Tips for Starting Grow Notes
- The Imagination Station Leader Manual recommends starting the seeds at least 3 weeks before VBS so leaders have a sample to show how the seeds sprouted and started to grow.
- Want a bigger wow? Start a sample alyssum plant 4-5 weeks before VBS. This will allow enough time for the plant to mature and may even result in blooms by VBS week.
- A blooming alyssum plant makes an excellent display during Imagination Station. Alyssum is a colorful, showy flower that smells great!
- The paper towel should be damp but not dripping wet. It needs to feel like a well-wrung-out sponge. If the towel is soaking, the seeds will lack the oxygen they need to sprout and can easily rot before they germinate.
- Place the Grow Notes between the damp paper towel, with only 1 layer of paper towel around it so light can get to the seeds.
- Need a last-minute option? If you are preparing less than 4 weeks before VBS, consider purchasing a blooming alyssum plant from a local greenhouse or garden center to use as your display sample.
Growing Tips
- The Grow Note instruction card states, “In a matter of days, you’ll have a living reminder that God’s love keeps growing…forever!” Alyssum seeds typically germinate in 7-14 days. Children will not see visible growth immediately after wrapping their Grow Note in a wet paper towel.
- Seeds need light to germinate. Encourage families to place the resealable bag in a sunny window.
- Once seeds germinate on the damp paper towel, they should be transplanted into a cup or pot filled with potting mix and watered regularly.
- As an alternative, Grow Notes may be planted directly into a container filled with potting mix. Place the Grow Note on top of the soil. Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate and become established.
Troubleshooting
“Nothing is happening!”
Remind children that seeds often take up to 2 weeks to sprout. Light, moisture, and patience are all important parts of the growing process.
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