Grandpa Swede Needs Your Help!

Down at the Seed City allotment Grandpa Swede has been so busy planting lots of lovely new vegetables that he can’t even tell his carrots from his potatoes!

Your Mission Seed Agents is to design your very own vegetable row markers so that you don’t repeat Grandpa Swede’s mistake.

There are many different things you can use to make your row markers – wooden lollipop sticks, milk cartons, tofu containers, yoghurt pots…the list is endless!

Secret Seed Society have given you a head start in your ‘What Will I Be’ Carla Carrot pack, and also your ‘Bong Bong Bongity Bong’ Rudi Radish pack as they have 2 lollipop sticks ready and waiting for you to decorate!

If you need more row markers or feel like being creative then follow the instructions below and you’ll have your very own personalised row markers in no time!

What Materials You Will Need :

– wooden lollipop sticks or the flat side of your chosen recycled plastic

– Marker pens, Crayons, Colouring Pencils or Paints

– Scissors

How to Make a Row Marker :

Step 1 : Find a Grown Up and search through your Recycle Bin for anything plastic.
You could use the flat side of milk cartons, tofu containers, yoghurt pots, or anything else that is strong.

Step 2 : Get a marker pen and draw out a template of your row marker on one side of the plastic – make sure one end of your marker is pointed so that it can dig into the ground. It should measure approximately 12cm.

Step 3 : Once you have your template you can decorate your row markers with lots of bright colours! Try drawing pictures of the vegetables, or writing the name of the Seed City Character you are growing!

Step 4 : Next you need a Grown Up to help you cut out your row marker with a pair of scissors.

Step 5 : Now you’re ready to stick your personal

Grow seeds when its cold by making a Cloche!

So, what exactly is a Cloche?

A Cloche is something used as a cover and placed over plants to protect them.

Cloche’s act like mini-greenhouses – they collect warmth from the sun during the day which warms the soil and keeps it warm at night!

That’s clever! So how do I make a Cloche?

The best way to make your own Cloche is to reuse any recycled glass or plastic jars and bottles that you may have. Using something that is see-through is important because the soil under the Cloche needs light to help the plant grow.

I used an empty jam jar, a plastic cup, an empty bottle of squash and an empty bottle of water. I thought I would try different ideas to see which worked the best. Keep a look out for see-through containers that could be recycled.

REMEMBER: the number of cloche’s you need to make depends on how much room you have to grow your seeds.

Making your Cloche:

Wash and remove any labels.

If you are using jars or cups that already have an open end then you can go to the next stage – ‘Prepare Your Garden’. If you are using a plastic bottle you have just one more thing to do before it is ready for the garden.

When you have washed and dried your bottle, you will need to get yourself a Grown-Up who can cut off the top with a pair of scissors.

Prepare Your Garden:

Now you’re ready to get planting! Make sure the soil is loose using a trowel or fork.

Next, place your Cloche’s upside and push them down into the soil so that you have made a circle mark – this is the area that you will plant your seeds in!

Plant Your Seeds:

Pour a few of your chosen seeds into the palm of your hand so that you don’t have too many all in one go. Scatter them all over the circle and cover with a half centimetre layer of soil and firm down with your hand. If the soil is dry give them a sprinkle of water.

Finally, place your home-made Cloche’s back over the circle and push down hard so that they are firmly in the ground.