Chemistry Class Grows Rooftop Organic Garden
Mar 20, 2014
March 20, 2014 – NAPLES, FLA. – Take a look out on the second-floor balcony of the Allen & Marla Weiss Health Sciences Hall at the Edison State College Collier Campus, and you might find something surprising—an organic garden.
The organic garden was started by Edison State College Chemistry Professor Dr. Lisa McGarity and her organic chemistry students. Each year, the class builds its own garden, picking which plants, fruits, and vegetables they’d like to grow.
“The students choose what they’d like to plant,” said Dr. McGarity. “We try different plants each year, and we often find that some plants grow better than others. One of the favorites though is peppers. Some studies have shown that there’s a chemical in hot peppers that creates a trigger to kill cancer cells, so this always seems to appeal to the students.”
Naples Botanical Garden and Lowe’s Home Improvement helped add to this year’s garden by donating flowers and a decorative fountain.
So, what exactly is organic gardening?
“Organic gardening is simply gardening without the use of fertilizer and pesticides,” said Blandine Saintvil, organic chemistry student. “Instead of fertilizer, we use chicken poop. Everything seems to grow faster and just tastes better. Plus, it holds water really well, so you only have to water it once a week.”
This year’s class took the project one step further and created a book to highlight what they’ve grown in the garden. Each entry features a picture and details the characteristics of each plant, its scientific name and origins, how it grows best, and even its vitamin content. The book is kept by the garden, so students and visitors have a guide to follow.
“The students’ favorite part of the project is the end of each the growing season,” Dr. McGarity said. “They get to harvest all of the vegetables and make a tasty salsa.”
To learn more about organic gardening, visit the Sixth Annual GreenFest Expo, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., on Saturday, March 22, at the Collier Campus, 7007 Lely Cultural Pkwy., Naples.
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Celebrating over 50 years of excellence, Edison State College is Southwest Florida’s largest, most accessible and ranked nationally as one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Serving more than 22,000 students per year regionally, nationally, and internationally, students are also active in a wide variety of clubs and programs that cater to their interests. Nationally, Edison State is ranked 45th among associate degree producers and 26th for its prestigious associate producing Nursing program.
Last Updated: May 26, 2020
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