Garden Grow
What does a seed need to grow?
Most seeds need water, oxygen and a suitable temperature to germinate. A new seedling first uses food stored in the seed. When its leaves develop, light helps it make its own food. Many seeds can sprout without soil.
Loading the garden…
Continue exploring
From seed to seedling
1. Look closely
With a grown-up, place a pea or bean on a damp paper towel in a clear container. Keep it moist, not soaking wet. Leave room for air.
2. Make a prediction
Which will appear first: a root or a leaf? Draw what you think will happen. Check each day and draw what changes.
3. Compare fairly
Try two of the same seeds. Keep one towel damp and the other dry. Keep everything else the same. What difference do you notice?
Seeds use stored food to begin growing. Leaves later use light to make food. Soil supports many plants, but a seed can sprout on a damp towel. Do not eat experiment seeds or sprouts; wash your hands afterwards.
Parents & TeachersA garden is more than a watering game
Do real plants need water at every turn?
No. The game speeds up growth and simplifies plant care. Real plants have different water, light and space needs. Too much water can leave roots without enough air; check the plant and growing conditions with a grown-up.
1. Choose a plant and a place
Find the seed packet or plant label. With a grown-up, check the growing season, light and space it needs. A container needs drainage; do not assume every plant belongs on a sunny windowsill.
2. Observe before watering
Look at the leaves and soil. Ask a grown-up to help check moisture rather than watering only because a day has passed. Weather, container size and plant type all affect how quickly soil dries.
3. Keep a simple record
Draw the plant from the same viewpoint on several days. Note the date, leaf changes and any care given. Growth can take weeks; a plant that grows slowly is not a failed experiment.
Your field challenge
Ages 7–9
Compare your plant on two different days. Name one change and one thing that stayed the same.
Talk about it
What did observing your plant tell you that the game could not?