Welcome to May! The trees are budding and the grass is growing. The days are getting hotter and the sun is out for longer. The citizens of Altoona are walking, taking and gardening! What better way to celebrate spring than a personal garden. Today is a beautiful day with sunny skies and white clouds, let’s get to it!

Materials needed: small plastic cup, sewing needle, potting soil, water and seeds or your choosing!

Grab your cup and sewing needle. You are going to need to poke holes in the bottom of the plastic cup so the water in it will not be restricted to the soil drowning your plant. The cup shouldn’t need too many holes.

The seed I am choosing is the Zinnia. I bought the seeds at Lowe’s for $1.58. They are very pretty multicolored flowers with a circular sprout. They grow in the spring into the summer. They are only a few inches tall. Make sure you read the directions that come with the seeds so you have the best chance of a successful garden.

The Zinnia requires minimal sun when beginning to grow. In the cup, add half of your soil in. Then put the seed down and fill the rest of your soil over-top of the seed. Using a small amount of water depending on your soil, water the plant. It is best to keep this plant indoors until it has fully sprouted. This will take up to three weeks.

When your Zinnia is fully sprouted, you do not just want to immediately take it outside on any given day. It will burn and dry out. Throughout the course of a week you can gradually let it outside at longer increments. Once you feel your plant is ready, you can dig a hole in the ground and place it in the ground. Zinnia’s should only be placed two inches into the soil for the best chance are obtaining the nutrients in the soil. Happy gardening!