Jefferson STEM teacher Amber McMullen said the focus of this week was finishing off the spring planting for the garden.

Thursday, first graders were busy planting seeds. Typically, the classes would spend time watering the plants, but with the consistent rain, it was not necessary.

The Jefferson garden has a variety of perennials and annuals. McMullen said most of the perennials are Minnesota native plants meant to attract pollinators.

The garden also has tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, strawberries, radishes, carrots, spinach, rhubarb, raspberries, blueberries and grapes. There are four thriving apple trees that produce about 150 apples per year.

Harlyn Santana (left) and Charlotte Kamrath (right) put on gloves before planting in Jefferson’s garden.

McMullen said one of the biggest challenges is keeping the deer away. The students plant a lot of zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds because the deer have an aversion to these flowers.

The elementary garden has been part of Jefferson since 2017. It was started by former teacher Beth Sletta, who taught at Jefferson for 33 years.

The school district does not fund the garden experience. McMullen said all of the funding for the garden comes from outside sources. Recently, the garden received a grant from Donors Choose to fund a solar irrigation system. This will reduced the amount of summertime hours staff and volunteers spend in the garden.

McMullen said the garden was extremely popular with the students.

“They love the movement and being outdoors,” she said. “The love being able to plant something now and see it grown when they return to school in the fall. They like being a part of something that is bigger than themselves.”

First Grader Hayley Altmann prepares to plants some seeds in the school garden.

In some cases, the plantings will be bigger than the students. McMullen said some of the sunflowers can get as tall as 12 feet.

Jacob Delisle, Maleah Dummer, Harlyn Santana, Lincoln Salazar is tucked in there, Maddyn Dummer is crouched behind, Easton Dauer is in the tan and Sawyer Ibberson. Isabella Masewicz is on the bench in the red behind them.

Maddyn Dummer, Maddie Crimmins, Hayley Altmann and Harlyn Santana work to plant sunflower seeds in one of the flower beds at Jefferson Elementary.

First grade students at Jefferson Elementary watch as water transfers from one rain barrel to the next. Front to back: Lincoln Salazar, Harrison Campbell, Easton Dauer, Maleah Dummer, Mason Paa and Harlyn Santana.

Leah Lovig, a 1st grader at Jefferson Elementary, plants a seed in flowerbed at Jefferson Elementary.

Harrison Campbell reads the garden rules as (L to R) Maddyn Dummer, Maddie Crimmins and Hayley Altmann plant sunflower seeds.