29 April 2010

Let 'Em Struggle

Remember that story about how you have to let a butterfly struggle out of the cocoon so it's wings will be strong enough to survive?
Apparently Eric never heard that one. As we have been fascinated with the growth of our tomato seeds, we've learned a few things.
First, they take longer than expected and will only pop up after consistent heat (aka: heat lamp) is applied.
Secondly, once one seed comes up, a lot will, so planting 3 seeds per slot in the egg carton is a little over-doing it (and, since the first one "didn't" work, we planted another one, making a total of 24 slots...and now that the first container showed life, we have a TON...you do the math). Now we'll have to slim down the slots to one plant per space.
Thirdly, if you try to "help" the little buggers grow by trying to remove a stubborn seed pod, you will most likely kill the poor plant. Thus the need for Eric to revisit the story of the butterfly.

I've been thinking about the second point. We know we are supposed to thin out the plants and choose the strongest plant. However, how do you know which one is strongest? Just because it arrived first? Because it is tallest? I can see flaws to these options and have just been thinking about it. So, in the mean time, we'll just let 'em struggle. But, I guess I also shouldn't let the Wilbur complex get to me, either (we are reading Charlotte's Web to Emily right now).

2 comments:

The Roes said...

I have that same problem. Haydn loves to do everything himself. He still seems to have problems getting a shirt on quickly. He always gets one arm stuck in a fold in the shirt or pops it out the neck hole. We must have laughed at that because he does it all the time now. Anyhow, I have a difficult time letting him struggle because he isn't doing it 'fast' enough for me. Maybe I should revisit the Butterfly story too! haha

Momma Sarah said...

Ahhhhh, I feel a family home evening lesson coming on!