Easy (but interesting) plant for dd to grow inside

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

For her homework dd (5) has to grow a plant and keep a diary of the changes she sees.

Any suggestions? Something that we can't possibly kill? Preferably something that will start showing signs of life fairly quickly so she doesn't lose interest.

And something that can grow in a pot inside so I don't have to traipse out into the rain with her to admire it.

Thanks!

[SugarPlumTree]

If you can get hold of one at the moment, an Amaryllis. They grow very fast and even DD (17) has noticed so it must be obvious.

[tassisssss]

We have done cress for such homework. You get a very quick result and can eat it in egg mayo!

[SleepyForest]

Daffodils or cress?

[DoreenLethal]

Some peas. Germinate in a couple of days and easy to see changes.

[iknowimcoming]

Crocuses or hyacinth for flowers or broad bean plants grow really quickly and are quite sturdy.

[EBearhug]

Mustard and cress? Put a damp paper towel on a saucer, spread the seeds over, check every day, and add water to keep it damp (but not wet.) Should start germinating in a few days. One of them takes a couple of days longer than the other to get growing, but I can't remember which way round.

Mung beans? Same method as m&c. Other salad seeds like alfalfa and so on should also work.

Broad bean in a jar against a damp paper towel? Roll a paper towel round the inside of the jar, to line it. Get it damp. Stick the bean down between the side of the jar and the towel. Make sure the towel stays damp, but not wet. Again, you should start seeing progress in a few days.

Most dried pulses should work like this, either on a flat dish like the mung beans, or down the side of a jar.

You could also do thing like an avocado stone, in which you stick 3 or 4 cocktail sticks to suspend it over a jar of water, the base touching the water. Keep the water topped up, so it's still touching the avocado, and if the water starts turning green, empty it out and replace with clean water. You should start getting a root from the bottom, and then a stalk from the top, and eventually leaves, and then you can pot it up into compost, but this takes longer than the salady stuff above.

[deepdarkwood]

Cress is fun and will show results fast. Do her initial on seeds in blotting paper
Or a runner bean - in a glass jar with damp kitchen paper
Or a bulb would work in water - but would take longer to show results

[funnyperson]

cress or mung bean sprouts as both are edible and germinate quickly

though if you can find a half grown amaryllis they are mahoosive. they grow about an inch a day indoors and then develop buds and big flowers

a snowdrop in bud?

[ImperialBlether]

Basil? That grows really well indoors and then you can teach her to cook something with it!

[ChishandFips33]

Spider plants - they grow their own babies. I'm rubbish with plants and even I can grow these!

[PurpleDaisies]

Literally just about to suggest spidef plants. Great example of cloning too. Mine is particularly prolific and my biology pupils all get one as a souvenir when I finish with them.

[Floralnomad]

I am going to say an amaryllis, I kill everything usually but my neighbours gave me an amaryllis bulb and it sprouted in the box where I had failed to get it out and since I got it out it has literally grown inches every day and now has 2 huge flowers - all in the space of a fortnight , amazing plants . The one we have came from M&S

[florentina1]

Nasturtium and Calendula seeds are quite big and easy for achild to handle. Also very cheap. If you use one of those clear plastic containers that the supermarket uses to sell fruit, your daughter can see what goes on above an below the ground.

This way she will get the pleasure of planting something rather than just buying a previously formed plant.

Buy a small bag of light weight compost. House plant compost is probably best because it has an open texture and she can see the roots as they make their way down.

Put a few seeds fairly close to the edge, barely cover with compost and keep moist. The root will be clearly visible against the edge in about a week and top growth after about 10 days.

If you use Calendula seeds you can sprinkle 4 or 5 on the surface also. Just press them down slightly. She will see small changes on those before the ones underneath start to show.

[lljkk]

pumpkins

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I have bought some calendula seeds.