Plant a Sock -- Year 3

Plant a sock? What? Materials Needed: an old sock a shoebox garbage bag or plastic wrap potting soil scissors Instructions: Check with a grown-up before you begin. Joshua of Texas told us how to grow plants using socks. It's a great way to find out what kinds of plants are growing in different biomes. Joshua says that the best time to do this project is on a sunny day in late summer or early fall. First, find an old, fuzzy, worn-out sock that will fit over your shoe. Then, wander around outside. You can do this in the city or in the country. You could go to the woods, or a nearby lot that's full of weeds. Walk back and forth through an area where plants are growing. Take the sock off and examine the kinds of seeds that are stuck to the sock. Now, to plant your sock. Line a shoebox with a garbage bag or plastic wrap. Fill the shoebox with potting soil. Cut a slit down the side of your sock. Then flatten your sock and plant it with the seeds pointing up. Cover it with a thin layer of soil and then water it. In a week or so, the seeds should begin to sprout. This is really fun to do with your friends in different environments because you get something different every time. What kind of plants did your sock grow? Write and tell us about it at ZOOM!