Eco-Cool Kids

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Hey kids, let’s get dirt-y! Let’s plant an aster. You’ll get to enjoy year after year because asters are “perennial” meaning that while the plant goes to sleep in winter, it springs back up every Spring. You could call them Sleeping Beauties!

You can buy a starter plant for about $2-3 at any nursery or a store like Home Depot. Pick your favorite color! They come in white, pastel blues and pinks, lavender, deep scarlet and purple.

All you need for this project is:

 

• A spot in your yard, or a 12-16″ clay or ceramic pot with a drainage hole at the bottom
• An aster starter plant (See “A World of Plants” on this site)
• Dirt!

 

You can pant it any time during the summer or fall. It likes full sun but doesn’t mind a little shade.

• If planting in your yard, dig a hole about twice as wide as the plant and a little deeper than the rootball, put your baby plant in the hole and fill with dirt.
• If planting in a pot, fill the bottom of the pot with lightweight potting mix, put your baby plant in the pot and fill around the rootball with more potting soil. Leave a little space on top so you can water without the soil spilling over. Some people even grow potted asters indoors.
• Be sure to water your newly planted really well. When it grows up, it will need much less water.
• Last and best: Enjoy the show of blossoms and butterflies!

 

Want more asters? Leave a few wilted blooms in the winter and the fluffy white seeds will blow around and plant themselves!

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These bags are super cool and really easy to make. And you can use your imagination and dress them up any way you want.

You can use them to keep your things together, like school or art supplies, chunky bracelets, game pieces or just about small enough to fit inside and big enough not to fall through the holes.

I use mine for cat toys. Also I take them shopping at the farmers market or grocery store so I don’t have to get more plastic bags every time.

For this project you’ll need:

• An empty mesh bag from the grocery store. It might have had oranges or potatoes in it. Have mom or dad cut off the top and empty out the goodies.

• Some string or narrow ribbon

• Beads or other decoration if you want

Step One: Cut about three feet of string or ribbon. Tie a knot in each end to keep it from fraying.

Step Two: Weave the ribbon through the top of the net bag

Step Three: Stretch out the bag till there is an equal amount of ribbon on both ends

Step Three: Cut the looped end of the ribbon and tie each end of the ribbon together.

OR, if you want to add beads, tie a knot about 2 inches from the end, sting your beds and tie another know to keep them from falling off.

Use your imagination to decorate your bag any way you want!