Having Fun With Plants

Children of all ages are always fascinated by watching things grow.  A wonderful way to provide educational fun is to help children grow their own plants, right from fruits and vegetables you have in your refrigerator!

Growing An Avocado

Take a ripe avocado and divide it into two halves.  Remove the pit and wash it off thoroughly.  Place the pit, with the round side down, in a container filled with water so that only the bottom half of the pit is in the water.  Put the container in an area with partial sun.  After approsimately two months, roots will begin to form.  When  you see these roots, begin adding standard potting soil to the water in a 1:1 ratio.  After two weeks of this treatment, pot the avocado plant.  With some patience and a bit of luck, you’ll have a beautiful houseplant!

Growing A Pineapple

Cut off the crown of a ripe pineapple, leaving about two inches of the fruit attached and place it in a container of sand.  In approximately two weeks, roots should begin to form.  When this occurs, plant the crown in moist, standard potting soil and you will soon have a beautiful Bromeliad!  Do not, however expect to enjoy fresh pineapple from your plant, unfortunately, these rarely appear.

Growing Carrots

Carrots and other root vegetables such as turnips, beets or radishes are among the easiest items in your refrigerator to grow.  All you ahve to do is cut off the tops of these vegetables, trim off the old leaves and place them im water.  Soon you’ll have a lush patch of fresh greenery.

Growing A Sweet Potato Vine

Choose a ripe sweet potato with fairly smooth skin.  Make sure taht it hasn’t been treated with chemicals to prevent growth.  Place toothpicks in the sides of the potato and put them on the edge of a container filled with water so that the tapered half of the potato is in the water.  Place the container in a location which receives direct sun.  Roots will soon sprout and then, watch out, because they will grow and keep on growing as long as you keep th erootsin water.  Using pins, drape the vines around your window or let them wander around your table or countertop.

Growing A Citrus Fruit Tree

Take the largest seeds from any healthy orange, lemon or grapefruit, wash them off and soak them for twenty-four hours.  Thenk plant them in standard potting soil, just below the top of the soil, and about an inch apart.  Place the pot in an area that receives direct sun.  Give them plenty of water and wait for the seeds to sprout.   When they do, transplant each seedling into its own pot, add some liquid fertilizer, and in a few years you will have the fruit trees you always dreamed of owning. 

Watch them carefully, and re-pot as they grow, until finally they are ready for the ground.

Grow Your Own Bean Sprouts

Take dried pinto beans, in other words, uncooked, and place them in a dampened napkin, not touching each other.  Place the napkin on a plate and check daily, being careful to re-wrap and keep the napkin moist.  Cover the napkin loosely with plastic wrap, but do not let the bean “sour” – keep the covers loose.   They will sprout in a few days, and once they are about 2 inches long, enjoy this crunch on your next sandwich!

Do this with many beans and you will soon have a tasty treat for a sandwich or salad!