Sincerely,
Sunflower Power
A: Dear
Sunflower Power,
I
love the idea of growing a garden in your backyard! While plants may not seem
complex, there are a lot of interesting facts about plants that most people
might not know. For example, did you know that a plant is made up of five
parts? The first part are the roots. Each plant has roots that absorb
nutrients from the soil. A plant also has leaves that supply the plant
with food through a process called photosynthesis. Yes, even plants need to
eat! Next, each plant has a stem. The stem ensures that the plant stands
upright and has the important job of delivering any nutrients absorbed by the
roots. On top of each stem sometimes sits a flower. However, not all
plants have flowers! Flowering plants produce seeds within a fruit and are the
reproductive organs of the plant. For a plant to reproduce, insects and birds
must first pollinate it. Finally, we have the seeds. When pollinated,
seeds produce yummy fruit for humans and animals to enjoy.
For
even more information on plants, be sure to check out IEUA’s Plant Factory video on YouTube! Their
team shares some really great information about our flowery friends and guides
you through the Plant Factory at-home
activity available on their website.
Hopefully
this information is something you can share with your family while you plant
your garden! Also, talk to your family about planting water-wise plants such as
lavender, poppies and sage since they’ll survive much better in California’s
warm weather and require a lot less water!