Happy Monday, wonderful people! We hope you had an awesome weekend. We celebrated birthday-style and I’m coming down from my cake-induced coma. So today, I thought I’d show you something simple we’ve been doing around our house lately.
In our kitchen, behind out sink, sits the perfect little area for growing an herb garden. That would be a good story, if I were to actually cook that much to use an herb garden…and maybe when my kids aren’t so picky that time will come. So succulents, and our first attempt at veggies, it is. We’re currently obsessed with sprouting seeds around here. It’s a very rewarding and simplistic process.
When they live. ;} I say that, because all my life, I’ve never had much patience for plants…and now I’m kind of obsessed with growing things. I feel like if I can keep three children and a dog alive…I can surely grow something and not kill it, right? I’m used to the whole instant gratification thing with seasonal flowers, but there’s something exciting about growing something from a seedling and watching it thrive. Call me weird.
While we’re waiting for our first limes to blossom, we’ve been trying our hand at quite a few varieties. The kids love watching them grow, and it’s fun to share it with them.
I can’t even take credit for this one, and I’m sure school teachers everywhere are rolling their eyes at me as they read, but Aiden brought this little gem home from class this year, and while it’s pretty self-explanatory, it’s the best and cheapest + easiest way to watch your plants grow for little eyes to see!
Simply take two clear cups, turn one upside down, add soil and seeds. Secure with tape, and punch three small holes in the top. Tada! your own little redneck greenhouse! Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it…sometimes it’s the simplest of things that are definitely the most fun!
I plan on giving these guys a little more space to grow, soon. And then I plan to rip them out of the ground and eat them with the green stuff all attached, Bugs Bunny style. Because I can. {After we wash them, of course.}
This (not-so-little) little avocado seed is what we’re taking on next.
May the force be with him.
Next spring, we are seriously having a big, southern style garden in our back yard. With lots and lots of ‘maters! You have to love fresh tomatoes! ;}
What are you guys growing this year? I feel like our kids are finally big enough…so baby steps, right?
Happy Monday everyone! We hope you have a great week!
I love this! I’m the same way. I love growing plants from seeds – there’s just something so satisfying about the process of watching them sprout. But usually as soon as they do, I inevitably forget about them and they die. Every. Single. Time. Can’t wait to see how your avocados turn out – I’ve been thinking about doing that myself recently. Also, if the kids love that, look into planting pineapple. Katie Bower posted about that on Bower Power Blog recently and I think that would be such a fun plant for kids to grow.
Yes, Nicole, I usually have the same problem! I’m working on it! ;} That pineapple idea is great. I’ll be checking out her blog. AND…don’t want to jinx it or anything, but the avocado plant already has a teeny sprout this morning!!!
What a brilliant idea! I’m going to need to try this out.
easy and kid fun. perfect! love the star wars cup. my boys would be wild over it.
PB kids! ;}
This is perfect for my family. When you water the “greenhouse,” do you just drizzle water in the holes or can you take off the top to water?
Hey Chris! Yes, we just put it in a little puddle on the top of the cup, and it slowly trickles through the holes! It’s the perfect little amount to keep it humid!
Great post, Ashley! Sadly, we don’t have enough kitchen light for a windowsill garden, but we do have an outdoor garden and lots of tomatoes and herbs in pots on the back deck. My 3 yr old has loved every moment of the process-from planting to watering to picking to eating…so many wonderful lessons for little ones (and big ones!) to learn….xo
How fun, linda! Can’t wait to try it ourselves! We would go through tomatoes like CRAZY!
Thanks for the idea we will try it in our nest. Have you tried planting artichoke? You can harvest the veggie quicker than the avocado tree.
I want your sunshiny window garden! I had the loveliest little deck garden going this year, but my apartment manager made me take it down. It’s okay if I feel really sorry for myself, right? Now I’m on a house hunt. (take THAT, manager!:)
Random-sidenote question… I love bead-board as a back splash. Is it hard to keep clean in the kitchen? I worry that it would get greasy. Does it clean up okay?
How did the avocado turn out?
Ha! It died.
But we’ve got a garden going this year! hurray!!! ;}