I was craving some fresh greens in a salad over the weekend and decided to start some sprouts. While I like sprouts, I really wanted microgreens, which are just the tops of small plants without the roots. I was trying to avoid setting up the grow light and the proper trays…which forces me to rearrange my shelving by the patio windows. Soooo, I thought I’d start with the seeds I use to sprout to get them started.
Then I found my quart jar with the strainer lid that I use to start the seeds.
First, I measured out 1 1/2 tablespoons of seeds and put them in the jar. I added filtered water and let them soak overnight.
By morning the seeds were about twice their dried size.
I rolled the jar up in a tea towel and left it by the kitchen sink.
Each evening and morning I filled the jar with water about half way and swished the seeds around. Then I drained out the water, wrapping it up again with the tea towel. By the second morning the seeds had started to sprout.
By Day 3 the seeds were doing well. More swishing and draining.
By Day 4 it was time to green up the sprouts. I could have just set the jar in the light and by the Day 5 I would have green sprouts to eat. Since I wanted microgreens, I gently spooned the sprouts into a flat sprouting box. I thought the roots would attach to the mesh and the plants would grow up toward the light. I was planning to spritz the sprouts with water as they grew. It sounded like a great idea!
However, by Day 5 the sprouts were struggling to do what I had in mind. The plants did not anchor well and because of the holes in the sprouting box, they also did not maintain the right moisture.
With microgreens, they should be watered from the bottom, not sprayed on the top. Now, I had a pretty sickly (and slimy) batch of sprouts/microgreens. YUK!
So, I guess I’ll do it the right way. First, I need to find my books about microgreens and unpack the grow light.
More on that in another post…soon!
Be willing to take a risk and try something new! All I lost was 1 1/2 tablespoonful of seeds and 5 days. Oh well, they will add to the compost pile just fine!
As always, feel free to leave a comment or email me at marykisner@comcast.net. Take a risk!
I have spent a lot of money trying to find an air freshener for a small room like a bathroom or closet that I like. Sprays sometimes leave a residue on surfaces. I don’t want that on the bathroom floor or my clothes. Some fresheners need to be plugged in, which ties up a plug. I know I like the essential oil fragrances like lavender, vanilla and lemon. There are many others to choose from. However, which fragrance will last the longest? Here is a quick project using air dry clay that has solved my problem. Give it a try! This would make a great project for kids and grandkids too.
Let the ribbon color remind which oil you used on which freshener!
First, some basic supplies:
Air dry clay: This can be found at craft stores, Walmart or Amazon. It comes in multiple colors. I prefer white, however kids might enjoy making other things besides air fresheners! (How about an animal with lavender essential oil sitting by the bed…could help them sleep!)
Work surface: I’m using a piece of heavy glass (3/8″ thick) that is about 10″ by 12″. Bert found it at a glass contractor’s supply business. Glass out of a picture frame works, just put some masking tape around the edges. A vinyl tablecloth works too!
More supplies:
More supplies described below.
A clay rolling pin or large dowel rod.
Razor cutting tool. Perfect for getting the clay off the work surface. The one in the picture next to the rolling pin has a guard that serves as a handle. Then it can be removed and slid over the razor when not in use.
Disposable straw to make the holes to hang the item.
Cookie cutter (thin metal works best in cutting out shapes from this clay.)
Anything to make impressions in the clay. This could be as simple as your thumb. Leaves make interesting impressions. Some rubber stamps (usually used with ink) make great impressions. I am using clear flat rubbery shapes that stick to a hard plastic base. They make an impression but don’t go too deep.
Wax paper or paper towels to put the finished pieces on to dry.
Wet wipes. Air clay leaves a chalky residue on your hands and tools. These make clean up much easier.
Essential oil or fragrance oil of your choice.
Here are the steps to make this air dry clay freshener:
Step 1: Take a piece of clay and work it into a ball. Flatten the ball with your fingers.
Step 2: Roll the clay flat with the rolling pin or dowel rod to about 3/8″ thick. The edges will tend to crack a little, don’t worry about that!
Step 3: Make impressions in the clay.
Step 4: Use the cookie cutter to cut out your shape. Small Christmas trees or stars at Christmas time make good ornaments and gifts!
Step 5: Make a hole with the straw and twist it a little to loosen it.
Step 6: Use the razor to gently lift the edge of the clay. Peel the outside clay off the item. Save this extra clay and work it into the next item.
Step 7: When you lift the item off your work surface with the razor, you can gently smooth the cut edge with your finger. Place the cut items on wax paper or paper towel to dry.
Step 8: As this clay dries, it will often dry faster on the top. For the first few hours after making them, I watch when they curl and turn them over several times until they stay flat.
Step 9: Thread ribbon or string through the hole.
Step 10: Add essential oil. About 4-5 drops of oil is enough to start. Lay the item flat. Place the oil into the pressed design so it doesn’t run off the surface. Let the oil soak in. Use only one scent at a time. Add more essential oil one a week or as needed.
I made three items with different color ribbons. I will use lavender on the item with the burgundy ribbon; lemon on the one with the yellow ribbon; vanilla on the one with the white ribbon. I’m testing (one at a time) to see which scent I like best and which lasts the longest.
When dry, hang your freshener. Bert put hooks on the side of the bathroom cabinet for me. It looks pretty and smells great!
Enjoy! I hope you can have fun with this project! Please comment or send me an email at marykisner@comcast.net.
You will find, after seeing a few of my recipes, that there are no eggs or dairy products in them. I have food allergies to both and have been egg- and dairy-free for several years. As annoying as it is to have to do without them, I feel so much better that it’s worth it!
This is the latest product I’ve fallen in love with!
Luckily, the Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires that foods are labeled to identify the eight major food allergens. These are: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shell fish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans. These 8 major food allergens identified by FALCPA account for over 90 percent of all documented food allergies in the U.S. If you look carefully on most packaged food, right after the list of ingredients you’ll see the list of allergens. When it says, “milk” that could mean they seasoned the food with Parmesan cheese or cooked it with butter. It may also say, “Made in a facility that uses those products.” Cross-contamination matters if you are deathly allergic to any airborne components, like wheat flour or particles of nuts.
I do not need to avoid wheat, soy, fish, shell fish, peanuts or tree nuts. And my allergy does not lead to a life-threatening result. However, I may experience a sudden bout of diarrhea if I ignore my allergy, so if I’m eating away from home, I’m pretty careful. I also can eat meat so if I ask how things are cooked, I can usually find something to eat. I’m certainly not starving to death!
One of the first things I missed the most was mayonnaise (and of course butter, ice cream and cheese!). I have found Smart Balance a good substitute for butter on toast and in cooking. There is coconut ice cream if I must have ice cream. I have not found a good substitute for cheese, so my days of a good toasted cheese sandwich and pizza are behind me. I have tried to order a pizza without cheese…just not the same!
According to the Federal Government, to be called mayonnaise the product must include EGGS. Therefore, the item I’m talking about today has to be called “Vegan Dressing and Spread.” However, it is found on the shelf right next to Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.
Here are some details on the jar of regular mayonnaise:
Notice Hellmann’s Mayonnaise has whole eggs and egg yolks. It can legitimately be called Mayonnaise.
My salad dressing of choice was always Thousand Island dressing and I had been making my own for several years using regular mayonnaise. Once I found I could not have mayonnaise, I found Vegenaise.
This does not say it is Mayonnaise…it is “Better than Mayo.”
This was in the Organic refrigerated aisle at the grocery store. It worked, tasted fine but tended to separate. I would make chicken salad and the next day I had to drain off some watery liquid and mix it up again.
By surprise when I was buying regular mayonnaise for Bert, right there next to the Hellmann’s Mayonnaise was Hellmann’s Vegan Dressing & Spread!
This turned out to be just what I’d been looking for. It tasted great, was creamy, mixed well with salads and DID NOT SEPARATE! Yea! It did not need to be refrigerated until being opened.
Hellmann’s Vegan Dressing & Spread had fewer calories than regular mayonnaise and was even lower in Total Fat. It tasted just fine!
Here are more details about this product:
Hellmann’s Vegan Dressing & Spread has no eggs!
Now, to make my version of Thousand Island dressing, I use a cup or so of this Vegan Dressing and add a tablespoon of my home canned sweet pickle relish, a squirt of mustard and a squirt of ketchup (real exact measurements! HaHa!)
Sweet pickle relish, mustard and ketchup adds flavor and color.Homemade Thousand Island dressing that is safe for my egg- and dairy-free diet!These small disposable cups hold about 1/2 cup of dressing…just right to take to a restaurant.
Finding this substitute for mayonnaise makes me not feel too bad when I have to restrict my other choices so much!
Now that you’ve learned to make a gift bag out of a calendar picture (the post from March 3), you are ready to make a paper gift box!
Start with a square of paper. You can use card stock, heavy construction paper, origami paper or a calendar picture. I had several packs of card stock that I bought several years ago. Recently, I picked up a few 6″ and 7″ square packs of origami paper. The heavier card stock works well for larger boxes. Origami paper and calendar pictures work better the smaller you go.
12″ square card stock will make a sturdy box about 4″ square and 2″ high.An 8 1/2″ square of light card stock or construction paper will make a box 2 7/8″ square and 1 1/2″ high. A 4″ square of light weight paper will make a box 1 3/8″ square and 3/4″ high.
Step 1: Choose 2 pieces of paper and the size box you want to make. One sheet of paper will make the top of the box. The other will make the bottom of the box and fit inside the top.
This is light weight card stock 8 1/2″ x 11″.
Step 2: Cut the top paper into a square. Cut the bottom paper 1/8″ smaller than the top. (If your top paper is 8 1/2″ square, the bottom paper should be 8 3/8″ square.)
This square is 8 1/2″ x 8 1/2″.
Step 3: To make the top of the box, on the back of the square draw lines with a pencil and ruler from corner, forming an “X”.
Step 4: Fold one corner to the center point of the X and crease.
Step 5: Fold the edge of your previous fold so it meets the center pencil line and crease.
Step 6: Unfold your folds. You are left with a set of horizontal creases.
Step 7: Repeat Steps 4-6 for the remaining three corners. When completed you will have a series of creases that form a grid.
Step 8: You will make four cuts with scissors. Pick two opposing corners. Create a tab that is two blocks and two blocks high (not including the “point”) by making one cut on either side of your center line. Repeat the same cuts on the opposing corner.
Step 9: Fold the opposing corners that have not been cut to the center point of your “X”.
Step 10: Fold them in half again, creating the first two “sides” of your box.
Step 11: Fold the ends of the sides inward, forming the base of the remaining two sides.
Step 12: Fold the tabs created in Step 8 over the side bases created in Step 11. The point of the Step 8 tabs will meet at the center of the “X”. Place a small piece of clear tape to secure the points.
You have now completed your box lid!
To make the bottom of the box, just repeat all the above steps, except your beginning square should measure 8 3/8″ square (or 1/8″ smaller than the top).
Now, the hard part…what to do with all the boxes you make?
The largest box below is made with heavy card stock. It is large enough, and sturdy enough, to hold a special gift for someone.
The smallest one, made with an origami paper cut to a 4″ square, is quite delicate and will squash easily. I think I will put a string on it and hang it on my Christmas tree!
Creating a website and blog like this one has been a fun, challenging experience. WordPress was simple enough to get me started without too much difficulty. Now that I have written 14 blog posts and attempted to revise my initial choices of how to name and organize them I could see a few things needed to be tweaked.
First, I am grateful to all of my readers who have offered support and suggestions. Now, I’m also very thankful that expert manual writers were able to provide detailed instructions so I could clean up those pages!
These are just two of many manuals for WordPress on the market.
You’ll now find a list on the right side of the Welcome page and the first page of the most recent blog entry that should make it easier to find things.
Here you’ll find a list of the 10 most RECENT POSTS. Next comes a CALENDAR OF POSTS to show the days when I posted. Under that is a drop-down list of CATEGORIES for the entries. And finally, there is a place to SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG. This becomes an automatic thing…when I post, WordPress sends an email to you that I have posted. I assume it works…we’ll see!
Of course, your email address will not be used or shared with anyone else!
A few things I can’t seem to change…I had hoped when you went to the current blog entry, you would see a “summary” paragraph from each of the previous entries. That can’t be done in the Template I chose at the beginning. As soon as I change the Template, something else doesn’t work right! Very frustrating!
Another thing I don’t seem to have control over is how the website looks and works on a smart phone. Some of the features I mentioned above show up at the bottom of the Welcome Page, and not at all on the Blog page. That’s my next challenge! Bear with me! If you can find the Calendar on the Welcome Page, you’ll be able to see what days I published. The Blog page will always have the most recent entry at the top.
I had never really studied how other websites/blogs were set up. Now I notice things I’d like to try; but for now, I don’t want to mess with something I finally got to work.
I love reading your comments on Facebook, on this website and through my email. I appreciate your support. Most postings soon!
You can add a comment on this webpage or send me an email directly at marykisner@comcast.net.
Sometimes I need a small gift bag in a hurry…I’m visiting a friend and want to take a few magnets, a single lip salve or a bar of soap. I have stopped trying to keep a stash of small gift bags from the store on hand. Even with a huge pile on hand, I could never find just the right color/pattern/picture appropriate for that person. Now I reach for my folder of pretty calendar pages and make one that’s just right!
For several years I have received over a dozen new calendars every December. I saved them because I just couldn’t throw all those pretty pictures away. Last year I finally took the pile and (carefully) ripped out all the pictures I really liked and disposed of the rest of the calendar. That reduced the pile to a folder of pictures about 1″ deep.
I needed a small bag yesterday, and since I’m looking forward to Spring, I chose a page of beautiful flowers.
The larger bag above is made with an 8 1/2″ by 10 1/2″ calendar page. The smaller bag above is made with a 7″ by 7″ calendar page.
You will need: scissors, a ruler, clear tape, a hole punch and a piece of ribbon (about 20″ long).
Below is a diagram of how the bag is made. The first three steps show the first fold on the left side, but I fold mine to the center. Your choice!
Diagram to make the calendar bag.
Here is the calendar page I chose today:
First, I turned the page over and trimmed the torn edge.
Next, I folded the top edge (where there is usually a hole to hang the calendar) and added a small piece of tape in the center to keep it folded.
Now, fold both sides to the center, with a little overlap, and place a small piece of tape at the top. Fold it to the inside of the bag.
Then add tape the rest of the way down the seam and fold extra to the inside.
Now fold the bottom corners to the center and crease.
Open up the corners and tuck the folds inside each corner. Open the bottom vertically.
Fold each point to the center (with a little overlap) and tape.
Next punch two holes for the ribbon tie.
Add a piece of ribbon to close the bag.
This size bag was just perfect for one bar of my Aloe Vera soap!
If I’m in the mood to make more than one bag, I store them flat in the filing cabinet without ribbon.
So, save all those extra calendars and make small gift bags yourself! Enjoy!
If you’d like to chat about this post, leave a comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.
Today I’d like to give you a brief tour of the Kisner Homestead. We have had a lot of snow in Central Pennsylvania this winter…at least more than in past years. Now we’ve had over an inch of rain over two days that is determined to melt all the snow still on the ground. Today high winds are predicted. Our wind sock seems to still be working properly and is not too shredded from winter weather. It seems we have to replace it every year.
This is the time of year we get antsy to start garden seeds under grow lights (although we probably won’t do that for a few more weeks). I’d like to take pictures like this every few weeks to document the changes in the garden. Today, however, here is a general overview to see how the yard and garden have survived over the winter.
The front of the house shows much of the snow is gone. My Spring door quilt shows up pretty well through the screen door, at least as well as any wreathe I might put up.
Moving to the right of the house, Bert’s shop looks like it survived the winter also. The new paint job he did last summer looks good.
To the right of the shop are the wood piles. Luckily, we have plenty of wood to finish out the winter. Our wood stove keeps the house cozy warm and Bert does enjoy working with wood. It also cuts down on the use of the electric heat!
The tall plants to the right of the silver-covered wood pile are lilacs. They will be removed this spring. They haven’t had flowers for several years due to early frosts and just are not doing well.
Walking around the back of the house is our patio and there is the pot of lavender that was never moved before the cold weather came last fall. We’ll probably have to pitch it. We’ll see if it survives.
Close to the patio are my two herb garden beds. This is where I grow lettuce, radishes, herbs and cucumbers…plants that I want to keep an eye on every day.
Looks like the garlic chives are holding on tight to their seeds!
The chamomile is hanging in there…it truly is like a weed. I’m sure enough chamomile seeds have planted themselves to get this next year going strong.
This is the view from up the hill by the garden toward the house and shop. One rain barrel (60 gallons) will be situated under the down spout on the left of the shop. The second will be on the front corner of the shop. Less than 1/2″ of rain on the roof of the shop will fill the barrels. When they are full, Bert will use a small electric pump and pump the water up the hill to the bigger holding tank (36o gallons) by the garden. We will use that to water the garden all summer. More pictures later of that process as we get those set up this spring.
We use the compost barrels at the back of the shop all year round. Sometimes the cold freezes the lids shut, but a little sun and they open up just fine. Bert will rotate them frequently and by the end of the year there’s hardly anything left. Then it gets rototilled into the garden.
Here’s a picture of the larger holding tank for rain water.
The garden looks so lonely! See that green wooden fence! We are visited every evening by a group of 5-7 deer. For now, they visit the bird feeders. I’m sure that in one leap they could have quite a feast. By putting spacers between the garden and the fence at least they can’t just lean over and have a snack. However, we will be watching to make sure they aren’t wandering around inside the garden after dark!
The deer like the bird seed that spills on the ground, but they love the bird bath water that has a heater in it to keep it from freezing. Bert has to fill it every few days!
So, that’s the tour! At least we can see most of the grass and every day stays light a little longer. There is something about Spring that gives us all hope for the rest of the year!
If you have any question or comments about this post, leave a comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net. Enjoy!
Several years ago, I discovered the fun of making covered button magnets. The fun was in the making! Transforming a piece of fabric into a neat useful item appealed to me. I ended up making hundreds of them! Yikes! I put them on my refrigerator and file cabinet. I sold them at yard sales and flea markets. I gave them away to anyone that looked interested. With every memory bear, necktie pillow and necktie wine bag I made, I also made a few magnets to match!
Magnets to match the memory necktie pillows!
I even took photographs of favorite pets and printed them on fabric…and made them into magnets.
Who me? Am I in trouble? But I’m so cute!Daisy looks so innocent!
Needless to say, I still have many magnets left to do something with, mostly because I keep making them! Did I tell you they are fun to make? At the end of this post are detailed instructions if you’d like to try this yourself!
I came across my left-over pile of magnets yesterday and decided I needed to try to find a way to incorporate magnets into other projects.
Many of these are from leftover necktie material.Finding fabric with small individual prints of characters make these magnets unique!
TIC-TAC-TOE Game
I started with the idea that magnetic game pieces might be useful for kids when traveling in the car (hopefully soon that will be possible!). In the pile of magnets I found enough Penn State magnets in two colors that could make a simple tic-tac-toe game.
Then, in the cupboard I found an unused toaster oven baking sheet. Bert located some tape for me. It was so sticky I couldn’t cut it with scissors; however, I found I could make a snip on the end and rip the tape in strips. Not very professional looking, but it worked for me!
Who knew tape could rip like this?
And now I’ve made a travel tic-tac-toe game!
Tic-Tac-Toe anyone?
Sewing Case
Next, I had seen some fellow quilters with small metal boxes that had a magnet in the lid. That provided a place to secure the needle when handling fabric pieces. I had a few heart-shaped metal boxes that could work. Of course, one magnet could decorate the top! This one was made from a very classy silk necktie.
This heart-shaped box is about 4″ long, 4″ wide and 2″ deep.
Then I put two plain magnets inside the lid (no glue needed). Now I had a place to rest my threaded needle and extra pins. This looks so much better next to my chair in the living room where I do hand sewing.
A safe place for my pins and needle!
Now to find more ways to use these magnets! If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Send me suggestions at marykisner@comcast.net. If you see me at the next yard sale at the Boalsburg Fire Hall (and I know ahead of time) I’ll even hand you a few magnets for free!
NOTE: Do not place magnets on your computer or other electronic devices; Do not place magnets near your credit cards. Important data may disappear!
If you’d like to see how to make covered button magnets yourself, here are the general instructions:
How to Make a Covered Button Magnet
Supplies you will need:
Buttons to cover. On Amazon this is how they are listed: 25 Buttons to Cover-Made in the USA-Cover Buttons with Flat Backs Size 75 (1 7/8″)
2. Small Disc Magnets. On Amazon, this is how they are listed: Anpro 120 Pcs Strong Ceramic Industrial Magnets Hobby Craft Magnets-11/16 Inch (18mm) Round Magnet Disc for Refrigerator Button
3. Tools to make the buttons:
Fabric Covered Button Template Set: On Etsy.com search for coverbuttoncity. The set of templates is $15.25 at this time.
Covered Button Assembly Tool: On Etsy.com search for everythingribbons. A single tool is $2.00 (I used the one for 1 7/8″ Buttons)
E6000 glue (tiny tubes work great!)
Small piece of sandpaper to scratch the back of the button so glue sticks.
4. Circles of fabric (your choice) made with the 1 7/8″ template.
Steps to make the covered button magnets:
Place the fabric circle right-side down, centered over the clear plastic tool.
2. Place the button blank (face down) on top of the piece of fabric and press on the button blank to squash the fabric into the tool.
The clear plastic tool is under the circle of fabric. Button blank is face down over the center of the fabric.
3. Use the pink tool to flatten all the fabric pleats down. Flip the button over (still in the tool) and make sure the picture on the fabric is where you want it. If it off center, you can push the button out of the tool and arrange the fabric again.
The pink plastic will press down the pleats.
4. Place the button back on top of the fabric and press firmly into the fabric covered button. It should hide all the pleats and snap into place.
Ready to snap the button back on.Finished button ready to pop out of the clear plastic tool.
5. Now push the button out of the holder.
Finished button!
6. Using the small piece of sandpaper, gently scratch the surface of the button back where the magnet will be glued. This helps the glue adhere better to the shiny button.
Button back ready for glue.
7. Put some glue on the back of the magnet. (I consider the side of the magnet with the tiny hole as the back.) Place the magnet on the back of the button. Watch it for a minute to make sure it stays centered. The magnet tends to drift if the table surface isn’t quite level. Within a minute you’ll know if the magnet will stay put. You can adjust the location for the first 30 seconds or so by just pushing the magnet carefully to the center.
8. Let the magnet sit for an hour or longer to let the glue dry.
HINT: If you are gluing multiple magnets at the same time, space them at least 2-3 inches apart. The magnets will attract each other and pull them off center before they dry.
WARNING:
Do not place magnets on your computer or other electronic devices. Do not place magnets near your credit cards.
That’s it! If you find other uses for these cool magnets, send me an email at marykisner@comcast.net.
I know it’s still snowing but this is the time of year I need a touch of Spring color in my life. Usually I pull out a forsythia wreathe that has seen better days. It looks similar to this one, except mine has been squished between the doors over the years.
I learned with my first two door quilts that because my door is a dark red, the decoration needs to be light. Thus, on the Christmas stocking the only thing that showed up a distance was the cuff. However, on the Valentine one the heart showed up beautifully from a distance. See the difference?
So, since I decided to decorate with small quilt blocks, I chose a yellow background for the Spring quilt. The quilt pattern is called Dutchman’s Puzzle,Dutchman’s Wheel, or sometimes Wild Goose Chase.
When seen from a distance, the shape really stands out. Take notice, Mr. Snowstorm…your days are numbered!
If you have any suggestions or comments, please email me at marykisner@comcast.net or leave a comment on this page. Thanks!
With another few inches of snow swirling around outside (again) I thought it was time to finally get my questions answered about what my house plants are thinking under my care. If I can figure out how to take care of them maybe I’ll be a better steward of my garden this spring. My normal care falls under the description of “benign neglect.” I know, pretty sad! Amazingly, I dump water on them when I notice they look wilted; Bert gives them Miracle Grow now and then. Beyond that, when the vines start to take over all the space around them I resort to my scissors and give them a haircut.
This vine is taking over the shelf! Will it quiver when I bring out the scissors?
I just finished the book, What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses, by Daniel Chamovitz (c) 2012, 2017. Mr. Chamovitz has used terminology normally used to reference human senses, such as sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing, and poses the questions, What does a plant see, smell, taste, feel and hear? From the beginning he suggests that while plants respond to stimuli like light and sound, there is no evidence at this time to think plants respond with subjective emotions and fear and sadness.
That’s very reassuring! My plants are not sad if I forget to water them and are not afraid when I whip out the scissors to trim an errant vine. Such a relief!
So what do plants sense? The definitions of the senses have been modified appropriately to reflect that plants do not have a thinking brain and cannot move about like animals.
What do plants see?
While plants do not “see” in pictures, like animals, they respond to ultraviolet light which signals it is daytime. This allows them to use light to turn water and carbon dioxide into sugars (photosynthesis).
Plants respond to blue light (daytime), know which direction it is coming from and its intensity. If the plant is shaded, it will attempt to grow around the shade to get to the more intense sunlight. The red light (usually seen at dawn) is a signal to wake up; the far-red light (usually the last light seen at sundown) is a signal to turn off growth. The length of day/night is determined by the number of hours of darkness. Knowing this, growers can manipulate the length of day and night to force some plants to flower (like chrysanthemums) or turn red (like poinsettias).
What do plants smell?
How about the sense of “smell?” According to Chamovitz, plants can respond to an attack by beetles by releasing chemicals. This volatile chemical in the air will be converted by surrounding plants into a physiological response to deter the attacking beetles.
What do plants taste?
Plants obviously don’t have a mouth, so what about the sense of “taste?” Plants distinguish different soluble chemicals through its roots. Plants may make their own sugars (photosynthesis) but they are totally dependent on outside sources for essential minerals. Plants regulate how much they absorb and regulate their water intake to balance the minerals.
What do plants feel?
Plants perceive touch, or mechanical stimulation, but not pain. If a bug is eating a leaf, the plant will send an electrical signal to produce a defense hormone. A strong wind will encourage a plant to strengthen its stem to better cope with the wind. Setting seedlings outside in the spring breeze helps them grow a sturdier stem.
Plants like the Venus Fly Trap will “feel” a bug touching the tiny hairs on the leaves, causing the leaves to close and trap the bug. It takes a certain sequence of touching a certain number of hairs for this to happen so the plant can close at the right time on the right size bug. Amazing!
What does a plant hear?
Can a plant detect sounds without ears? Do plants prefer classical music or rock and roll? Sound is basically pressure waves. Apparently plants are deaf to particular music, but will respond to the touch of the vibrations. So, you might as well listen to the music you like!
According to Chamovitz, it is still being determined if plants respond to the sense of water, or the sound of running water (like a leaking pipe underground). Are they sensitive to the sound of buzzing bees (hearing), or the vibrations from the bees (touch). More study is needed!
How does a plant know where it is?
Plants somehow know that roots grow down (gravitropism) and leaves grow up toward the light (phototropism). This was studied by Darwin years ago and experimented with in the weightlessness of space. No matter how a seed is planted, this principle was maintained. In space it was just a slower process. Imagine that!
What does a plant remember?
There are three kinds of memory: procedural memory (how to do things); semantic memory (memory of concepts, like in school); and episodic memory (dependent on “self-awareness” of the individual). Plants are capable of sensing and reacting to external stimulation…procedural memory. The other two types of memory are what defines us as human beings. (Chamovitz, p. 137)
The Venus Fly Trap seems to remember if a bug touches a hair; if a second hair is touched (within about 20 seconds) indicating the right size bug, the Trap will shut.
Some researchers suggest plants will “remember” the cold snap and will, over generations, begin to flower later in the spring.
So how does all this information help me take better care of my plants and my garden?
The first thing I did was trim my vine! I did not worry about touching the plant and turning it toward the light (might stimulate growth!). I didn’t worry about what music I listened to…if I liked it, good enough. Finally, I will not worry that I’m hurting its feelings!
All trimmed up ready to grow some more!
If you’d like to chat about this article, post a comment or send me an email marykisner@comcast.net. Enjoy your plants!
