Peanut Plant Update

Last weekend we noticed our raw peanuts were not only sprouting roots, but also leaves.


Well, one had leaves, one had the beginning of a leaf, and one was just starting a root, but we decided it was time to move them out of the napkin filled cup and into an actual pot.

The children helped me prepare a large container with a small bag of vermiculite (to keep the soil loose), a few cups of sand (peanut plants like a sandy soil)...


...and a small bag of Miracle Grow potting soil.


I gave them a garden trowel to mix the dirt, and prepare one hole at a time for the plants. Playing with dirt inside the house was huge hit with the younger girls, who got to help by pouring water into the holes...

...and gently closing the dirt around the plants, while their sisters held the peanuts in place, keeping the roots down, and the leaves up.

After a week of keeping the soil lightly watered (too much water will rot the roots), Plant A (the one with leaves) has continued to grow taller, and is beginning to look well established.
Plant B (the one with just the beginning of a leaf) has sprouted above the dirt.


But, we are still waiting to see if Plant C (the one with just the beginning of a root) survived the transplant. It should take around 4 months for the plants to mature. I will try to post a monthly update, assuming we can keep them alive that long. It's a long shot for plants in our house, but time will tell.

In the meantime you can find more science themed ideas and activities for children at this week's Science Sunday link-up over at Adventures in Mommydom.

It's great to be a homeschooler.