I bought our science supplies for our curriculum through Home Science Tools. Part of our activity for today was to plant lima bean seeds. The planting part was easy.... watering them, however, proved__ interesting. I used the small bag of potting soil that was sent with the seeds. Apparently, this soil has the amazing quality of hydrophobia. I've never known dirt to react this way to water. The water just sits on top of the dirt (even 7 hours later). If I shake it a little, the dirt that is stirred on top of the bubble of water simply floats on top of it. Since I know that my tap water does not possess extra-amazing surface tension properties, it just has to be the soil. Has anyone experienced this before? The boys are concerned that their seeds won't sprout. I really don't want to have to go buy more soil (and our outside "dirt" is more like dusty gravel).
Does it have little white balls in it? And sometimes it does that because it's all dried out and not moist enough when you get it.
No little white balls or those absorbing crystals. No, it's for Lifepacs. But I'd venture a guess that HST uses the same materials regardless of who it's for.
Hey...great to see you online! I have no experience with what you are talking about. We plant a garden every year so we just use that as our botany lessons...lol...I just wanted to say hi!
Jackie is probably right. The dirt is probably just too dry, poke some holes into it and try to get the water down in it. When we did beans a few years ago, we grew them in damp papertowels until they sprouted, it let us observe them every day, then we moved them to dirt. Those stupid things grew so tall they started vining around my curtain rod in my bay window!
I kind of stirred it up so the water would mix in a little easier. So now instead of one big water bubble on top, if you shake the cup a little you can tell there are several smaller water bubbles all throughout.
just let it sit and rest... it may take it a LONG time to decide to soak some of it up. I wouldn't sit it in a very sunny spot for now because it will just dry out the water instead of letting the dirt absorb it. Also, I would write to or call HST and tell them about your issue with the dirt and see if they will offer a refund or some new dirt. A bag of cheap dirt is only a buck or two at like Walmart.
Another fun thing is to do that with avocado seeds but you have to wrap them paper towels, soak them really good put them in a large ziplock bag and then put them in a dark cupboard for about a month and then if your seed took you'll have sprouts coming off of it. I think we've got three or four now that need to be put in pots.
When I was a kid my mom was always growing avocado seeds!!! I have tried and never had success. she would put toothpicks in them and sit them in a glass.. half in the water half out.
I tried that one but it didn't work but for whatever reason it works in the bag in a dark place it's really weird. I've really got to plant the ones I have since the root to one is at least 6 inches long.
If your pot has holes in the bottom, you might try setting it in a larger bowl or pot filled with water. Sometimes it helps to let the water wick up from the bottom.
The instructions in his book said to use paper cups, so that's what we did. I wanted him to follow the instructions exactly, you know. Especially since he had a check list to mark off.
Your "soil" could be peat moss. Commercial dirt mixtures containing peatmoss often have an added "wetting agent" - whatever that is. I use a mixture of topsoil and peatmoss to raise crickets for our lizards. Once the peat moss gets wet it retains the water for a long time, which provides moisture for the cricket eggs to hatch. It is hard to get it wet. I spraymist it - the tiny water droplets seem to soak in faster.
add a small amount of yard dirt to it, if you live in an apartment just add some soil from thier garden. Soem potting soils have mulch in them so it adds airation and this is what is holding the water on top. Don't bother watering it if its sitting on top, but poke a hole with a finger or a straw to be sure the plant is not rotting under there and see if the water goes down
