Spring has officially arrived! We’ve made slime, painted cardboard boxes, and baked up a storm. A change in weather signals it is time to plant our springtime cup garden with seeds and root vegetables. No backyard, no worries. A few items, water, and a sunny spot are all you need to build a cup garden. This activity is simple yet full of experimenting and discovery.
Supplies You Will Need:
- Clear cups* (7, 8, or 9 oz works)
- Soil
- Water
- Seeds
- Root vegetables
- Ruler or tape measure
- Paper & tape for labeling
- Plant Growth Chart
*Clear cups allow for intimate observations. It is really cool to see the plants’ roots develop and sprawl.
Fun and Experimental
I have always longed for a green thumb. Sadly, I am still challenged, but I try again year after year. So, this is not a guide on how to grow anything. Instead, it is a fun way for kids to immerse themselves in hands-on science, making observations, and predictions.
Children love to watch plants grow and develop. When they plant something and have no idea what will happen, the anticipation is even greater.
There is so much excitement around what we’ll plant this year. Will we plant fruit seeds, pieces of root vegetables, beans, or leftover herbs? The choices are endless.
Tracking Cup Garden Progress & Watering
An important part of this activity is keeping up with the plant’s progress. I recommend making this part fun. Taking a rigid approach may deter your child’s interest. For example, if they are not interested in measuring the new growth, allow them to take a photo while you measure. The next time it is time to measure, they may be more eager to do the measuring – or not. You can decide if you’ll keep track of the growth rate, sprout measurements, color, or other variants.
Keep the soil moist, but do not overwater. Check the cups daily and jot down anything significant. Daily recording on the tracker is not necessary. At the end of each week, write down something in each box – even if it is only no growth or no change. This helps develop observation and documentation skills. Younger children may draw a small picture of what they observe at the week’s end. Anything goes here. Just plan to document something.
What we used in our first cup garden:
- apple seeds
- lemon seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
- chia seeds
- beans
- black lentils
- white potato
- sweet potato
- shallot
How Much Time?
Setting up the cups by filling them with soil and planting the seeds or root vegetables will take less than 30 minutes—plan to track the cups over a four-week time period or longer if desired. Use our free printable Plant Growth Tracker.
The “conspiracy theory,” as we call it, ignited so much thoughtful curiosity.
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We would love to see your cup garden. Tag us on Instagram @peanutpopblog. If you are looking for more hands-on science fun, grab an at-home STEM kit.
