What you’ll need
What you’ll need
- Potting soil
- Herb seeds, e.g., chives, parsley, cress
- Empty plastic bottles (clean) or flowerpots
- A serrated vegetable knife
- Paper
- Colored pencils or felt-tipped pens
- Scissors
- Cutting board
- All-purpose glue
- Water
How to do it
How to do it
1. Cut a plastic bottle in half with the knife.
2. Fill the base of the bottle with potting soil.
3. Spread the seeds onto the soil, following the instructions on the packet.
4. Moisten the soil with some water.
5. Draw a face on the piece of paper, cut the pieces out and glue them to the bottle. Ensure your hands and the bottle are dry so that nothing smears.
6. Leave the plants on the window ledge or outside to grow. Water the soil regularly. Depending on the type of seed, the first seedlings should appear after just a few days.
7. Once the herbs are fully grown you can use them for cooking or as a garnish. Growing time will vary depending on the herb.
Topsy’s tip
Topsy’s tip
- You can also grow your herbs in an egg carton.
- Give your herbs amusing “haircuts” and then watch them grow back.
Learn with Topsy
Learn with Topsy
- Were you able to see your herb-heads grow? Which ones grew the fastest and which could you give funny haircuts?
- Did you know that herbs are the superheroes among plants? Not only do they give our food taste, they are also extremely healthy; some even have healing properties! Chamomile tea can work wonders if you have tummy ache, and sage is good for sore throats. Herbs are generally categorized as either culinary or medicinal. Different parts of the plant are used depending on the herb, e.g., the leaves and the stem (parsley), the petals (marigold), the roots (garlic) or the seeds (caraway). But watch out! Some wild herbs are poisonous: only ever pick herbs you know are edible!
