Set Aside a Garden Area for Children
A Garden Activity For Children
Setting up a garden for children is a way to teach them to respect nature and to live to its rhythm, waiting to harvest the fruit of one’s labor. Here are a few tips that should delight little gardeners.
To set a garden area for children, is both giving them their own space and an opportunity for an activity that will enrich their life and teach them new skills. By introducing children to gardening you teach them patience and respect for nature.
To start a vegetable garden is also the opportunity to give the kids small responsibilities, such as watering, weeding and general maintenance of the area around the plants that they chose. You will need to show them how to weed and water the plants, you will have to teach them which plants are to be pulled and which should be kept. Imagine how proud they will be when harvesting their first vegetables.
Setting up tips
It is important to separate the children area in some way so that they have ownership of their garden. Ann Peuser of Clinton Parkway Nursery (842-3081) suggested some easy to grow flowers like marigolds or zinnia that would offer color and can be grown easily from seeds. Or alternatively you could use a small decorative wood fence. An area of about 4 square yard is usually appropriate for a kids’ garden.
What plants to choose?
So that children do not loose interest it is imperative to choose fast growing seeds to set up a children garden. Children also appreciate varieties that they can eat on the spot like cherry tomatoes and strawberries. They also enjoy growing carrots. If you have enough space you can plant potatoes (the harvest of potatoes is always a big surprise for children) or you can add some pumpkins (a very spectacular plant but it does require a larger space) Finally it is also possible to add some decorativeyet useful like sunflowers our native state plant.
Maintenance Tips
For proper maintenance children need the proper tools (rakes, watering cans) in their own size. You will find those in most garden centers, hardware store or nursery.
Consider using organic gardening methods to maintain the kids vegetable garden. A garden without pesticides will not only be safer for our little gardeners but will be more respectful of the environment, and the organic harvest will even be sweeter. If you need some help getting started with organic gardening or if you could learn new methods consider the “Organic Food Gardening Beginners Manual” as it contains excellent information on the subject.
87 Page Step-by-step Gardening Manual For Beginners To Learn How To Grow Their Own Healthy, Organic Food – Saving Money And Eating Chemical Free!
