Strathmore High School Community Greenhouse thrives amid water restrictions

It's been a year since the Strathmore High School (SHS) Community Greenhouse opened to the public, but with the taps turned off, students and residents have had to adapt to the circumstances.

The students are done working at the greenhouse for the summer, but it is still kept by members of the community.

Staff say students can still do their part in maintaining the greenhouse in the summer if they'd like.

According to the school's Facebook page, they have learned many things, such as mulching and shading where needed.

"This helps reduce transpiration and evaporation in periods where we can only water with stored water." 

The native plant species have deep roots and have adapted to the climate.

"Our outside stuff is still young but given the fall and early spring to establish root systems allows them to be very drought resilient," says the post. 

The last thing they said they learned is that it is best to keep water where you want it vs. out of the stormwater system.

"Our wicking beds have a built-in reservoir allowing extra moisture to stay deep in the roots when needed."

According to the post, "Hugelkultur has also been a really great choice with our inside stuff, allowing those beds to store water more effectively in the deep, woody layers."

They have also started adding rain barrels on the west side if anyone ever needs water for the garden. 

SHS rain barrels open to the public. (Photo from SHS Community Garden Facebook).

The SHS Community Greenhouse is open to anyone and everyone who wants to experience the joys of gardening.

"Our goal from start to finish was to have a space that all demographics can use. We operate it with no overhead, so there is no cost to community groups who want to use it and be a part of it," explained Cole Hintz, a teacher at Strathmore High School.

The greenhouse is open to the public, and it is strongly believed that it's on its way to becoming a staple in the community.

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