Cutting back the Bamboo to deter roots and shoots. We found a lost water hook up which will make it easier for students to water their veg this Spring. Compost pile was cleaned up, compost put around kale. #tamagawaib #tokyogardening

The first cold weather of the year started killing the leaves of the fall potatoes so we harvested today. No bug damage and new potato skin. MYP students were surprised at some sizes. We will definitely repeat fall potatoes next year. #Tamagawaib #rosaku #TamagawaAcademy

Students have planted potatoes, daikon, and greens. An investigation show two pests, a small black fly and green caterpillars.The potatoes were getting some help from bug eating Lady Bugs. Our next goal is two get a picture of pests being eaten by predators. #TamagawaAcademy #gardening

Fun learning about how green tea is made with the agricultural Dept. at Tamagawa University. On campus tea fields are harvested in Spring. Here tea leaves are picked, steamed, then later dried to make green tea. CAS opportunities here for DP students! #TamagawaAcademy #CAS

A bit of a surprise. Seems that rats have been coming round the garden at night and munching on our sweet potatoes. A first for us. My theory is that we did not keep the weeds and grass trimmed around the sweet potatoes beds adjacent the woods. This gave the rats ample cover to dig and dine. Rats!

Stick broccoli roots are being eaten by something. My current theory is we used some mulch under the seedlings that had Rolly Polly bugs. Ants nests around the roots too because of aphid farming of ants? We thought our nets would be sufficient bug prevention. Note the Urahamushi eat kudzu leaves!

Nice, achievements can be shared cross app via a click.

Having fun with Duolingo! No integration with BlueSky yet, but manual uploads is possible.

Trying to hit those study goals for the New Year. 3,000 words! iknow.jp/users/de429f... Just one way to learn Japanese: iknow.jp/referrals/xd...

Rhubarb in Tokyo part two. Hopefully the wood acts as a sponge and keep the Rhubarb warm in the winter. Just have to keep the bamboo roots from sneaking in.

Rhubarb in Tokyo part one. Built a crib of dead and rotting wood, then layered leaves, compost, oyster shell chips, dehydrated cow manure and soil. Hopefully the crib and layers retain water and provide a habitat for worms and fungi. A 3 hour job! Now about those strawberries…….

Students were busy weeding, turning compost pile, and expanding the edge of one of the garden beds. Overtime the terraced beds up slope have slide a bit and bamboo has taken root. We are trying to mulch every time we weed to lessen future weeding work. The leaves and mulch will keep away weeds.

Getting in touch with, not my roots but some bamboo roots that run through or under the terraced garden beds. This will become another composting bed with peas first, then potatoes or sweet potatoes after. Quite dry so mulching is a must. Also a bamboo trellis has to be made for the peas.

First set of layers was kitchen waste with some garden waste. Second set of layers was green weeds the garden. We are missing a heavy tarp or drop cloth for the compost pile cover so I substituted with some plastic bags of sawdust. Plan is to have compost ready to be buried in garden beds next week.

Rebuilding compost for faster composting. Step one separate usable compost (bottom) from other material. Restack layers of leaf litter (browns) with layers of vegetable waste (greens). Sprinkle rice bran (ぬか　糠) on green layer. Add layers as needed, about hand width deep per layer.

First sweet potato harvest. No bug damage but we need more soil prep and an early planting for bigger spuds. Locals are recommending putting in a composting trench under sweet potato slips. Will try this spring. Pictured before/after of kitchen scraps in compost. About 3 Kg a week.

Now, making a routine to bring vegetables scraps and leaf litter when visiting the garden. May make this routine for students. Would be interesting to how many kilos of vegetables and fruit waste we could divert from the regular trash. Pictured is cauliflower, komatsuna, mizuna, and dried leaves.

Tamagawa Academy in Tokyo has natural spaces for students to enjoy. The weekly Jukenkyu (free research) time slot let’s student try variety of activities. Gardening is one. Pictures show the beginning of our compost with school leaf litter and home vegetable scraps. www.tamagawa.jp/academy/ib_e...