Herbology

The study of herbology dates from the time that people began learning what was good to eat, and not so good to eat. Wise people also took note of the different effects different plants had on them, and from this, the early study of herbal medicine began.

Plant Food Experiments

Carnivorous Plant Research

The living world can be divided into some basic feeding categories: herbivore (plant eaters), carnivores (animal eaters) and omnivores (can eat either plants or animals). While some animals are herbivores, some plants are carnivores.

You have probably heard about the Venus flytrap already. There are other plants that use bright colour or scent (or both) to lure their prey into watery or sticky parts where they drown or get stuck and are digested by the plant. Try doing a web search to see how many you can find.

Colourful Capillaries

You will need:
several white carnations and/or long stalks of celery
liquid food colouring, at least two different contrasting colours
thin vases or bottles
an exacto knife (for adult use)

Add several drops of food colouring and an equal amount of water to one bottle. Trim 1 cm off the bottom of your celery or carnation stem and place it in the bottle. Let it sit for about an hour, then come back and take a look at it. Now place it in a bottle of plain water for an hour or so. What happens?

Now try splitting the stem up the middle from the bottom (this can be a bit of a challenge, and is definitely a job for an adult). Make the slit long enough that each stem can reach the bottom of separate bottles. Add equal amounts of food colouring and water to one bottle, and a contrasting colour to the other. Let it sit for an hour.

Try doing one colour, then a different one afterwards. What happens?

Many animals distribute nutrients through their bodies by pumping it through their arteries using their heart. Plants use capilliary action, absorbing moisture and nutrients from the soil, to accomplish a similar job. Adding colour allows you to see this process for yourself.

Floral Soaps

You will need:
a bar of white or transparent soap
small dried wildflowers or floral herbs (lavender and chamomile work well) you may wish to press them flat in a heavy book to make them easier to work with
either melted paraffin wax, or clear acrylic varnish
a paintbrush

First, arrange your flowers on top of the soap in the way you want them to appear. If you are using wax to set them, you may want to brush on a small amount to help hold them in place. Once they are arranged the way you like, press down on them to make them as flat as possible. Now brush on the wax or varnish, and let dry. Once dry, repeat with a second coat, and then a third if necessary.

You will need:
1 cup of Epsom salts
1 cup of baking soda
1/4 cup of crushed dried herbs (choose from lavender, chamomile, thyme, rosemary, mint, dried rose petals and/or dried citrus peel)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and then decant three or four equal portions into an airtight jar. If you wish, divide the mixture into parts and add a drop or two of food colouring and layer the salts in the jar.

You will need:
an assortment of dry herbs (some suggestions: lemon grass, chamomile, rose hips or petals, mint, fennel seed)
a tea ball
optional: green or white tea leaves
optional: small cinnamon stick pieces, dried citrus peel, dried berry pieces
small containers and spoons for the different herbs
small containers to hold your finished tea

This activity encourages you to use your sense of smell and taste. Use the spoons to fill your tea containers with your own herbal tea creations. To serve, fill the tea ball, then prepare as you would your favourite commercial tea. Make notes so you can repeat your favourite recipes. If you wish, you can use slightly less tea, and make it without the tea ball, then try and read your fortune in the tea leaves left at the bottom of your cup.

Saving your Seeds

This is a good activity to do whenever a flower, fruit or vegetable is ready to be harvested from your garden.

To harvest marigold seeds, wait until the flower is dried out. You will see a long tuft where the middle of the flower was (sometimes this becomes a bit like a pod). Gently pry it open and you will find the seeds inside. Store in a paper envelope in a cool, dry place until the next spring. Be sure to label the envelope!

To collect tomato seeds, let a piece of tomato that has seeds sit on an open container in the refrigerator for a week or so. Doing this allows the tomato to dry out, and the bacteria to cause the seeds to build up their defenses, making them stronger and hardier. Once the tomato is dried up, separate the seeds from the rest of the tomato and store them in a paper envelope in a cool, dry place until the following spring.

Collecting seeds from peppers, squash, cucumbers and melons: remove the seeds from the fruit (yes, these are all fruits!), and let air dry for a couple of days. Store in a paper envelope in a cool dry place until the following spring.

Seed Mosaics

You will need:
a variety of seeds and dried beans
white craft/school glue
heavy paper
a pencil

Collect seeds and dried beans of a variety of shapes, colours and sizes. Using your pencil, trace out the outlines of a picture or design you would like to make. You may want to look at some tile mosaic pictures either online or from books from your local library for inspiration. I particularly like the ones from Morocco myself.

Once you have drawn your plan, you may wish to label it like a paint-by-number canvass so that you can easily remember what seeds go where when you are gluing them.

To glue, you can spread a small amount of glue in one section, then press the seeds into it and let them dry. Continue until the picture is done. If you are using larger seeds, you can dab a bit of glue right onto them, then stick them down. Tiny seeds (like poppy seeds) can be lightly sprinkled onto the glue. Let the paper dry flat, then tilt is up gently over a bowl or sink so that any loose piece can be collected.

An alternate activity is to use a clear glass jar and fill it with layers of contrasting seeds and beans. You could even make a bean soup mix this way.

You will need:
a small potted vine plant, such as ivy, peas, beans, squash, clematis etc.
a cardboard box in which the plant fits within 1/4 of the inside space, with either a separate lid, or flaps on the top that can be closed
some extra cardboard pieces
packing, masking or duct tape
an adult with an exacto knife

Sit your plant in one corner of the box. Now, using the cardboard, make a wall next to it that reaches about 3/4 of the way to the other side of the box. This wall should be the same height as the box. Tape this securely in place.

Have your adult make a hole in the corner on the other side of the wall from the plant (the furthest corner going around the wall). It should be about 6-10 cm around. Now water the plant if needed, then place the lid on the box (or close it). Be sure to put the box in a bright room. Leave the lid on most of the day, removing it mainly to check and water it, or if it starts to die. What happens to it?

When plants grow towards the direction of the sun (or the strongest available light source), it is called phototropism. In what other ways do plants respond to light?