Maybe you’ve heard of them, maybe you haven’t, but on the 8th of September, 1977, a man named Joseph Pedott created Chia Guy, the first Chia Pet. Chia Pets have been a hit ever since then and have made quite a lot of sales. Chia Guy was produced by the California-based company Joseph Enterprises Inc., and after the first one, the company hasn’t stopped producing Chia Pets. Chia Pets peaked in popularity around the 1980s with the release of Ram, the first popular Chia Pet that was marketed. The company even made a TV commercial that was so successful that it gave rise to the widely known catchphrase “Ch-ch-ch-chia!” that a lot of people know about.
What are Chia Pets?
Chia Pets are small terracotta figurines in different shapes and sizes that can sprout chia, a flowering plant with many health benefits. Chia sprouts grow out of certain places on the figurines within just a couple of weeks, resembling hair or fur.
How do chia sprouts grow on Chia Pets?
The American styled figurines have grooved parts on their bodies, which is why the growing place of the chia sprouts is predetermined. You don’t get a “finished” Chia Pet, as that would totally ruin the whole purpose of having a Chia Pet. If you want to make it look the way it is supposed to, you need to take care of your Chia Pet and there are a few things you should pay attention to.
The first thing you should do is put chia seeds on the grooved parts of your figurine. The chia seeds need a lot of water, so you should keep them moist all the time. You can submerge the whole figurine in water as that will help the seeds stick to the body of the figurine. If you water your Chia Pet properly, in a week or two your Chia Pet will sprout a beautiful green coat, giving you a lovely house plant. Another thing you should keep in mind is that chia seeds should be kept in places with little light, but after the seeds sprout, your Chia Pet will need more sunlight or artificial light, so you should think about a sunny location for your pet.
Chia Pets as decoration
Chia Pets can be a wonderful gift for someone who loves plants or has a garden, but you can also keep them for yourself if you love plants. They may look a bit odd when compared to other potted plants, as they are grown in a different way, which means that their appearance is not the only thing that makes them unique. They will definitely stand out from wherever you put them, so if you are bored with your environment, Chia Pets will surely spice it up.
Even though Chia Pets may be a new concept to you, you don’t actually need a green thumb to be able to take care of them. They are easy to keep and adorable to look at.