On leaves and stems...

The best part about Plant Science is being able to look through a microscope and see what you are learning first hand. Why is a slide so much more amazing than the almost identical photo in a textbook? I have way too much fun, in class. The reason I love to teach is to see one person "get it." Becky McCann is having much success with me. I finally understand and remember, for the moment, the parts of a flower, which went over my head in Master Gardener class. I just want to come home and show the Rapplings everything. Really, would you want to listen to your mom talk about plants again? So here's my post so that Kate will actually "listen to me." Pictures speak a thousand words, right?

I won't bore you with all the details. This is what I was able to see in class on Friday.

Why would this information be important? Learning how plants grow and transport food will ultimately help me understand each plants needs, what diseases they are effected by, etc., etc., etc. I'll bet you've even experimented with this whole vascular bundle science stuff....

I used to do this "experiment" with Aunt Pearl and Uncle Clyde. Although they weren't actually my Aunt and Uncle, just the coolest elderly neighbors my parents lived by on the East Side. They would have me cut lots and lots of Queen Anne's lace and fill ball jars with water, then let me play with the food coloring. Sweet summer memories, little me thinking that they knew magical things. Food coloring spreading through the water and up into the flowers = magic. Magical experiences for children make life so much sweeter. First you need white flowers, vases, water, and food coloring. Mix food coloring into the water each vase can be a new color. Cut off the end of each stem under water to prevent air from entering the stem. Put each flower into a vase and wait for the flower to absorb the water.

Then you wait as the flower gives off water through it's petals it will need to replace it with water from the vase. Tada! Beautiful hand dyed flowers.

If you have a hypodermic needle and some dye and way to much time on your hands to experiment you can try this. Me, I'm sticking with food coloring and Queen Anne's Lace. Tomorrow, I'll be going to buy some white flowers to let the girls experiment at home. These photos aren't mine but belong to this blog. Thanks for all of her hard work and beautiful photos.

Link to the post with these hypodermically created blooms. I'll be posting the Rapplings creations soon. Until then have fun playing with food coloring.