This month, our confident readers learnt all about photosynthesis and the life cycle of plants! Growing beans is a super way to see this life cycle in real time, and even better, when you grow the beans in a bag, you get to see germination, which usually
you can’t see because the seed is under soil! Germination means the plant is sprouting its roots.
For this activity you will need some bean seeds, a clear plastic bag (such as a freezer bag or a zip-loc bag), and a piece of thin sponge or some paper towels. Later on you will need some soil and a pot or small planter.
Step 1: Dampen the paper towel or sponge with water.
Step 2: Place the wet paper towel or sponge flat in the Ziploc bag.
Step 3: Place a few beans on top of the wet paper towel and close the bag.
Step 4: Place the bag in a warm, sunny spot, and add a little water to the paper towel whenever it dries out.
Step 5: Check on your beans and observe your plant growing in 3-5 days! As it grows, note the different parts of the plant, can you see roots and leaves?
After approximately 2 weeks:
Step 6: Carefully remove your seedlings from the bag and plant them in some soil. Water them once they have been replanted.
Step 7: Place the pot with seedlings in a part sunny, part shady spot and sprinkle with water regularly.
Step 8: Watch them grow! Watch out for the different stages of the plant's life cycle. You should see leaves, buds, flowers and then the fruit!
Your beans should be ready to harvest after approximately 60 days, depending on the variety. They should be long but not bulging. To harvest your beans, use scissors to snip at the stalk when the plant is dry.
Inside the beans are new seeds. The life cycle of this plant is complete!
