Grow a Mold Garden

Tired of trying to get avocado pits to grow in a glass of water? Or having beans sprout in toilet paper, only to get moldy and die? There is another kind of mini garden that your kids can plant as a science project . . . but it doesn't involve seeds. A mold garden, while it might sound gross, is a big hit with kids. It's easy to grow, comes in a variety of colors and can be studied to no end. Plus, it just appeals to children's gross side!

To start with, you will need a container. A disposable one is best so no one has to get disgustingly dirty at the end of this little project, you can just drop it in the trash. Try an aluminum baking pan.

The container should be filled with about 1 inch of dirt. This can be any dirt, just scraped up from the flower garden outside or the park. Don't use potting soil because this is usually sterilized and won't be as conducive to mold.

Now, the "planting" of the garden. Collect a variety of older foods (leftovers from the fridge work very well). You can try pieces of bread, potato peels, cheese, tomato slices, etc. Lay these out in a single layer on the dirt, although they can overlap a bit if you have a lot of food to put in. Try to get at least three or four different items so you will have a nice variety of mold and colors in this lovely garden.

The next step is to cover your garden with plastic wrap. Adding an elastic band to hold it down tightly is a very good idea if you don't want to have a nasty smell emanating throughout the house! The covered mold garden can be stored in a closet or anywhere that is dark and warm. If you really want to experiment, do two identical gardens and place one in the fridge and one in a warm place to see how differently they grow.

Your mold garden should start to grow within a couple of days. If not, you can add a little water to make things nice and moist, just the way mold likes it! Once the mold is really growing, you can inspect it under a microscope or magnifying glass. Just be sure to hold your breathe, since mold gardens can get rather stinky!