After months of anticipation, which included an exploding space shuttle, the time is now here! A courier has delivered our pack of Rocket seeds which has spent time on the International Space Station with British astronaut Tim Peake. Our mission is to germinate 100 of these intrepid little travellers and compare them to 100 of their earth-bound relatives. We do not know which is which until after the close of the experiment.

Hundreds of UK schools are taking part in this RHS led experiment. Our recordings and observations will be pooled with these other groups. It is all part of research into growing food for humans travelling in space.

The experiment does not come without its risks. The seed packets are labelled “not suitable for human consumption”. We have therefore placed hazard tape around the growing area.

Gardening Club members will be tending the seeds and seedlings with daily watering. Records will be kept of the first seeds to germinate, the numbers of seedlings with two proper leaves, and towards the end the size of the fully formed Rocket leaves.

The club are proud to have provided the Ramsey Academy with their first Rocket Scientists. The project will run till half-term, at which point the results will be uploaded to the RHS for analysis. Watch this SPACE!

Steve Pittuck
Gardening Club Organiser