Our Little Roots is a monthly subscription box that delivers everything you’ll need to start an organic garden with your child. When you sign up, you’ll fill out a brief survey in which you’ll let Our Little Roots know how experienced you are with gardening and where you live. Based upon your answers, they’ll send you a box with seeds and directions for growing them. This subscription has received an overhaul since the last time we took a look at it!
The box itself is quite attractive. While there aren’t a lot of decorative touches inside the box, if there were, they’d distract from the intent of the box: go outside, get dirty and grow something special with your kids!
March’s box contained lemon balm seeds, a growing medium, information about lemon balm, a sticker and a plant designation marker.
I appreciated receiving this post card as I’ve never used lemon balm before. I look forward to seeing how it tastes as a basil substitute in pesto!
When I signed up, I told Our Little Roots that I’m a beginner gardner. These were the directions they enclosed. I wish they had included some notes about when to transplant the soil pellet. I also wish they had reminded me more explicitly what I signed up for: a plant that spends part of its day in the shade.
The organic lemon balm seeds arrive in this attractive envelope.
This is the enclosed soil pellet. Although I didn’t notice it when taking this picture, part of the mesh holding the soil pellet together has been disturbed at the top, near where the seeds will be planted. I hope this doesn’t prevent our seeds from sprouting!
The package also included this small compostable pot. I assume I’m supposed to put the soil pellet in here, although I don’t know if I should add additional soil beyond the soil pellet to it. I also don’t know how long to leave the lemon balm in here before transplanting it to the ground. I plan to move it after it sprouts.
Once we transplant our plant, we’ll write “lemon balm” on this and stick it in the ground so that we remember what we planted!
The box included this adorable sticker. My son couldn’t wait to put it on. He loves stickers!
Out Little Roots has a contest going for subscribers. You could win a free subscription. Neat!
The first order of business after we opened the box and shot some pictures of the contents was to enlarge the soil pellet. My son placed it in a bowl of warm water.
Within five minutes, the soil pellet expanded to the desired 1-1.5 inch height.
As it expanded, though, the pellet lost some soil in the place where the mesh had broken down.
My son placed the expanded pellet in the container, added the seeds to the middle of the pellet and admired his handiwork. The following morning, he placed the container outside under a tree.
As a reward for his good work, my son happily took the sticker and placed it on his hand. We can’t wait to see if our lemon balm takes root! Whether or not it does, we look forward to continuing our adventure in gardening next month with Our Little Roots!
Visit Our Little Roots to subscribe or find out more! Get a free dial seed sower with your first month! Use coupon code ONTHEHOUSE.
The Description: Our Little Roots caters to showing children, and adults, just how awesome growing something can be. With an Our Little Roots bag, you are not only getting non-GMO seeds but also the soil needed to plant them and keep them healthy, stakes in case you want to put your seeds in a garden outside, and instructions on how to care for your little seeds. For less than the cost of one family meal out every month, you can bring a sustainable and delicious future to your home.
The Price: $11.95 per month
The Categories: Home, Housewares, and Household Subscription Boxes, Kids Educational & Learning Subscription Boxes, Subscription Boxes for Kids.Gardening Subscription Boxes, Green & Eco-Friendly Subscription Boxes,Subscription Boxes for Preschoolers,Subscription Boxes for School-Aged Children.
The Reviews: See all our Our Little Roots Reviews.
Comments
I like the way the review is written because it shows the concerns of a beginning gardener.
Are you past the last frost date? I think you mentioned being in the south. I wouldn’t leave it outside until the last frost date. You can take the pellet out, add some soil, make a hole for the pellet to be on top, and then plant the compostable pot into the ground once the seedling starts growing. I am not sure if it will receive enough sunlight without being closer to the top of the container.
Oops! I forgot to add that I hope it does grow! Your son did a great job! It’s a great concept and a wonderful way to interest children into gardening.
Thanks so much for your help, Anna! I’ll stop by the Natural Gardener (our local organic gardening store) to pick up some potting soil.
I think we’re past the last frost. Truth be told, it was such a warm winter, that we didn’t get much in the way of frost here.
Yes, I loved the concept, and my son and I had a blast doing it. He is very excited about his seeds. I can’t wait to learn more about gardening with him!