Gardening With Kids: Plant an Odds-and-Ends Garden
Plant Pointers
- Start with organic produce (we found it grows a bit better than the conventional variety), and rinse the scraps well.
- Set the garden in a warm spot where it will get as much sunlight as possible.
- Check the water every day and change it every three to four days to keep stinkiness at bay.
- Use a spray bottle of water to mist the leaves every few days.
- If you like, transfer the rooted plants to containers with potting soil to encourage further growth.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.
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Keep a Plant Journal
Have kids record each plant's start date, then add sketches, measurements, and notes as the
days go on.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.
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Beets
Slice the top ½ inch from a fresh beet with its greens still attached. Trim the greens, leaving about ½ inch of stem. Rinse the beet top, then place it in a shallow dish of water. Little shoots should appear within several days.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.
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Celery
Trim a bunch of celery 3 inches or so above its base. Place it in a shallow dish of water. Leaves should grow out of the center in a week, and tiny roots will also sprout from the bottom. Peel away any rotting stalks as the plant grows.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.
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Basil
Trim several stalks from a basil plant, pinching off the larger leaves from the stalks' tops (this focuses energy on root-growing). Submerge the cut ends in water. The bottoms will darken, and, after about two weeks, small roots should emerge.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.
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Garlic
Tightly pack several peeled garlic cloves in a small container and cover them with water. Roots should appear within the first few days, then sprouts will emerge from the cloves' tops within a week.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.
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Yams
Wash a yam well, then cut it in half. Place the cut surface in a shallow dish of water. Leaves will appear in two weeks.
Originally published in the February 2014 issue of FamilyFun magazine.