Seed pods are a fun way to prepare seeds for planting. It's even more fun to incorporate one into a Mother's Day gift for a mom who loves to see her little ones' hand prints in their artwork.
Supplies:
- potting soil, compost, or soil from your garden
- air dry clay in terra cotta color
- water
- assorted seeds (we used sunflower seeds)
- cardstock or construction paper
- pencil
- scissors
- wooden paint stick
- glue
- marker or paint
The proportions for this mixture are roughly 5 parts clay, 3 parts potting soil, 1 part seeds. The clay helps to guard the seeds from being eaten by birds and other creatures before they have a chance to sprout and the potting soil provides nutrition. These pods don't have to be planted - they can be put in the top of a pot or just set directly on top of the soil.
Start by placing 5 meatball-sized clumps of clay in a mixing vessel. Add potting soil a little at a time. I used a small bathroom sized disposable cup for a measuring device and used 3 scoops of potting soil.
When you have mixed the clay and potting soil, it will be clumpy. Now you want to add a little bit of water by sight! We are looking for a consistency of meatloaf or cookie dough. When you get that, you will add your seeds. We used the whole packet of sunflower seeds (and now it REALLY looks like cookie dough!).
When finished mixing, shape into 10 patties, flatten and set on newspaper in a warm place to dry (this can take several days, or if it is sunny and warm, a few hours).
Take cardstock and trace your childs' hand about 5 times in the color of the petals and 2 times in another color for the leaves.
Cut out handprints and overlap to make your flower. Glue together.
Color the wooden paint stick with markers or paint - we kept it simple with basic green! Glue your flower and leaves to it.
When your seed pods dry, glue it to the center of your flower!
Decorate the petals and leaves with messages for Mom!
To plant, remove the seed pod from the flower, set it on the soil and water well! These can just be thrown wherever you would like to start growing something! Mom can keep the rest of the flower for a keepsake!
Some other gift ideas:
- These would also make great gifts for Dad. Use grass seed instead of flowers and help Dad plant in hard-to-reach places.
- You could also make a gift for a gardener by making a "pizza" assortment ... use tomato, basil, and pepper seeds and shape your clay seed mixture into the items they will grow into ... then paint to match!
- Make a salad mixture ... lettuce, cherry tomatoes, herbs.
- Cat lover? Use catnip, grass and herbs.
- Use assorted wildflowers and package in a planter with some garden gloves and a tool or two!
