Hey plant friends! Easter is coming! I think springtime is so exciting, especially for gardeners. All the new things growing gives me an itch to get outside and get working. But it’s still cold! Every Easter we at Garden Gateway do an Easter activity that’s fun for gardeners of any age! Living Easter Baskets! You can grow your own grass in an Easter basket just in time for the Easter Bunny to deliver some goodies into it, or you can use it for lovely decor.
Since last year and this year have been different, we’ve switched to sending home kits for this, rather than putting them together with the kids at the garden center. So just in case instructions get lost or misplaced, we’re adding them to our blog so you can always access them!
When you pick up your kit, it will look something like this. A bucket/basket with soil and PRESS’N’SEAL cling wrap over the top, and a baggie of prepared wheat seed. When you get home, you can find a spot where the kiddos can reach and participate. Open up the cling wrap carefully, since you’ll be reusing it in a minute. Measure out ⅓-½ cup of the wheat, and spread it over the top of the soil. No need to mix it down into the soil. Just on top is fine!
Once that’s done, take the PRESS’N’SEAL that you took off before and carefully put it back on. This creates your own tiny greenhouse! Now take your Living Easter Basket and put it on your kitchen counter or in another safe place where it gets bright light, but not direct light. Check your basket every morning and night, spritzing well with a spray bottle when it’s dry. It only needs to be damp. If you water too much, you could get mold, and that’s no good!
After a day or two, you’ll see them start sprouting, getting little white nibs on the seeds as they germinate. They’ll grow a little more each day, which is another reason kids love this activity! When at least half of your seeds have ½” or more of green growth, you can throw away the cling wrap, and let it be open to the air. Make sure you’re keeping your Living Easter Basket in an area that is bright, a windowsill or a table near a window. Just no direct sun, please!
Keep checking and watering your cute new grass as needed. After a week it can get pretty tall! If you want, you can give it a haircut. And you can eat the grass that you cut off! Wheat grass has many health benefits, and is considered a superfood! It boosts your immune system and helps to eliminate toxins in your body. Overall, a great addition to a favorite salad or smoothie!
Thanks for joining us for this tutorial for our Living Easter Baskets! We hope it has helped. Thanks for gardening with the Gardening Moose!