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Plant annual crops

Plant annual crops
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Plant and care for easy annual crops like radishes, beans, or marigolds from seed, observing growth, watering, and harvesting small produce.

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Step-by-step guide to plant annual crops

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Watch a Seed Sprout! | Squeaks Grows a Garden! | SciShow Kids

What you need
Adult supervision required, bean seeds, marigold seeds, pencil or marker, plant labels, potting soil, radish seeds, small pots or seed tray, small spoon or trowel, sunny windowsill or outdoor spot, tray or saucer, watering can or cup

Step 1

Pick which crop or crops you want to grow today and choose the matching seed packets.

Step 2

Put a tray or saucer under your pots or seed tray to catch extra water.

Step 3

Fill each pot nearly to the top with potting soil using a spoon or trowel and smooth the surface.

Step 4

Make a small hole for each seed at the right depth: radish about 1/2 inch deep; bean about 1 inch deep; marigold about 1/4 inch deep.

Step 5

Drop the correct number of seeds into the hole and cover gently with a little soil.

Step 6

Label each pot with the plant name and today’s date using a plant label and pencil or marker.

Step 7

Water each pot gently until the soil is evenly moist but not soggy.

Step 8

Move the pots to a sunny windowsill or outdoor spot where they will get lots of light.

Step 9

Check your pots every day and water whenever the top of the soil feels dry to the touch.

Step 10

When seedlings have a few true leaves thin them by removing smaller weaker plants so the strongest ones have room to grow and harvest radishes beans or marigold flowers when they look ready.

Step 11

Share your finished creation and what you learned about growing on DIY.org

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

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Help!?

What can we use if we don't have potting soil, plant labels, or seed packets?

If you don't have potting soil, mix clean garden soil with compost and a little sand; use a popsicle stick, folded paper, or masking tape and marker as a plant label; and substitute missing seed packets with dried beans or seeds saved from store-bought radishes or marigolds.

My seeds haven't sprouted or seedlings are soggy—what should I check and fix?

Check that you planted at the correct depths (radish 1/2 inch, bean 1 inch, marigold 1/4 inch) and stop overwatering so the soil is evenly moist but not soggy, then replant any drowned seeds or thin crowded seedlings once they have a few true leaves.

How can I adapt the steps for younger or older kids?

For younger children, let them spoon soil into pots and drop large bean seeds into holes you make, while older kids can measure exact depths for radish or marigold, label each pot with today's date, and keep a growth journal to share on DIY.org.

What are fun ways to extend or personalize this planting activity?

Decorate recycled pots before filling them with potting soil, place trays on a sunny windowsill and keep a daily watering-and-light log, then compare harvests of radishes, beans, or marigold flowers and share the results on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to plant annual crops

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Life Cycle of a Plant for Kids! | Learn Parts of a Plant 🌱 | Twinkl USA

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Facts about gardening for kids

☀️ Many easy annuals (radishes, beans, marigolds) grow best with about 6 or more hours of sunlight each day.

🫘 Common beans are legumes that work with root bacteria (rhizobia) to add nitrogen back into the soil.

🌼 Marigolds attract pollinators like bees and can help deter some garden pests around vegetables.

💧 Overwatering is a top seedling killer — young plants need moist but well-draining soil, not puddles.

🌱 Radishes can sprout in as little as 3 days and some varieties are ready to harvest in just 3–4 weeks.

How do I plant and care for easy annual crops like radishes, beans, or marigolds with my child?

To plant and care for easy annuals with a child, pick a sunny spot or container, fill with loose potting mix, and let the child plant seeds at the depth listed on the packet. Label rows and water gently with a small can. Check soil moisture daily, thin seedlings if crowded, and teach simple observations—measure height, sketch leaves, and keep a watering chart. Harvest radishes in weeks; pick beans and deadhead marigolds to encourage blooms.

What materials do I need to plant radishes, beans, or marigolds with kids?

You’ll need seed packets (radish, bush beans, marigold), containers or a garden bed, quality potting soil, a small trowel, child-sized watering can or spray bottle, plant labels and marker, scissors for harvest, gloves, and a tray for messy work. Optional: compost, stakes for beans, a notebook, and a magnifying glass for observations. Use untreated wood or plastic pots safe for food if you plan to eat the produce.

What ages is planting simple annual crops suitable for?

Planting annuals is great for ages 2–12 with tasks adapted to ability. Toddlers (2–3) enjoy digging and sprinkling seed with supervision. Preschoolers (3–5) can help plant larger seeds, water, and label rows. Early elementary (6–9) can measure growth, thin seedlings, and harvest. Older kids (10+) can plan spacing, keep a growth journal, and manage watering schedules. Always supervise tool use and eating anything from the garden until washed.

What are the benefits of planting annual crops with children and what safety tips should I follow?

Gardening with kids teaches science, responsibility, and patience while improving fine motor skills and healthy eating habits. Watching seeds sprout boosts observation and confidence. Safety tips: choose non-toxic, untreated seeds and soil, store fertilizers away, supervise scissors and stakes, use gloves for sensitive skin, apply sunscreen and insect repellent as needed, and teach handwashing before eating garden produce. Start small to keep the activity fun and manageable.
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Plant annual crops. Activities for Kids.