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Monday, April 18, 2011

#85 Eggie Planter

The girls and I want sunflowers.  So we are trying (again) to grow them from seed.  The last couple of times we tried, something ate the seedlings so we gave up.  This year we are trying again!  I read somewhere (probably a cheesy women's magazine -I love those) that a good planter is an empty, clean egg shell.  Apparently we can plant the whole thing, shell and all, into the ground and it will nourish our little plants as the shell decomposes.  So here we are.  With seventeen egg shells/seeds we are bound to get a couple of nice flowers.  Can you tell which ones are mine?  I used my food writers because nowhere on a Sharpie does it say "non-toxic" and we are hoping to get some seeds to share with the gerbil.
Wish us luck!!
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7 comments:

  1. Sweet! My children and I were just talking about planting some sunflowers. We're going to have to try this.

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  2. You are wise...

    Sharpie smell = good
    Sharpie taste = toxic

    I wish your little plants happy healthy lives (until you, your daughters and your gerbil eat them)

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  3. Very cool Ange! Eggs are great containers! Espicially tutle ones! When you plant them outside, try this. Take an empty 2 liter soda bottle, cut the bottom off and get rid of the cap. Place bottle with no bottom over the seedling and push slightly into ground. You know have a little hothouse for your seedling and the critters can't get to it!

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  4. these are so cute! We have some seeds started indoors too- but I never thought of egg shells! I hope your little sunflowers do much better this year- I really like Mandy's tip! Smart :)

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  5. A cute idea. Did you poke a little hole in the bottom of the shell? If not, be careful you don't drown the seedlings. Give them as much light as you possibly can and turn them every couple of days as they lean toward the window. Introduce them to real sunshine gradually before planting (harden off) or they will sunburn badly,an hour the first day then two ect. Every sunflower I've planted directly has been eaten too

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  6. Thank you, everyone!

    Mandy, that bottle idea sounds great. Unfortunately for me, we donated every pop bottle we have gotten in the recent past to the kindergarten class my daughter is working with. I will try to remember that for future seedling attempts though!

    Tricia, I don't agree with you. Sharpies smell AWFUL!!!! ;)

    Slider, Yes, the article said to poke a hole in the bottom. I doubt I would have thought to do that on my own though. They will be going in the dining room window for now so that should be tons of light, I think. I didn't know about the sunburn thing. I'll be sure to do that. It feels weird calling you "Slider" when I call you something else in real life!!!

    I really hope these grow. I have plans for a turtle that involves sunflower seeds!

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  7. Sharpies... they're an acquired scent. I used to have a set of 200 solvent-based markers back in the early-to-mid 90's... I miss them as well as all the brain cells they wiped out.

    Ange: I hope you made a big giant flan or custard with all those eggs! yummo

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