As I was casting about for a topic for this week’s Get Growing column, my husband jokingly suggested that I write about plants in outer space, since there’s not much growing around here at the moment. I tried to remember whether the Jetsons had houseplants. Just to amuse him, I googled “plants in space.” It turns out that humans have been experimenting with sending seeds and plants into outer space for many years.
The first foray was modest. On July 9, 1946, according to Wikipedia, specially developed strains of seeds were launched on a V-2 rocket (the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile) to a distance of 83 miles. These seeds, the first organisms ever sent on space travel, never returned. Several weeks later, maize seeds were launched, followed by cotton and rye. Scientists were looking for possible radiation effects on living tissue. The seeds came back to Earth, apparently unharmed by their journey.
The next experiment was more ambitious. In 1971, 500 tree seeds of various kinds, including loblolly pine, sycamore and redwood, were loaded onto Apollo 14 and sent around the moon. These so-called moon trees were planted and grown with control plants back on earth. No changes were detected.
By the 1980s, American and Soviet scientists were experimenting to determine whether plants could actually grow in space without the earth’s gravitational pull. It turned out they could. It was discovered that plant growth is not dependent on external forces, but rather, instinctual. Soon, rockcress, Queen Anne’s lace and maize were sprouting up micro-greenhouses on space stations.
With the 21st century came an interest in long-term space missions. Would it be possible for people to live at the International Space Station (ISS) and produce their own food for sustenance? There have been a host of experiments, some of which have yielded tasty tossed salads of red romaine lettuce, mizuna and other tender greens. German scientists have launched two greenhouses into space that are designed to produce tomatoes. (I see lots of salad in our future.) Ever looking to maximize efficiency, they are using human urine as fertilizer for the plants.
As scientists push the possibilities of humans living in outer space, consideration is also being given to the utility of plants for companionship and comfort. We gardeners have always known about the deep satisfaction of growing things, the give and take relationship that nurtures our psyches as well as our garden beds. Astronauts are getting into the act. A zinnia blossomed several years ago on the ISS.
The most recent and ambitious work in promoting life forms in outer space is being carried out by the Chinese. On January 3, 2019, the Chinese lunar exploration program, Chang’e 4, landed a lunar explorer on the far side of the moon. (Chang’e is the name of the Chinese moon goddess.) This vehicle is carrying a container of plant seeds and silkworm eggs; the plan is to find out whether these can develop together synergistically. In other words, explained Wikipedia, if the eggs hatch, the larvae would produce carbon dioxide, while the germinated plants would release oxygen through photosynthesis. Who knows where these experiments will lead us? I am equally fascinated and terrified by the possible ramifications of this research.
As I combed through information on the internet about experiments regarding the viability of extraterrestrial horticulture, it dawned on me that this isn’t merely a random quest to satisfy our curiosity about the universe. The people sending seeds into orbit in 1946 might not have imagined a time when the earth would no longer be able to sustain human life. But our world view has shifted dramatically since then. As climate change triggers natural disasters of Biblical proportions such as wildfires and floods, it’s hard not to sense the purpose and urgency behind the drive to cultivate plants in outer space.
I remember when Ronald Reagan appointed James Watt as Secretary of the Interior in 1981. Watt dismayed environmentalists by opening up vast tracts of federal land to coal mining, and offshore areas to oil drilling. Believing that the Second Coming was imminent, Watt saw no reason to worry about preserving land and natural resources. In his view, we’d all be gone way before things reached a crisis point.
So, this week, what began for me as an idle musing about plants in outer space has turned into a gloomy meditation about our planet. I suppose I’m happy that astronauts are growing kale and cabbage at the ISS. We will need those cruciferous vegetables no matter where we live. But I also fear that progress on this front gives short-sighted people a justification for ignoring the irreparable harm we are doing to the earth as we recklessly foster reliance on fossil fuels for energy.
Mickey Rathbun, an Amherst-based lawyer turned journalist, has written the Get Growing column since 2016.
Did you know that modern microbiologists have recently started testing medieval medical recipes? That one made of garlic and onion has tested as highly effective against the MRSA bacteria, long known as treatment-resistant? Did you know that scientists have proven there is truth to the story about soil in Northern Ireland that was believed by early peoples, including Druids, to have medicinal qualities?
On Feb. 23, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Dr. Kisha G. Tracy, associate professor of English studies at Fitchburg State University, will give a talk about disability, disease and natural remedies in the medieval world. Free with admission.
Orchids are one of nature’s most spectacular creations. Come feast your eyes on a wide range of orchids at the Amherst Orchid Show this weekend. The show runs Sat. Feb. 23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sun. Feb. 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Smith Vocational High School, 80 Locust St. (Rte. 9), Northampton. Admission: $5; children under 12 free.
On Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge will host a workshop on how to make maple syrup at home using the sugar bush on the BBG’s grounds. Chris Wellens, Director of Education at BBG, will cover all aspects of maple sugaring, including identifying suitable trees, the when and how of collecting sap, the boiling-down process for the home setting, and preserving the syrup for year-round use. Participants will walk through the BBG sugarbush, install spiles, consider collection schedules, and boil down the maple sap to syrup. A tasting will follow. Members: $25/nonmembers: $35. For more information and to register, go to berkshirebotanical.org.
On Mar. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m., Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston invites you to plant a spring garden that can be grown indoors or enjoyed outside your door on nice days. Fill an attractive container with colorful, cheerful spring-flowering plants: cyclamen, tulips, primroses, miniature daffodils, violas or pansies accented with lacy ferns, trailing ivies and green moss.
When summer arrives, plant the bulbs in your garden and move the violas, ferns and ivies to a dampish, shady spot to enjoy all summer. Please bring floral scissors and an apron to class. All materials included.
Instructor Betsy Williams teaches, lectures and writes about living with herbs and flowers. A gardener and herb grower since 1972, Betsy trained as a florist in Boston and England. She combines her floral and gardening skills with extensive knowledge of history, plant lore and seasonal celebrations. Betsy is the author of several books on the uses and stories of herbs and flowers. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable stations as well as local and national radio talk shows. Betsy lectures and teaches locally and nationally.
Williams’ workshops fill up fast, so register early. Members: $80/nonmembers: $94. For more information and to register, go to: towerhillbg.org