June 23 :: Rainy Summer

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired of the rain. The greenhouse beds even sprouted some mushrooms to protest the dampness in their own way. Luckily for our seedlings under the protection of the greenhouse, they stay evenly watered and warm and are lacking only in their daily sun. The grow lights should be an alright substitute for now.

This week things are growing well. I haven't planted anything new, but I've been enjoying a few things coming into bloom (despite being saturated!) including the nasturtiums and impatiens along the front of the raised beds. See photos below.





Our first early cherry tomatoes are ripening as well. They are delicious!


That's all for now. Check back soon,

Your hungry Green Blogger

June 16 :: Second Phase

Thanks for tuning in again!

This week I want to share our progress on the raised beds for the Brooks Student Center patio near the greenhouse. We had the idea to utilize a great source of sun along the outside fence to grow things that need deeper soil or more space than our shallower greenhouse beds can provide. The outside beds also increase our growing space over the summer by about 100%!

This photo shows the two largest beds placed along the fence. They measure 3'x12' and will be permanent fixtures on the patio, year round. Constructed from untreated cedar planks that are naturally rot-resistant, they are lined with black landscaping cloth to help hold in the soil. The raised beds are filled with a combination of O'Donal's potting soil and composted soil produced on campus.

We also will be constructing three 2'x4' beds (one of which is shown in between the large beds in the above photo) which will be given floors and casters. Over the summer months they will live out on the patio, soaking up the rays. During the shoulder seasons (just fall this year, but spring and fall of next year) they can be rolled into the greenhouse to keep them warm and extend the life of the plants.

Along the front of the large beds I have planted nasturiums and impatiens, both flowering plants whose blossoms are edible. I'm also about to transplant dwarf acorn squash seedlings and have plans to start carrots and perhaps garlic. The smaller, rolling beds will be home to the heirloom tomato plants.

Above: Orange mint, peppermint, and imaptiens.

As you can see from the above photo there are also large black pots in the four corners of the large raised beds. These are perennial herbs that will benefit greatly from being outdoors all summer long. We will harvest and use them in the dining hall until fall at which point they can be removed from the beds in their pots and brought into the greenhouse for the fall and winter. We have French tarragon, rosemary, peppermint, orange mint, sage, thyme, oregano, and chives. These will flourish in the warmth of summer, go dormant over the winter, and come back again in the spring. Dormancy is a natural phase of the perennial's life, so we will drop the temperatures in the greenhouse during the coldest months to replicate deep winter in nature.

Check back next week for more photos and updates. Something you want to see in particular? Just let me know!

Grow on,
Your favorite Green Blogger


P.S. The chives are blooming! Chive blossoms are beautiful and tasty - add them as a colorful, onion-y topping to any salad or raw veggie dish.

June 9 :: Welcome!

The greenhouse is up and running!

As the beautiful Maine summer begins to unfold, things on the USM Gorham campus are growing! The patio of Brooks Student Center is now garden-central. With the greenhouse at one end and cedar raised beds stretching along the fence, it is lovely to behold. And to think, we'll be able to eat all of this!


USM Dining Services has always had sustainability in mind. We have now taken it a step further by working towards growing some of the food served to students and staff in the dining hall. Herbs and vegetables will be growing over the summer in the raised beds and year-round in the greenhouse. They will be featured on the menu throughout the school year so keep an eye out for those, especially in the fall.

The Greenhouse

The 18' x 28' greenhouse is the perfect place to grow herbs and leafy greens. With double-layer plastic walls and roof, it is insulated and provides a consistant temperature for the plants. We have upgraded the soil to locally-produced topsoil from O'Donal's Nursery, right down the road in Gorham, and added local composted manure. These shallow beds allow excess water to drain away while offering a rich layer of growing medium to ensure healthy and happy plants.

I planted basil, cilantro, parsley, impatiens, nasturiums, and chives from seed at the end of April. By mid-May, they were sprouted and getting their second sets of leaves.

Cilantro seedlings after 2 weeks:

Cilantro after 4 weeks:

We purchased four tomato plants locally (on the back of the table in the above photo) as well as buying six plants of Paul Robeson tomatos, an heirloom variety. We're planning to move the heirloom plants into three smaller raised beds, which are still being built.

The herbs have been transplanted to one of the large beds in the greenhouse where they will grow for the summer. Soon we'll start more seeds of each herb in order to have a constant supply (this is why there is room in the bed between each type of herb, see photo below).

Herbs in bed, from left to right: Genovese Basil, Cilantro, Chives, and Parsley.

As for me, I'm on campus twice a week mainting the greenhouse and doing other things related to local food and the USM community. Want to visit the greenhouse and/or take a tour? Have questions? Post them here! Become a follower of this blog and check back often for updates.

Grow on,

The Green Blogger

P.S. As you may have noticed, my penname is lacking in originality. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

June 6 :: Coming Soon!

Hello USM!!! This will be the new spot to learn all about what we are doing in our greenhouse and sustainability! Didn't know we had a greenhouse...come and check it out on the patio outside of Brooks Dining Center!

Soon to come...pics of the greenhouse and what we are growing! And more info on sustainability!