US (CA): $10,000 to expand California native plants project at school
Tracy Unified School District received the grant on West High’s behalf from the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Monsanto Fund. It was announced in a news release issued Monday.
Marlene Hepner, an agriculture teacher at West High, said the grant money would pay for a shade structure to create a transitional area for the native plants nursery.
The 2,400-square-foot nursery has grown out of a native species garden that was built by a student in 2014. It began with 30 plants, including shrubs, trees and flowers, all native to California.
“Our goal is to go into the garden and have the students make cuttings so the students get production experience,” Hepner said.
Students will transplant those cuttings in the ag department’s greenhouse. When the new plants are ready to be moved outside, they will be placed under the new shade structure to gradually acclimate to the natural climate — a process called hardening off — before being either used in an agriscience project or sold to gardeners in the community. Acclimation can take up to a week, Hepner said.
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