Linda's Garden:

Kids Projects Archive 2

past projects index.

July - Make a Weather Station


It's important to pay attention to the weather in the summer as the weather affects the growth of plants. We have different weather patterns every year, so our plants grow differently every year. It is easy to put together a few things that help keep track of the weather so that you can write it down in a notebook (your very own weather journal). It's important to keep the journal going so you can compare this year to last year or several years before.

You will need:

  • outside thermometer
  • minimum/maximum thermometer (optional)
  • sturdy pinwheel
  • rain gauge
  • snow measuring stick (make your own with a yard stick mounted to a stake. The stake can secure it into the ground. Make sure the yard stick is toiuching the ground at 0.)
  • notebook or journal with pencil or pen attached with a string (so it doesn't get lost). These items can be purchased inexpensively at many home supplies stores. Once you have purchased them, decide where your weather station will be. You may have to spread a few items around to have them in the ideal position. When placing the thermometers, make sure they are not in the sun. A place on the north of the house or in a shady area may be best. The pinwheel needs to be placed out in the open where the breeze or wind will blow on it. The rain gauge and the snow measuring stick also needs to be in the open for best measurement.

    Once everything is in place take measurements daily. Check the rain gauge each morning. Check the temperature when it is at the hotest (about 4 pm). The minimum/maximum thermometer is great for telling the highest and lowest temperature each day. Look at the pinwheel to see how strong the winds are, do they change during the day or evening? As you collect the information (or data), record it in your journal. Each day could have a piece of a page with all the information written out. HAve fun with your weather station. Maybe you'll become a meteorologist.

    June - Herb Garden in a Pot


    This is a quick and easy way to have a little garden of your own with plants you can use for cooking yummy things.

    You Will Need:

    • a large flower pot or Strawberry Jar with drainage holes in the bottom (if being used outside)
    • a light weight soil mix
    • Several herbs for kitchen use (or beauty) such as Chives, Basil, Oregano, etc.
    • a garden trowel


    Fill the pot with moistened soil mixture and plant the small herb plants in the pot. Water well. Now enjoy. Whenever you need fresh herbs, you can just cut a little off.

    May - Grow Potatoes in a Bag


    For those who don't have lots of gardening space, this is something that you and your child can do even on the balcony of an apartment building. And best of all, you get to eat what you grew at the end of the summer!

    You will need:

    • A large dark plastic bag filled with soil with small holes poked into the bottom to allow water to drain out. A garbage bag would work nicely or the easy route would be to buy a big bag of compost and soil and just plant into that. Maybe cover it with dark plastic or something to keep the light from coming through.
    • 3 - 4 Seed Potatoes - available wherever vegetable garden plants are sold. You will only need a few, so share some with a friends or other gardeners.
    • water

    To prepare, set the potatoes in a window with their shoots pointing up for a couple weeks until they start to show little green leaf sprouts. Fill the bag (with small holes punched into the bottom) with soil until it is about 1/3 full. Put the potatoes on top of the soil, spacing them apart. Cover the potatoes completely with more soil (until bag is about 1/2 full) and water well. Be certain there are holes in the bag bottom so excess water can leak out. Place bag outside in a sunny area. Check moisture levels often and water as needed. Once the plants have grown tall (about 8 inches) fill the bag with more soil until the bag is full. This encourages the plants to produce more potatoes and keeps the potatoes covered up so they won't turn green Green potatoes are not good to eat, so keep the potatoes well covered so the sun can't make them green. After about 3 months, your potatoe plants should flower and the new potatoes will be ready to harvest. Tear or cut open the bag, collect potatoes, and wash/dry them. Then talk to an adult about allowing you to help prepare and cook them. Enjoy! This project was inspired by the book _50_Gardening_Projects_for_Kids_ by Clare Bradley.


    April - Plant Flowers in Old Shoes


    Plant Up Those Old Shoes! Hopefully you've got some flowers sprouting under your lights and you need a place to transplant some of these. Also, you may have worn out/out grown those tennis shoes, boots, or other shoes in your closet, so what better to do than plant something in them and use them as an accessory for your garden? You will need:
    • pair of old shoes or boots
    • potting soil
    • flower seedlings
    • a sharp knife if there are no holes in the shoes (please have an adult assist with this
    • water

    First, use the knife to cut a few openings on the bottom of the shoes or along the stitching which holds the shoe to the sole. If you have worn holes into the bottom of your shoes, just make sure they go all the way through so excess water can come out.

    Next, fill the shoe with potting soil. Make sure you fill the toe area as well. Plant the flowers into the shoe opening (where you enter the shoe with your foot. You can pull the tongue forward to give you more room. Plant annuals that will live in the conditions of your garden. If you have full sun, consider small marigolds or small zinneas. If it will be in the shade, you may want to try impatiens. Adding a bit of english ivy or other hanging flower or foliage, will add interest as it drapes downward.

    Finally, water your plants well and allow excess moisture to escape. Add additional potting soil if more is needed. Water your shoes whenever they begin to dry out. This may mean everyday in the hot weather. Enjoy your planted shoes!

    March - Make a Terrarium


    Making a Terrarium. As winter continues to hang on up here, we will make an indoor garden this month. A terriarium is fun to make and easy to maintain. You might even want to make yours into a "fairy garden" by adding a few small doll accessories. You will need:
    • a large jar, fish bowl, aquarium, other clear container
    • Charcoal
    • Potting Soil
    • sand or gravel for drainage
    • several small houseplants
    • long dowel or other long handled planting tools
    • accessories
    Wash out container well with soap and water. line bottom up container with sand or gravel about 1/2-1 inches deep. Sprinkle a generous amount of crushed charcoal over the sand. Add damp potting soil to several inches deep. Plant the plants in the terrarium using dowel or other tools as necessary. Water carefully so that plants get a good drink, but will not be sitting in water. You will know when to water again by touching the soil. If it is dry, water it. If it feels damp, do not. If you cover the terrarium, it will not require frequent watering. You may wish to use some gravel to make paths among the plants and place any accessories to decorate your garden.

    February - Seed Starting Basics


    Seed Starting Basics. I'll assume you all made the lighted seed starting station last month and are now ready to start your seeds.

    You will need:

    • Soilless seed-starting medium (do not use potting soil!)
    • Seed-starting trays or flats that do not leak water, pots, inserts trays or plug trays. If you are reusing these things make sure you wash and then sterilize using a bleach mixture 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Let air dry.
    • warm water (not softened)
    • Seeds for what you plan to grow and directions for the particular seed you are starting. You can sometimes find good directions on the back of the packet, but not always. There are seed starting manuals that will give good directions such as Nancy Bubel's _The New Seed-Starters Handbook_. Check one out from your library.

    To get started:
    1. Add warm water to soil mix a couple hours before planting. It takes a while for the mix to absorb the water. Add the water through a hole in the bag, as exposure to dried peat moss can be irritating to your lungs, etc.
    2. Once the soil mix has absorbed the water you are ready to plant. Keep in mind whether your seed needs light or darkness to germinate. Also think about seed size and how deeply the seed needs to be planted. Very fine seed often is sprinkled on top of the soil mix and often (not always) requires light to germinate. Bigger seeds are usually buried 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch under the soil. The bigger the seed the deeper it goes generally. Follow spacing suggestions, unless you want to thin a lot of seedlings out. If starting in pots, you may want to put 2-3 seeds in each pot to be sure to get at least one to germinate.
    3. Once seeds are planted, water from the bottom. Remove seed tray inserts and set them in a pan of warm water (70-80 degrees). After they have absorbed a good amount and are quite damp, lift out the inserts and set them back in their flat. Cover your newly planted seeds with plastic until they sprout. If they require light to germinate, place the light 2-3 inches above the flats and be sure to use clear plastic. If they require darkness, use black plastic and set where it is dark.
    4. Once sprouted, remove plastic. Set plants under the lights (always keeping light 2-3 inches above the plants - you will have to adjust them as they grow).
    5. As soiless mix contains no food for seedlings, you will need to add a mild fertilizer solution to the water that you dip your plants into. Use at half to 1/4 strength. Water when the soil mix begins to dry. Do not let it dry completely. If using Peat pots, keep some water standing in the tray so the pots don't dry out.
    6. Enjoy your babies. Remember to start perenials early as it takes them a long time to grow. Many annuals can be started 4-6 weeks before your last frost date. Check with the seeds starting manual to be sure.

    Here are some great links that will tell you more.

    For Seed Starting Information:



    January - Seed Starting Station


    Happy New Year! This month's project is making a seed starting station. Parents, you will need to be involved with this one. We need to get our seed starting area set up so we will be able to start our seeds soon.

    You will need:

    • Boxed metal shelving unit (usually have 4 shelves or so).
    • Dog Chain (or swingset chain) and strong wire.
    • Side cutter (for cutting wire).
    • 3-Shop lights that take 2-40 watt Fluorescent light bulbs and 6-40 watt bulbs.

    Directions:
    1. Set up shelving unit as per directions in an area such as a basement where temperatures are 60-70 degrees.
    2. Use dog chain to hang the shop lights above each usable shelf (the top shelf will not have a light unless you hang one from the rafters). Cut the chain using the side cutters to lengths that will suspend the lights a few inches above the shelf (we want to be able to adjust the height of the lights to two or three inches above the plants as they grow). Hook or wire the ends of the chain to the holes on the shelf supports above to suspend the light fixtures.
    3. Hook the lights onto the chains.
    4. Install the light bulbs. Be certain to replace these every few years to keep the brightest light possible for your plants. The bulbs can be either cool spectru, or one warm/one cool. I use all cool lights as they are cheaper. Full spectrum is only necessary if you want your plants to bloom before taking outside.
    5. If wanted you can plug the lights into a heavy duty extension cord that plugs into a timer (the kind used to turn on/off your home's lights at specific times). Set the timer for 12-18 hours on when using the lights.
    6. Collect your planting supplies and store them on the top shelf. Flats, seed starting soilless medium, peat pots, whatever you plan to use. A thermometer is helpful so determine air temperature. Some seeds require warmth (70-75 degrees) to germinate.



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    updated Jan 14,2004