KIDS GARDEN:  Starting simple is EXCITING!!!

By: Jamie Lee

Let’s face it.  Kids are not patient.  When they want ice cream, they want it now.  And so it is with gardening. 

Start off in choosing small projects that will bring some kind of result that first day.  They don’t like to dig, weed, or plant for long periods of time.  But this is a great time to teach while you have their attention.

When I was a young girl, my father always had a small garden.  Each of us four children had our own row of a special vegetable we liked to eat.  Mine was beets!  We would race to see which one of our rows would pop out of the ground first!  That kid would win a nickel from Dad.  It encouraged us to water the garden. 

I suggest when starting out with their first plants, use plant starts, not seeds.  Why?  Because they “want it now!”  They will have an exciting place to bring their friends right away.  After all, friends don’t understand seeds, and are rarely impressed looking at dirt.  Marigolds are really great because they can withstand some “forgetfulness” if they aren’t watered regularly.  Saves on disappointments.  Then again, there are lessons to be learned by planting a few impatience and the importance of watering.

First, take them to an area in the yard where you have chosen.  Tell them WHY you have chosen this space, maybe for it’s full sun exposure for planting some vegetables or flowers that take full sun.  Choose a small area.  Maybe 3’ x 3’, or smaller width, so they can easily reach it to maintain.  It’s a “do-able” project for one day. 

You can use your garden hose to outline the area to clear any grass or weeds.  Using a tarp can teach them to drag the weeds to the trash can, and that they can easily drag it instead of lifting a heavy trash bag.  Outdoor trash containers can be too large for the smaller kids.  (This is also a big tip for raking leaves).

Clear the area.  Break up the soil.  Add the “vitamins” (fertilizer) and stir well.  Tell them the plants need vitamins just like we do, only, a plant vitamin is called “fertilizer”.  Help them plant the plants, and water.  They’ll enjoy watching them get bigger. 

Your child may want more planting areas, but we suggest only adding very few the first year.  You don’t want weeding and watering to become unpleasant chores and take a chance on losing their interest.

Some other day, (after doing your own homework), choose a shade spot, and show them several pictures of plants that will do well in the shade.  Take a trip to the garden center and show them how to pick the best plants.

For future areas, teach the kids that it’s best to choose the spot, dig and clean it out, mix the fertilizer in the first day.  Make a trip to the garden center the next day, come home and plant.  That way, it’s not too much for them (or YOU).

KIDS CAN TREAT THEMSELVES WHILE GARDENING

Purchase at least 3 cherry tomato plants.  This almost guarantees a “munchie” every few days while your child is working in the garden. 

And remember, eating can be fun!  Pop it in their mouth, and tell them to slowly bite on it till they feel it “POP!”  Have them tell you how the taste of it compares to a regular sized tomato.  After all, they’re much sweeter!

They will LOVE to brag to the family when you let them tell everyone THEY grew the tomatoes.  

FAST STARTS FOR SEEDS INDOORS

A quick project for even a rainy day.  Your kids will enjoy watching the day-to-day progression of this FUN 5-day project that only takes 10 minutes.

Items needed:

1-gallon zip style food storage bags.

Paper towels

1 pack of seeds (suggested below)

Fun Instructions

Buy a pack of larger type seeds such as lima beans or sunflowers. 

Wet the paper towel, but don’t squeeze out very much of the water.  Dripping wet is perfectly fine.

Laying the paper towel on the counter, have the child place the seeds 1” apart, at least 1” in from the edge, lining one entire side only. 

Lightly roll or fold the seeds over all the way to the opposite end.

Stick it in the plastic food storage bag.  You can put up to 3 of these paper towel seed sleeves in that size bag.  Zip it closed.  Fold it over once, and place it on a window ledge in the house that gets sun.  If this is not possible, with supervision, warmer places in the house such as on top of the refrigerator or water tank create enough heat to serve the same purpose.

After day 2, the kids will begin seeing the bean getting fat, and little “pollywog” tails sticking out.  (Holding it up to the sun might reveal this better).  Within the next 3-5 days, you will see lots of sprouts making their way right through the layers of wet paper towels.

The neat thing about this project is, you don’t even have to water them while the seeds are in this process.  The wet paper towel and the plastic bag act as a nice moist greenhouse for the seeds. 

After day 5, remove the paper towel sleeve from the bag.  Gently pull each seed to separate it from the next one.  Be careful, because the roots will mix in with its “next door neighbor”.  You don’t even have to take the seed out of the paper towel.  Just plant the whole thing in the dirt. 

PAINTED FLOWERPOTS

Brightly painted flowerpots are great gifts for anyone, especially if you planted the plant yourself!

Items needed:

1 terra cotta pot about 6”

1 inexpensive paintbrush

6-8 bottles of water-soluble acrylic paints.

1 old cup saucer or plastic margarine lid

water

Old Tee shirt for protecting the kids’ clothes

Terra cotta pots are very inexpensive in plant departments or at any craft store.  Many times, you can find these paints on sale for 50 cents.  Color suggestions:  White, green, red, black, purple, yellow, blue.

Instructions:

Squeeze a very small amount of paint (about the size of a dime) onto the saucer.  Using the paintbrush, dip it in water, and let 3-4 drops fall into the paint.  Stir it well.  This makes the paint easier to use and it won’t “blob”.

The kids can test their drawings on pieces of newspaper, or paper, and then paint it on the pot.  It’s fun to create pansies, butterflies, bumble bees, ladybugs and caterpillars using their thumb with paint on them.  Paint the body first with the brush, then add the body parts with thumb painting. Use toothpicks dipped in the paint to put dots on butterflies and ladybugs.  

You can also paint the pot white first, and then paint other things on it.  Allow 1 hour to dry.

After it’s dried, fill with potting soil and a nice plant.