Grow a Few Christmas Gifts

Help small children handle the anticipation and adults deal with the stress of the holidays while creating a few homegrown gifts.

Scour your basement, shed or garage and locate small containers or items that can be used as flowerpots.  Make sure they have drainage holes or add them if needed.  Otherwise, you’ll need to double pot the plants.

Clean the used containers with a one-part bleach and nine parts water solution and allow them to dry.  Then add a bit of color and pizzazz with paint, permanent markers, or other decorating materials.

Fill the container with a well-drained potting mix.  Plant colorful lettuce seeds for your health conscious friends, coleus and marigolds for the flower lovers in the family and cat grass for your favorite pet owner.

Keep the soil moist and the container in a warm place until the seeds sprout.  Then move to a sunny location and water thoroughly whenever the soil is slightly moist.

A bit more information:  Keep the beauty of decorative containers and preserve the health of your plants with double potting.  Select a pot with drainage holes that is slightly smaller than the decorative pot that lacks drainage.  Plant your seeds, cuttings, or plants in this container. Place a few pebbles in the bottom of the decorative container and set the planted pot inside.  The pebbles will elevate the plant above any water that collects in the decorative container.  Check and pour off excess water before it reaches the inside pot.