It might sound like a bad thing, but children love to play in the dirt, so having them help you, or make a place in your garden just for them, will have many advantages. They will learn how things grow, responsibility, caring, and how much better home grow food tastes.
Getting Children Involved in Gardening
There’s no secret to getting children interested in gardening. Encourage them to help with what you’re doing and, to use an appropriate metaphor, the seeds will be sown.
As well as watering, children love to help with the picking, digging up and – under supervision – cutting of ready-to-eat produce. Give toddlers a child’s tool set and they can dig, scratch about and potter alongside you.
When they’re a little older, it’s time to offer them some space of their own. My parents encouraged me with a small area of garden that was entirely my responsibility. It wasn’t big – but it was mine and that was very exciting! In it I grew some spinach and radishes, which successfully produced a harvest, despite my obsessive prodding, preening and poking. By the age of ten I had a full-blown vegetable garden to call my own.
Of course, you will need to encourage and guide your youngsters. So start them off with crops that are easy: radishes and spinach can be joined by just about any salad leaves, scallions, beans – especially pole beans that put on height almost by the hour, beets, zucchini and, of course, potatoes. Many seed companies sell seeds specifically aimed at a younger audience, so try these easy-to-grow options first.
In all but the hottest climates a sunny part of the garden will give the strongest growth and, hence, the best results. You may be tempted to tuck their plot out of the way, but a prime position will avoid disappointment and help make enthusiastic gardeners out of them! By offering a clean slate – a patch of fertile ground that’s clear of weeds and ready to sow – you can get them off to a flying start; maintaining their plants and keeping on top of weeds will be a lot less daunting as a result.
Thanks for the great article growveg.com
As the garden get started, they will have the enjoyment of watching thing sprout and grow and then bear their fruit for picking and enjoying.