Gardening with the Kids

[Denahowy]

My kids help me water our flowers in the yard and like to help cover new plants we plant and it is great memory to have of them helping me with the flowers and plants I have. They each have their own water cans to water the plants too. They enjoy getting to control the water hose too. I'm so glad they like gardening. Maybe one day we will try some vegetables and fruits with their help. Haven't done that yet. Maybe a small scale garden, so it isn't too cumbersome for them and us to maintain. anyway I think they would enjoy that.

[housefullofturkeys]

I can hardly wait until next years garden with these neat ideas!
My son has done really well this year (his first time out) and taken great pride and interest in our tomatoes and peppers. He has learned a lot about roots, seeds, and collects every seed that happens to cross my counter (even a poppy seed and a sesame seed, he wanted to try them). He's convinced that he's growing a peach tree, from a peach pit, but I've recognised it as a stray pansy -- he doesn't need to know that .
We are just starting to ripen our tomatoes and he eagerly tried a cherry tomato, but didn't like in and wondered why in the heck it was called a SWEET 100 when it was sour! I'm going to try my hand at bottling this year and hope he can help me make some salsa too! I have truly enjoyed gardening with my son this summer!

Jo-Anne

[housefullofturkeys]

Denahowy:
We did our tomatoes and peppers in containers...it worked out great, and VERY little weeding, but enough to teach them a little. We bought our plants already sprouted for a little instant gratification. Here's a site you could have a look at...

http://gardening.about.com/od/vegeta...inerVeggie.htm]

[Denahowy]

housefullofturkeys, Thanks, for the advice. I think I will try the container growing of vegetables. It sounds like a great idea. I will do that and also some beds of vegetables too, like people do flower beds. Thanks, for the help, as it will make it easy for them and us.

[Shelley Kunkel]

My children & I like to garden. Right now we are cleaning a spot in our yard & preparing it for a garden. We've had indoor gardens but I didn't remind them to water their plants. Then they over watered them, eventually all our plants died. ;(
We are going to give it another shot.

[ellenmelon]

One way to let kids dig in the dirt even though the ground is frozen is to pick up a bag of potting soil and a large rubbermaid bin. They can fill 4 inch pots in there and put little plants in, cuttings from a spider plant for the spring show at the elementary school, and then tend them under a single grow light.

[Coll]

Here it is only Feb and Maddie already wants to plant a tomato. I told her it was too cold and the tomato plant won't grow. I told her she has to wait until after her birthday then it might be warm enough to plant it.
I have found that if small kids have their size tools and gloves they are more interested in gardening.

[ellenmelon]

Coll, I got talking to someone at the store yesterday and they told me they grow those patio tomatoes in their basement and have fresh ones all winter! At least I think it was someone local and not on FC, anyways, if you can get the seed, maybe you can have tomatoes before the 4th of July! If we can grow trees and stuff in our living rooms, why not?? I know I'm sure going to give it try. I was so hungry for a BLT that I actually bought tomatoes at the grocery store. Very pricey! So it might be worth a try and I have a big pot available and a new bag of soil.

[sunny_mom]

What neat ideas! I love gardening and I always find some activity for my kids to keep them busy while I tend to my garden. so I will get some free time.
But it never crossed my mind to include them!
the cuke idea, the bean tepee ...

[ellenmelon]

I found that my kids liked those little hand tools better than the kids sized shovels etc. And those shrub rakes are a good size for little ones when it comes time for raking.