about her project in her own words.

Growing Monterey Pine Trees From Seed

INTRODUCTION

My project is to show how I grew Monterey pines from seed.

I did this project because I have always had an interest

in growing things from a very young age.

It was helped along when my Granddad

contacted the former Mayor George Jones

to see if he would be interested in having

some of the trees I had already planted

and succeeded in growing for the Greystones community.

BeFunky_Newspaper.jpg

Mr Jones agreed and now as you can see from press cuttings

there is one of my trees in Burnaby Park

opposite the train station

BeFunky_Burnaby Park.jpg

and also they took some of my trees

and planted them along Shoreline car park.

BeFunky_Burnaby Park.jpg

I am very proud of these trees and so I thought that

I could grow some more for my science project for school

METHOD

Gather pine cones and place them in the full sun to dry them out.

Once dried they will open up for easier retrieval of the seeds.

BeFunky_Monterey Pine Cone.jpg

Place the cones on a paper towel

and roll them gently until the seeds fall out.

BeFunky_Seeds.jpg

Place the seeds in a container

with room temperature of water.

The ones that sink will be the best growers.

Plant the seed in pots, pointed end down and cover with soil.

Keep watering and when the seeds fall off

they can be transplanted to a larger container.

I will be keeping a diary following the progress of the trees.

Day 1

Date : 12.6.13

I planted the seeds in the compost pointed side down and watered them.

Day 2

Date : 13.6.13

Still no progress will be back in 2 weeks.

Day 11

Date : 25.6.13

We have our first Monterey shoot. The seed is still on the top.

BeFunky_First shoot.jpg

Day 12 

Date : 26.6.13

We have our second seed shoot. Also seed on top.

First seedling has now lost its seed.

BeFunky_Seedling.jpg

Day 19

Date: 3.7.13

We now have 13 Monterey pine tree shoots.

BeFunky_Day 19.jpg

Day 25

Date: 9.7.13

We have 17 Monterey Pine tree shoots.

Day 35

Date: 19.7.13

BeFunky_Day 45.jpg

The trees are growing fast.

Day 45

Date: 29.7.13

Still progressing well.

Day 55

Date: 8.8.13 

Strong and healthy trees growing fast.

BeFunky_Day 65.jpg 

Day 65

Date: 18.8.13

Progressing well.

Day 75

Date: 28.8.13

Nearing end of project the trees are strong and healthy.

BeFunky_Day 75.jpg

About Monterey Pines

The Monterey pine, also known as the Radiata pine is a species of pine native to the coast of California. It’s the most widely planted pine in the world, valued for rapid growth and desirable lumber and pulp qualities.

Its native to 3 very limited areas located in Santa Cruz, Monterey peninsula, and San Luis Obispo counties. In Australia, New Zealand and Spain it is the leading introduced tree and in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Kenya and South Africa it is a major plantation species.

Monterey pine has a very small natural range on the central Californian coast, south of San Fransico and on Guadalupe and Cerdros islands off the coast of Baja California in Mexico.

Monterey pine grows best on deep, rich, dry soils or on infertile sandy soil types. It has also shown promise on old red sandstone soil in Munster. It will not do well on wet, shallow ground. It grows vigorously and is known to have a longer growing season than other conifers. In Ireland, Monterey’s commonly suffers from the ”yellows”, a disease sometimes associated with the fungus cyclaneusma minus which results in the yellowing and loss of all the previous years’ needles.

20130525_Powerscourt_PinusRadiata_Cutler_P1470222
Photo Credit: Wendy Cutler via Compfight

CONCLUSION

I found this project very satisfying because I enjoy growing and the output of this project will have a long term effect on the environment.

They help the environment by a number of factors:

1. Trees reduce Carbon Dioxide – the same way humans breathe oxygen and exhale Carbon Dioxide, trees breathe in Carbon Dioxide and exhale Oxygen.  This Carbon Dioxide becomes sugars that can be eaten, burnt for fuel or enjoyed in its leafy form.

2. Trees reduce ozone levels – In  large cities a reduction in ozone can mean milder temperatures and more breathable air.

3. Trees reduce erosion by their roots keeping soil from washing away but also they absorb and store water.

4. Trees provide an ecosystem for animals and insects  by providing a home and  food for them.

Every tree is a potential life-saver to certain species

“Teacher calls it Science. I call it mean” – A Poem by Danielle Sensier !

Living things

Recently we did some experiments

about growing living things!

We put pea seeds in three separate jars.

 

To one we gave no water.

Another we gave water

but then put the jar in a dark cupboard.

 

The last jar got water and light.

 

Teacher asked us what

we thought might happen.

We guessed the jar with no water

would have seeds that didn’t grow at all.

 

We thought the ones in the dark

wouldn’t grow either.

 

We thought that the jar

with light and water would grow well.

 

We were surprised when

the pea seeds kept in the dark grew so much.

We were surprised that the plants were pale yellow.

 

Now that plant is on the window sill

and we move it round to see it grow towards the light.

 

Teacher said that this experiment reminded her of a poem

 

Experiment by Danielle Sensier 

 

At school we’re doing growing things  

with cress. 

Sprinkly seeds in plastic pots 

of cotton wool. 

 

Kate’s cress sits up on the sill 

she gives it water. 

Mine is shut inside the cupboard 

dark and dry. 

 

Now her pot has great big clumps  

of green 

mine hasn’t 

Teacher calls it Science 

I call it mean! 

 

We also saw how water travels up to the leaves of a plant.

We did this using food colouring.

After two hours traces of the blue food dye

that the celery sticks were in

started to show on the leaves of the plant.

 

After two days this was the result:

Blue Celery !

We think that is probably mean too!

If you would like to tell us what you think,

double click ‘Continue Reading’ below

and a comment box will appear.