Budding New Gardeners - 2nd Nature Club Session

St. Xavier’s Boys’ Academy conducted its second session for the Nature and Science Club on 9th August, 2019 from 1-2:15pm. The aim was to teach today’s young people how to grow simple herbs in their own homes and take pleasure in watching a living thing grow under their care. Our resource person – Mr. Rajendra Pethe has worked at Anupam Tech and even started his own firm Greenlands – in garden and farm consultancy. He has been involved in creating landscape gardens and plantations at various places around Vasai and Mumbai, and has planted more than two lakh plants.

To start off, the boys planted fenugreek and hybrid coriander seeds in pots. They were extremely curious about the steps and care needed to be taken and kept peppering Mr. Pethe with endless questions, anxious to get it right the first time: how deep must the seeds be put into the soil, the distance between the seeds, how many in a pot, how much water, when should it be watered, when will they get the coriander and fenugreek stalks and so on…? It was heart-warming to see them gently making holes for the seeds and then patting the pot-mix carefully over it. They were eager to get their pots home and excitedly wait for the first shoots to break the surface.

In this age of smartphones, it is important for today’s children to spend some time away from phone screens and instead immerse themselves in gardening. It will not only sensitize them to the plight of farmers facing floods and drought, but also give them a sense of accomplishment from growing fresh herbs they can use in their own kitchens.

Altogether there were 58 members of the Club who attended the session along with Ms. Neharika Vaz, Ms. Marilyn Rebello, Ms. Teresita D’Gama, Mr. Brian Rebello and Mr. Adalbert Cardoza.

Ms. Marilyn Rebello

Co-teacher In-Charge