Have you been looking for a fun indoor winter gardening project to do with your child? Try planting an amaryllis bulb. This enormous bulb is easy to plant and bring into flower. The large, trumpet-shaped blossoms that open atop tall stalks are perfect for livening up a windowsill when the garden outside is at its bleakest. These bulbs can be found in garden stores and come in shades of red, pink and white that will burst into bloom about 6 to 8 weeks after planting. A perfect welcome to Spring!
Help your child pick out a bulb at a local gardening store, then choose a pot that is about two inches bigger than the diameter of the bulb. Using a light potting mix that drains well, have them set the bulb in the pot so that the top third of the bulb is sticking up above the level of the soil. Let them water it well and move the pot to a sunny windowsill. Allow the surface of the soil to dry out before re-watering.
A child who learns through a garden...
Scores higher on scientific achievement tests;
Increases social and emotional well-being;
Is more likely to eat and prefer fresh fruits and vegetables;
And will feel responsible to care for the environment.
In about four weeks, your child will see a little green tongue emerging from the top of the bulb. After growth starts, have them keep the soil moist but not soggy. Remind them to rotate the pot a quarter turn every few days so that the flower stalk grows straight up; if they don't turn the pot, the stalk will bend toward the light.
Add a little math fun to the activity by measuring the growth of the stalk daily and recording the measurements on a kid-friendly graph. In a few weeks, you both will enjoy the huge blooms that open at the top of the flower stalk. If your bulb is big enough, it will produce two flower stalks for a really big show.
Fun Fact: The word “amaryllis” comes from the Greek word amarysso, meaning "to sparkle.” Plan now to add some floral “sparkle” to your home when the days are cold and short.