Prepare the Salt Crystal "Nursery"

• 1
  Prepare a jar for growing your crystals.honey in the jar image by Dmitri MIkitenko from Fotolia.com
  
  Tie a piece of string to a small stick, such as a popsicle stick or pencil.
  
  
• 2). Place the stick over the mouth of a glass jar with the string hanging down in the center.
  
  
• 3). Tie a single piece of rock salt to the string. This will be the nucleus your crystal will grow on.
  
  

Grow Salt Crystals

• 1
  Use a piece of rock salt for your crystal seed.cooking salt image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
  
  Mix 3/4 cups salt and 2 cups water in a heavy saucepan.
  
  
• 2). Heat and stir until salt is dissolved.
  
  
• 3). Pour salt solution into prepared jar. Be sure the liquid completely covers the salt crystals.
  
  
• 4). Leave the jar in a dry place for several days and watch your crystals grow. The exact timing depends on the temperature and humidity.
  
  

Prepare Pan for Growing Sugar Crystals

• 1
  Make your own clear rock candy.candy image by cherie from Fotolia.com
  
  Punch small holes along two opposite edges of the foil pan one inch apart and one inch above the bottom of the pan.
  
  
• 2). Cut a piece of cotton string 65 inches long. Knot the end with a large knot.
  
  
• 3). Thread the string through the holes back and forth across the pan.
  
  
• 4). Pull the string tight and knot the end.
  
  

Grow Sugar Crystals

• 1). Mix 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water in a heavy saucepan.
  
  
• 2). Cook until candy thermometer reads 250 degrees.
  
  
• 3). Pour the sugar solution into the prepared pan. Be sure the liquid completely covers the strings by at least a half-inch.
  
  
• 4). Leave the pan in a dry place for several days and watch your crystals grow. The exact timing depends on the temperature and humidity.