| Sock it to 'em Take a nearly
barefoot trek for treasured seeds
Late summer and
early fall is the perfect time to collect seeds. We are naturally drawn to large
easy-to-spot seeds, such as the prickly balls of a sweet gum tree, while smaller seeds are
often overlooked. It's simple to collect hard-to-find seeds, and you can let your feet do
most of the work!
Take a sock sojourn. Put a pair of oversized, fuzzy socks (wool works great) on over
your shoes and hike through a garden, field or wooded area. After the hike, carefully
remove the socks. You'll see the socks collected a variety of seeds.
With the first sock, use tweezers to remove the seeds. Sort the seeds by shape, size or
color. Determine how many different types of seeds you were able to collect. Which seed
type was most abundant? Can you suggest a possible explanation for this? How are these
seeds adapted to being dispersed (spread)? Can you identify other ways in which seeds are
dispersed?
Create a seed collection by gluing seed samples onto heavy paper. The seeds can be
grouped according to their appearance, how they are dispersed, or the habitat where they
were found. Label each group of seeds with the date and location where it was found. Field
and gardening guides may be used to help identify the plants that produced the seeds.
Spread the seeds on a paper towel and allow them to dry over a period of several weeks.
Place the seeds in a storage container (small prescription bottles and film canisters work
well). Place approximately half of each type of seed in the freezer for a few weeks (this
simulates the winter freezing and thawing that some seeds must experience before they will
germinate). Keep the remainder of the seeds in a cool, dry location. Plant both sets of
seeds and compare the results.
Put the second sock (the one that still has seeds) in a plastic or aluminum dish.
Elevate one end of the dish using a brick or a block of wood. Wet the entire sock using a
water spritzer. Fill the lower end of the dish with water. Place one end of the sock into
the standing water so that the sock will remain wet. If the pan is left undisturbed in a
warm location, the seeds should begin to sprout in a matter of days. Be sure to monitor
the water in the pan and refill it as necessary.
Try taking seed walks at different times of the year or in different locations. Compare
your findings with previous walks.
HOW TO DO IT
Recommended ages: 4 and up; younger children will need assistance
Estimated time: 30 minutes; ongoing maintenance for growing seeds
Materials:
- a pair of oversized, fuzzy socks on which seeds will stick
- tweezers
- glue
- heavy paper
- small bottles with lids
- aluminum or plastic dish with 2-3" sides
- brick or wood block (for elevating the dish)
- water spritzer
- optional: potting soil and 2-4" plant pots
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