HOW TO GROW A BEAN STALK WITH YOUR CHILD

Plants are a wonderful addition to any room. They bring colour to any space and life to every moment, reminding us of the beauty of nature. Take a look at what plants need to grow, and how you can grow your own bean plant – which your children will enjoy.

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WHAT DO PLANTS NEED TO GROW?
Like humans, plants need water and nutrients (food) to grow. They also need light, soil and clean air, and enough space for their stems, leaves, and branches to grow above the ground and for their roots to grow below the ground.

AIR AND SUNLIGHT
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen in a process known as photosynthesis. This is how a plant makes its own ‘food’ – known as chlorophyll – and what gives it its green colour. Photosynthesis can only take place during the day when there’s sunlight.

WATER
Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots. They need water to carry moisture and nutrients from the roots to the rest of the plant.

NUTRIENTS
Sometimes plants need extra nutrients in the form of fertilizer. These nutrients can help them to develop strong roots and fruit or ­ flowers. Natural fertilizer – or humus – is made by creatures like earthworms, or from leaves and twigs that fall to the ground and rot.

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COOL BEANS!
Sprout your own beans to see how magically plants grow! This is a fun and educational activity that your kids will enjoy.

You will need:

• A glass jar
• Cottonwool (sheets, wads or balls)
• One or two beans (dry butter beans are perfect and are available at the supermarket in packets. You can also use kidney beans or chickpeas.)

What to do:

1. Put the cotton wool into the jar.
2. Place a bean on either side of the cotton wool so that you can see them when they start sprouting.
3. Add a little water so that the cotton wool is damp, but not wet or soaking.
4. Place the jar on a windowsill or where it will get sunlight, and watch what happens… In two to three days the beans will sprout a small root. In four to six days, they will start growing a thin stem that grows upwards. After about 10 days, a root system develops from the main root, and you’ll see the stems become quite sturdy and strong, maybe even reaching higher than the top of the jar (this is also when the bean skins or husks will drop off).
5. Soon after that, leaves will also form and open up. Be sure to keep the cotton wool damp so your beans don’t dry out. Once the plants look strong enough, this means the roots will be quite developed and you can plant them in soil or in a pot outside. Remember to water them regularly.

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DOWN IN THE GROUND
Plants have root systems that they use to suck water and nutrients (food) from the ground so they can grow. Roots also provide support to plants and are good for preventing soil from washing away during storms (which is called erosion).



THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF ROOT SYSTEMS:

TAP ROOT
This kind of root is usually long and thick and grows straight downwards, with smaller roots growing from the main root. A good example is the sun­flower.

FIBROUS
This kind of root is made up of many small roots all about the same size, that grow in all directions from the base of the stem. Good examples are grasses, wheat and maize.

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