What's Growing On
Outside and In
Outside
It is finally frosty and time to put your garden to bed for winter. There a few things you can do now with the kids that will set the garden up for a great start in the spring.
- Remove spent annuals and seasonal vegetables. If they are not diseased or contain pests they can be put into a compost pile and will eventually return their nutrients to the soil
- Remove weeds and debris
- Cut back perennials. The roots survive, even if above growth is brown and dead. Trim this part back to a few inches above the ground for healthy spring regrowth
- Add mulch around plants and on garden beds a few inches deep. Mulch stabilizes soil temperature, insulating overwintering bulbs, decreases soil compaction and weed growth and retains soil moisture. Organic mulches such as compost, straw, and leaves add nutrients to the soil as well. You can cover the mulch with burlap bags which will additionally help prevent evaporation, keeping the organic materials moist. They will also provide a safe, dark home for beneficial invertebrates churning mulch and compost into rich, healthy soil. Burlap bags are free at the Tully's Roasting Plant, 3100 Airport Way South.
There are plenty of ways to observe plant growth indoors.
Grow Wheat 
Grass
Grass Easy and fast to grow, wheat grass can be added as a supplement to smoothies and the roots observed through a clear jar are fascinating. Get some wheat berries from the bulk bin of a grocery store, clean out some mason jars, and find some potting soil and sand. First, soak the wheat berries for 8-12 hours, changing the water half way through. Then place some sand on the bottom of the mason jar, fill up with potting soil, and add a thick layer of wheat berries. Moisten the soil and cover the jar loosely with saran wrap. Keep the jar in a shady or dark place and spritz with water 2x a day. When the wheat berries sprout, move the jar to a sunnier location and continue to spritz with water. When the grass begins to grow, rinse out the jar by filling up with water, holding soil and grass in place with your fingers and carefully draining out. Sprouting sprouts is a similar process and also quickly rewarding. For more information go to: http://www.classbrain.com/artfamily/publish/growing_sprouts.shtml
Make an Indoor Herb Garden
Indoor herb gardens can provide seasoning to snack throughout the winter. Several herbs are especially hardy and can be found as starts at garden stores. Rosemary, paresly, and sage were used by the kids at Renton/Skyway in their indoor garden. Kids can take turns watering the plants, testing the soil for moisture, and trimming edible parts. For more indoor herb garden ideas go to: http://www.catalogs.com/info/garden-yard/growing-an-indoor-herb-garden.html
Grow Carrot Tops, Onion Roots, and an Avocado Tree
These projects require minimal work and supplies. So easy! To grow carrot tops, simply place cut ends of carrots in a dish with water. Change the water every day. Greens will grow. To observe an onion growing roots, use toothpicks to suspend the onion in a jar of water. Add water as needed. Follow the same steps with an avocado pit; watch the root grow and the seed sprout. Involve kids in the scientific process. Experiment growing different types of vegetable tops. What works and what doesn't? Why? How long will it take for the avocado to sprout? What will potatoes do? Or garlic cloves?
