You all know that I love working in the garden! We’ve used science outdoors this semester to determine what plants need to grow (soil, water, air and sunlight). Did you know that there is a lot of math required in gardening too?

For example, on the back of the package for the Creel Crowder Cowpea I just planted it read: Sow seed 1 in. deep, 2 in. apart in rows 3-6 ft. apart, thinning to 4 in. apart. That is a lot of measuring!

To read more about growing field peas (aka Southern peas or Cowpeas) and to order heirloom varieties of southern fruits and vegetables, visit the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.

I thought it would be fun to also measure the growth of these plants over the summer. We already mentioned that plants need light, sun and water; but did you know that depending on the plant it needs different amounts of those things compared to others. And they all grow differently. My field peas will grow as a vine up this red trellis. It will be easy to measure them this way, but you could measure any plant!