Who can resist the smell of fresh flowers indoors, especially at this time of year?! Here is a fun activity for kids to bring a little Spring indoors… and learn a bit about hydroponics, as well.

What You Will Need:

• Shallow Bowl (we like to use a clear glass bowl so we can watch the roots grow)
• Pebbles or Marbles
• Flower Bulbs, such as Narcissus or Paperwhites (available at most garden centers)
• Water
• Sunny Window

What You Do:

• Fill a shallow bowl with pebbles or marbles. We recommend that the pebbles or marbles are at least 2 inches deep.
• Place one or more bulbs into the pebbles, root-end down. The pebbles will keep the plants upright in the water.
• Slowly fill the bowl with water, just until the water reaches the base of the bulbs.
• Place your hydroponic garden near a sunny window.
• Make sure to keep the pebbles moist, not soaking. (Too much water will rot the bulbs).
• In approximately two to four weeks, your bulbs will sprout and grow! Enjoy the blossoms!

Variations:

• After enjoying your flowers indoors, plant the bulbs outside in your garden.
• When the plants have grown tall, you may need to support them. Stick branches into the pebbles as a decorative support.
• Paperwhites and narcissus do not require a cooling period like other spring bulbs do. Therefore, they work very well for this activity.

One Step-Further:

• If you start now, you can make Easter decorations for your dinner table! They also make a nice “favor” for guests to take home. Use a small pot, one for each guest or however many you would like for your table, and place pebbles inside. Add one bulb to each pot. Tie a colorful ribbon around the pot for added decoration. If you plan to give these pots as gifts, add a gift tag. We like to use small metal pots for this idea, but larger votive glasses work well, too. By Easter, your bulbs should have started sprouting, and will add color to your table. (NOTE: If you are making these pots for guests to take home, you may want to make a few extra, just in case the bulbs don’t sprout. This way, you will be sure to have a plant to give your guests.)

The Science:

Hydroponics is the science of growing plants without soil, mostly in water. The word hydro means “water” in Greek, and the word ponics means “work“.