This activity is a fun way to learn how long it takes for plants to grow, and what kind of care is needed to help a plant flourish. As well, starting a plant indoors is often the best way to make sure it thrives before planting it in a garden. If you use a paper cup, you can even plant it outside while it's still in its container!
Here are the steps you need to follow when planting your own bean plant in a cup. And remember, this technique does not need to be limited to beans - think about what other types of vegetables you might want to plant too! Just remember, different plants will grow at different speeds, and some might require more care than others.
Step 1: Get the seeds you would like to grow from a seed supplier or grocery store. For this example, I chose to plant broad beans. Most types of beans grow easily and require minimal care.
Step 2: Fill a small paper cup with soil. Make sure not to pack the soil down into the cup, it’s best if you leave it loose at first.
Step 3: Make a hole in the soil for your bean by pressing one finger into the soil. The hole should be about 1 inch deep, or up to your first knuckle on your finger. You may make more than one hole if you are planting more than one seed, just be sure to space them apart from each other.
Step 4: Place the bean in the bottom of the hole, and cover it with soil. Lightly press down on the soil so that it is packed down just a little bit, but not too much or the plant will have trouble growing out from the soil.
Step 5: Water the seed immediately by gently sprinkling or pouring water on the soil, just enough to moisten it. Beans don’t like when the soil is too wet, and they grow best in soil that is just a little moist.
Step 6: Place the cup in a place where it will get lots of sunlight! A windowsill is a great spot to put it.
Step 7: Now all you have left to do is watch your plant grow! Check the soil each day. If it is dry, give it some water, but not too much – plants don’t like to be over-watered either. After 4-5 days, your bean plant should start to grow. If you are using different seeds, it could take a little longer so don’t worry! You just have to be patient.
Here are some photos of the different stages of growth for the bean plant I planted about three weeks ago:
Day 5:
Day 7:
Day 9:
Day 10:
Day 11:
Day 12:
Day 15:
Day 19:
You can answer the questions below to monitor and document the growth of your own plant at home!
How many hours of sunlight does my plant get each day?
How many days did it take for my plant to poke through the top of the soil?
How many times did I water my plant each day?
Measure the height of your plant each day with a ruler - Did my plant grow more some days than others?
How many leaves does my plant have?
Keeping a journal of your plant's growth will help you remember to take care of it, and learn about the important things plants need to grow. Have fun!