Growing plants isn’t rocket science. Nope. Sometimes it can be much more difficult than that. The variables that influence plant development from germination to harvest are many. Moisture, light, nutrition, environmental influences, pests, and disease all play a role.

But once a gardener cracks the code for a variety, truly understanding how to create and maintain the perfect conditions, everything becomes much easier to manage. Plants are watered and fed as needed. Potting up provides more room for root development. And then young starts are transitioned outdoors in a manner that ensures their survival. Confidence builds on experience and the process unfolds with far fewer moments of panic.

Have students craft a seedling care manual for a specific plant variety that can be used by students that will follow behind them. They should experiment with each input (water and light) as well as the timing for each stage (thinning, potting up, fertilizing, hardening off) to arrive at a set of “best practices for seedling care” for that variety. Publish the findings as a step-by-step guide that will benefit others.