Introduction: How to Plant Veggies or Plants (in Houseplant Pots)
Here is a great thing for free-spirited kids (like me) who enjoy getting a little dirty, but aren't allowed by their parents to dig a hole in the backyard. This is also for people who live in surburan areas and hate it when squirrels/birds/hoboes eat their veggies.
Step 1: Tools/Materials
You will need:
1 pot (The size depends on how big your plant is going to be)
*get one with at least a few holes in the bottom!!
1 seed or already grown plant
*already germinated or sprouted plants cost more than seeds
1 trowel
1 watering can or spray bottle
*if you use a watering can for seeds/seedlings you might wash them
away, this is why I use a spray bottle on medium "power"
*1 bag of fertilized soil
*you can use unfertilized soil if you are planting veggies too
*all items with a star means that you might not need this
* 1 rock
*ONLY if the holes at the bottom of your pot are too big and soil
is leaking through them
* a brush and pollen
*this is for people who have vegetables (or flowers) and the plants aren't being pollinated
(because they are on the lanai,patio or screened in porch) and they want them to. See last step
1 pot (The size depends on how big your plant is going to be)
*get one with at least a few holes in the bottom!!
1 seed or already grown plant
*already germinated or sprouted plants cost more than seeds
1 trowel
1 watering can or spray bottle
*if you use a watering can for seeds/seedlings you might wash them
away, this is why I use a spray bottle on medium "power"
*1 bag of fertilized soil
*you can use unfertilized soil if you are planting veggies too
*all items with a star means that you might not need this
* 1 rock
*ONLY if the holes at the bottom of your pot are too big and soil
is leaking through them
* a brush and pollen
*this is for people who have vegetables (or flowers) and the plants aren't being pollinated
(because they are on the lanai,patio or screened in porch) and they want them to. See last step
Step 2: Soiling...
Ok, first things first.
Grab your pot (ceramic or simply plastic) and fill it about one inch under the pot's
rim with potting soil. Giving the plant one inch will let it catch water instead of it hitting
the surface, then rolling off the edge. Also, you should make a cavity in the center if you
have a sprout or grown plant (give it some space, I guess..)
Grab your pot (ceramic or simply plastic) and fill it about one inch under the pot's
rim with potting soil. Giving the plant one inch will let it catch water instead of it hitting
the surface, then rolling off the edge. Also, you should make a cavity in the center if you
have a sprout or grown plant (give it some space, I guess..)
Step 3: Planting...
Next,
For Sprouts and already grown plants:
Take a small trowel, and make a circle around the plant. Then, lift the
plant and the surrounding soil and gently place it in the cavity that you made
in the other pot. Gently pat down the stirred up soil (not too hard or else the compacted
soil won't let in water)
For seeds:
Make a small hole in the center of the pot (If you have more than
one seed, then make sure that the plants have a good amount of space
between them.) Then, gently push down the seed so that the hole is
double the size of the seed.
For Sprouts and already grown plants:
Take a small trowel, and make a circle around the plant. Then, lift the
plant and the surrounding soil and gently place it in the cavity that you made
in the other pot. Gently pat down the stirred up soil (not too hard or else the compacted
soil won't let in water)
For seeds:
Make a small hole in the center of the pot (If you have more than
one seed, then make sure that the plants have a good amount of space
between them.) Then, gently push down the seed so that the hole is
double the size of the seed.
Step 4: Watering...
Afterwards,
Now that you have planted your plants, they must be thirsty:
Take the spray bottle and turn the power knob until it is in between
mist and power washer. (DO NOT make it too powerful, or else the
seed will get washed away. Or the soil around the sprout will get
washed away, exposing the roots.)
Now that you have planted your plants, they must be thirsty:
Take the spray bottle and turn the power knob until it is in between
mist and power washer. (DO NOT make it too powerful, or else the
seed will get washed away. Or the soil around the sprout will get
washed away, exposing the roots.)
Step 5: Sun...
While you have your plant, you may see it is either getting too
leggy ( too much space in between the leaves), or that the plant
is turning yellow and the soil is always dry.
Before your buy your plant (or seeds) make sure that you know how
much sun it will need.For instance, it might say partial sun, or full sun.
This means that it will need over 6 hours of sunlight each day, or it won't
have enough food, and will not make a lot of leaves (which can make it weak).
If the soil is always dry, then try putting the plant in a shaded area. It will
still get sunlight even though it isn't in the sun.
leggy ( too much space in between the leaves), or that the plant
is turning yellow and the soil is always dry.
Before your buy your plant (or seeds) make sure that you know how
much sun it will need.For instance, it might say partial sun, or full sun.
This means that it will need over 6 hours of sunlight each day, or it won't
have enough food, and will not make a lot of leaves (which can make it weak).
If the soil is always dry, then try putting the plant in a shaded area. It will
still get sunlight even though it isn't in the sun.
Step 6: Pollinating...
If you put your plants in a screened area (like I did), then you
will have to pollinate them yourself.
1. Get a soft paint brush or makeup brush (that is no longer in use)
2. Take the small flowers that the plant has produced, and open them
up.
3. Take the paintbrush and go around in a circle on the inside of the plant.
4. Go to another plant and repeat the process over and over (EVERY day) until you think
every flower has been pollinated.
will have to pollinate them yourself.
1. Get a soft paint brush or makeup brush (that is no longer in use)
2. Take the small flowers that the plant has produced, and open them
up.
3. Take the paintbrush and go around in a circle on the inside of the plant.
4. Go to another plant and repeat the process over and over (EVERY day) until you think
every flower has been pollinated.
Step 7: Hallelujah...
Now, we go back to the beginning again.
On the pot or seed packet, there will be a label that says
the amount of days until germination, and flowering.
When it flowered you pollinated it, then a couple days later, the flower died.
This is not a sad moment because you will hopefully see a small fruit in place
of where the flower was. With love and care this small fruit will turn into
an ingredient of your favorite salad, or stew!
On the pot or seed packet, there will be a label that says
the amount of days until germination, and flowering.
When it flowered you pollinated it, then a couple days later, the flower died.
This is not a sad moment because you will hopefully see a small fruit in place
of where the flower was. With love and care this small fruit will turn into
an ingredient of your favorite salad, or stew!