Your child has been growing something wonderful! Now it's time to continue caring for their plants at home.
This guide provides instructions for sunlight, watering, transplanting, organic fertilizing, and harvesting.
Because we garden in South Florida (Zone 10b), our warm temperatures, intense sunshine, and seasonal rainfall are important considerations. All five plants can grow outdoors with proper care.
1. Rocdor Bush Bean
Plant Type: Compact bush bean producing beautiful golden-yellow pods.
Recommended Pot Size: 3–5 gallons per plant, approximately 10–12 inches deep.
Sunlight: 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Some afternoon shade may help during extreme heat.
Watering: Keep soil evenly moist, especially during flowering and pod development. Water when the top inch of soil begins to dry.
Support: Generally does not require a trellis.
Organic Fertilizer: Espoma Organic Garden-tone (3-4-4).
When to Fertilize: Apply a small amount at transplanting only if the potting mix needs nutrients. Bush beans generally require little additional fertilizer. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which encourages leaf growth rather than bean production.
Harvesting: Pick pods when they are bright yellow, tender, and approximately 4–6 inches long, before the seeds inside become large. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production.
Garden Science Tip: Watch for flowers! Each flower can develop into a bean pod.
2. Defiant PhR F1 Tomato
Plant Type: Determinate slicing tomato, meaning it grows to a more limited size and produces much of its harvest over a shorter period.
Recommended Pot Size: 10–15 gallons, ideally at least 14–18 inches deep.
Sunlight: 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily. In extreme South Florida heat, afternoon shade may help prevent stress.
Watering: Water deeply and consistently when the top 1–2 inches of soil begin to dry. Avoid allowing the soil to alternate between extremely dry and soaking wet.
Support: Install a sturdy tomato cage or stake while the plant is young.
Organic Fertilizer: Espoma Organic Tomato-tone (3-4-6).
When to Fertilize: Apply at transplanting according to the package instructions. Continue approximately every two weeks during active growth and fruit production, following the manufacturer's recommended rates.
Harvesting: Pick when tomatoes develop their mature red color and feel firm with a slight give.
Garden Science Tip: Tomatoes are self-pollinating. Gently tapping flowering branches can help distribute pollen.
3. Jasper F1 Cherry Tomato
Plant Type: Indeterminate cherry tomato producing clusters of small, sweet red tomatoes throughout an extended growing season.
Recommended Pot Size: 15–20 gallons, ideally at least 16–18 inches deep.
Sunlight: 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Afternoon shade may be beneficial during extreme heat.
Watering: Maintain consistent moisture. Check the soil daily during hot weather and water deeply when the top 1–2 inches begin to dry.
Support: A tall, sturdy tomato cage or trellis is essential because Jasper is a vigorous climbing variety.
Organic Fertilizer: Espoma Organic Tomato-tone (3-4-6).
When to Fertilize: Apply at transplanting according to package instructions. Continue approximately every two weeks during active growth and fruit production, following the manufacturer's recommended rates.
Harvesting: Pick cherry tomatoes when they are fully red. Harvest every few days once production begins.
Garden Science Tip: Count how many tomatoes develop in a single cluster and record how many ripen each week.
4. Prospera Basil
Plant Type: Genovese-type culinary basil bred for resistance to basil downy mildew.
Recommended Pot Size: 2–3 gallons per plant, approximately 8–10 inches deep.
Sunlight: 6–8 hours daily. Afternoon shade can help during intense South Florida heat.
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Water when the top inch begins to dry.
Pruning: Once the plant has several sets of true leaves and reaches approximately 6 inches tall, pinch the growing tip just above a pair of leaves to encourage branching.
Organic Fertilizer: Espoma Organic Garden-tone (3-4-4).
When to Fertilize: Apply at transplanting according to package instructions if the potting mix is not already fertilized. Additional light feeding may be beneficial after substantial harvesting or if growth slows.
Harvesting: Regularly harvest stems just above a pair of leaves to encourage new growth. Remove developing flower buds if your goal is continued culinary leaf production.
Garden Science Tip: The more carefully you harvest basil, the more branching growth you can encourage!
5. Lemon & Cinnamon Bouquet Basil Mix
Plant Type: An aromatic mixture of lemon and cinnamon basil varieties grown for their fragrant foliage and ornamental flowering stems.
Recommended Pot Size: 2–3 gallons per plant, approximately 8–10 inches deep.
Sunlight: 6–8 hours daily. Afternoon shade may help during extreme heat.
Watering: Water when the top inch of soil begins to dry. Maintain consistent moisture without allowing roots to sit in water.
Height: Approximately 24 inches or more, depending on growing conditions and pruning.
Pruning: Pinch growing tips to encourage branching if growing primarily for leaves. Allow some stems to flower if growing for bouquets or pollinators.
Organic Fertilizer: Espoma Organic Garden-tone (3-4-4).
When to Fertilize: Apply at transplanting according to package instructions if needed. Additional light feeding may be beneficial after substantial harvesting or if growth slows.
Harvesting: For culinary use, harvest leaves and tender stems regularly. For bouquets, allow flower spikes to develop before cutting.
Garden Science Tip: Gently rub a leaf between your fingers and smell it. Can you identify the citrus notes of lemon basil or the warm, spicy fragrance of cinnamon basil?
Organic Fertilizer Recommendations
At Casa Feliz Schoolhouse, we encourage families to use organic gardening practices. We recommend the following products for our Garden Science plants.
Espoma Organic Tomato-tone (3-4-6)
Recommended For: Defiant F1 Tomato and Jasper F1 Cherry Tomato.
A granular organic fertilizer formulated for tomatoes, providing nutrients to support healthy plant growth, flowering, and fruit production.
Application: Apply at transplanting and approximately every two weeks during active growth, according to the manufacturer's container-gardening instructions.
Espoma Organic Garden-tone (3-4-4)
Recommended For: Rocdor Bush Bean, Prospera Basil, and Lemon & Cinnamon Basil Mix.
A balanced granular organic fertilizer suitable for vegetables and herbs.
Application: Mix into potting soil at transplanting if additional nutrients are needed. Basil may benefit from occasional additional feeding, while bush beans generally require very little.
Neptune's Harvest Organic Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer (2-3-1)
Optional Liquid Fertilizer: Suitable as a supplemental organic feeding option for basil, tomatoes, and other garden plants.
This liquid fertilizer combines fish-derived nutrients and seaweed to support plant growth.
Application: Dilute according to the manufacturer's instructions. Use as a supplemental feeding when needed rather than automatically combining it with every granular fertilizer application.
Important Fertilizer Notes:
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for dilution, quantity, and frequency.
Young seedlings require very little additional fertilizer.
Check whether your potting soil already contains fertilizer before adding more.
Avoid overfertilizing, which can damage roots or encourage excessive leaf growth.
Water appropriately after applying granular fertilizer.
Look for products labeled for organic gardening. Families seeking independently verified organic inputs can look for the OMRI Listed seal on the specific product.
Transplanting Your Plants Into Larger Pots
The children began their plants in small soil blocks. As their seedlings grow, they will eventually need larger containers to accommodate their developing root systems.
When to Transplant:
Once seedlings have developed several true leaves and a healthy root system, they may be ready to move into larger containers.
How to Transplant:
Choose a container with adequate drainage holes.
Fill the container with a quality organic potting mix formulated for container gardening.
Carefully place the soil block into the new container, minimizing disturbance to the roots.
Keep bush beans and basil at approximately their original planting depth. Tomato seedlings may be planted deeper, with some lower stem buried, after removing any leaves that would be below the soil.
Gently firm the soil around the plant.
Water thoroughly after transplanting.
Gradually introduce the plant to outdoor sunlight over approximately 5–7 days if it has been growing indoors or under grow lights.
Note: If your seedling is still very small, you may choose to transplant it into an intermediate container before moving it into its final large pot.
Caring for Your Plants in South Florida
Sunlight: Most vegetables and herbs require at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. However, young seedlings should be gradually introduced to direct sunlight, especially after growing indoors.
Watering: Water early in the morning whenever possible. Check the soil moisture before watering rather than following a rigid daily schedule. Container plants may require more frequent watering during hot, dry weather.
Drainage: All containers must have drainage holes. Avoid allowing pots to sit in standing water, particularly during South Florida's rainy season.
Heat: Tomatoes and beans may experience reduced flower production or fruit set during extreme heat. Providing afternoon shade and maintaining consistent moisture can help reduce plant stress.
Pest Observation: Regularly inspect the undersides of leaves for insects, eggs, or signs of damage. Encourage children to observe and identify insects before deciding whether any intervention is necessary.
Plant Health: Yellowing leaves, wilting, or slow growth can have several causes, including overwatering, underwatering, pests, and nutrient deficiencies. Always investigate the cause before adding fertilizer.
A Final Note for Our Garden Science Families
Gardening is a wonderful opportunity for children to practice responsibility, patience, and observation.
Encourage your child to check their plant each morning, notice new leaves or flowers, and record changes in their Garden Science journal.
Remember, every plant grows at its own pace. The goal is not simply to harvest something, but to understand how to care for a living plant from seed to maturity.
