Another thing that Little Miss C and I got up to whilst we were stuck at home was a spot of gardening. LMC always wants to help in the garden, but children want to see results very quickly so it can be hard to keep their enthusiasm when things don't grow as fast as they would like. Growing cress from seed is quite good though as you can see a day by day difference, but at the same time it also makes children realise that things don't grow instantly and they need to have a bit of patience.
It was with great pride and determination that she filled some old yoghurt pots (thank you again Yeo Valley!) with compost and then sprinkled cress seeds over the surface.
The seeds were duly drowned watered well and then the waiting commenced.
Luckily we didn't have long to wait and just over a week later this was the sight that greeted us one morning.
Mr C also used his artistic talents to help LMC grown some old fashioned cress heads. Old egg shells filled with cotton wool and cress seeds sprinkled on them. The cotton wool then just needs to be kept damp, and the seeds not washed off with over-enthusiastic watering!
Just a week (and a heatwave) later and Little Miss C was able to compare hairstyles with her cress cat!
Very simple to do yet a great first lesson in growing things from seed. Now we just need to get organised and have egg and cress sandwiches one day to complete the lesson in growing your own food from seed.
A little tip. whatever LMC plants, out of sight plant an identical pot – so if it fails she can still see what might have happened to it. I am not suggesting you swap the pots – quite the opposite but at least there wil be SOMETING for her to see/smell/eat etc, in the even the over watering causes total crop failure 🙂
Lovely to see you and LMC gardening 🙂
A top tip there – thank you! Will definitely do that with the sunflower seeds that were planning to plant this week. Knowing my luck though hers will grown and mine wont!