When I closed my business (JBs Plants@Roblyn Farm) I found myself overstocked with Spider Plant Babies (whatever you want to call them) from every species I have. They were all so healthy and happy I just could not throw them away and I gave away all I could without shipping. One day while trying to decide what I could do with them, I remembered as a young mother and scout leader that my girls loved it when we did really different things like make butter, not just crafts, or other "busy work"
. I called my neighbor who is a scout leader for several different age troops and told her I would give her spider babies in a starter pot ( 1 1/2 in.) ready to be re-potted to a 3 or 4 inch pot; pots and soil as well as instructions, if she wants to teach her young girls how to re-pot and grow spider plants. It would an ongoing project for the girls, who after they re-pot the babies they take them home and care for them. In a few months or when they are pot bound, they have another session on re-potting them into another pot, 2 inches bigger, which I also donate to them.The girls are taught that by re-potting in pots only 2 inches bigger at a time, the roots get strong, not long. By then in the 6 inch pot, the plants roots are well established and depending on the troop schedule we can stop or get in one more re-potting session before the end of the year.
She loved the idea and she had her first meeting this past week and the girls had a really fun time, several of whom never had their own plants to care for. Here is a picture of several of the girls with their new Hawaiian Baby Spider plants.
Now, other groups like FFA are showing interest. Even the 4H girls have been discussing how they could fit it into their schedules. One thing about growing plants, no matter how young or old you are, what your life and living conditions are, at some time in your life you will be introduced to plant life and how it an affect your life and well being. This seems to be the beginning of a fun time for all of us and now at my ripe old age of 91, I can still feel useful and my babies can grow up to be big spiders.
Don't you love stories with happy endings. Have a Blessed Day my plant loving friends.
