This ingenious planter, made from a trading-card sleeve, is a fascinating science project, a lovely window brightener, and a clever space-saver all in one. It brings seedlings closer to the sun and your family even closer to springtime!

Materials

• Scissors
• 9-pocket trading-card sleeve
• Hole punch
• Seed-starting mix or potting soil
• Spoon

• Chopstick or pencil
• Seeds (we used peas and scarlet runner beans)
• 2 small suction cups with hooks (available in hardware stores)
• Turkey baster

Instructions

1. Cut the binder edge off the left-hand side of the trading-card sleeve. Punch a hole in each top corner.

2. Moisten six cups of soil and spoon some into each pocket until it's two-thirds full.

3. To plant each pocket, first poke a hole in the soil with the chopstick or pencil. Drop in two or three seeds. Gently cover the hole with a spoonful of damp soil.

4. Hook the suction cups through the holes in the top, then affi x the planter to the window. Use the turkey baster to water the seeds, keeping the soil evenly moist and following the care instructions on the seed package. Depending on the seed variety, the seeds should sprout in 3 to 14 days.

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• FamilyFun March 2011