This easy tomato growing project is a great way for little ones to learn and understand the growth cycle of fruit and vegetables, as they can see the way the seed spilts, grows a root and grows a shoot through the clear bottle.
Not only that – these tomatoes are grown from an actual tomato rather a packet of seeds – so they can see where the seeds comes from and understand a little better, the growth cycle of a tomato!
How to make a self watering tomato bottle!
You need:
Large plastic drink bottle
Scissors
A tomato
Water
Soil or compost
2 pieces of kitchen towel
To make:
1. Cut the bottle as shown in the photo, little ones will need help here as it’s quite tricky and you’ll need to use sharp scissors
2. Take the bottle top off and fill the funnel will the rolled up kitchen towel. This allows the tomatoes to take what they need from the water below.
3. Fill the bottom with water – about half way up.
4. Put the bottle upside down inside like shown in the photo.
5. Put soil into the bottle.
6. Cut a tomato in half (little ones will need help here) and scrape the seeds out using a spoon.
7. Blot the seeds dry with kitchen towel to get of the jelly juice.
8. Poke the seeds all around the bottle – make sure you put some around the edges so you can watch them grow.
9. Water slightly to moisten the soil. Don’t water too much as there is already water below and you’ll likely have a flood on your table!
10. Place the self watering tomato bottle in the sunlight. A windowsill is ideal!
11. Watch your tomatoes grow!
When your seeds have grown into little plants you can transfer them into pots outside where they will grow stronger and bigger each day!
April 28, 2015
Leave a Reply