Contents Contents Tools I Need Arranging My Indoor Garden Taming a Carnivorous Plant The Butterwort A Strange Carnivore Other Funny Carnivores A Water Lily at Home My Prehistoric Desert Plant Making a Hyacinth Bloom for the Holidays I Can Grow an Avocado I’m Growing Peanuts Rocks that Bloom My Shy Plant Folds Its Leaves When I Touch It 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 26 30 34 4
Trivia Creating a Miniature Cactus Forest Growing Mushrooms in My House My Plant’s Seedpods Explode to Release Its Seeds A Dancing Plant Trivia Plants Eat Light Watering My Indoor Plants Feeding My Little Plants Repotting My Plants Index 36 38 42 44 46 48 50 52 55 60 62 5
TOOLS I NEED Gardening indoors doesn't mean you don't need tools They just won't be the same ones you would use in the vegetable patch A tray to keep dirt from getting everywhere When you are handling plants and dirt at home you might get a little dirty even if you're very careful It's easier not to get dirt everywhere if you use a plastic potting tray with raised edges Spoon and fork To make potting soil mixtures fill pots or clean your plants roots you will need a small garden fork and spade But even the smaller versions of these gardening tools might be too big for you so it is probably best to use an old fork and spoon from the kitchen Make sure you ask your grown ups before using the fork and spoon for gardening 6
A small watering can To water your plants you will need a watering can Choose one that is small easy to fill at the kitchen sink and easy to pick up without spilling A nice little shower A small spray bottle To moisten the leaves of certain plants that might be too hot inside your house or to gently water the soil after planting seeds use a small spray bottle Choose one with a long spout Watering cans with long spouts make it easier to water the center of a pot Gloves Potting soil is black and can stain Contact with certain plants may irritate the skin and cause a rash You don’t have to wear gloves but you can if you want to A variety of pots Gather pots in different sizes and shapes It is very important to make sure that they all have at least one drainage hole in the bottom so any extra water can escape after you water 7
