When spring arrives, it’s time to start the garden. Some homeowners start their seeds early, in trays indoors. Others wait until the last frost has passed to plant seeds in the ground. Encourage your children to help you with the garden. They’ll enjoy the fresh air and can learn about seeds, plants, and harvesting. Here are a few ideas for gardening with kids.
Gardening With Kids: Planting Seeds
For younger kids that require more guidance, have them assist with planting seeds from a packet. You can make the depression in the soil with a trowel or your fingertips. Then guide your child to place the seeds into the dirt, one at a time. Cover the seeds with more dirt, and let your kids sprinkle water over the area with a slow-flowing garden hose or a watering can.
Planting Seedlings While Gardening With Kids
Depending on the age of your children, they may be able to help you plant seedlings such as tomatoes, cucumbers, or zucchini starts.
Show them how to dig a hole in the soil big enough for the root ball and let them place the seedling in the dirt and bury the roots. Gently pack the soil down so the roots are supported, and finish by watering the soil around the plant thoroughly.
Once the kids get the hang of it, let them try planting on their own with supervision. By teaching kids how to garden, you’ll get the area planted faster because there are more hands to help.
Keeping the Garden Free of Weeds
For plants to grow well, it’s important to keep the surrounding area free of weeds. The garden plants will have less competition for space and nutrients.
Teach your kids how to pull weeds around the garden plants. It is an excellent opportunity to educate them about what plants are intended to grow and which should be pulled out. Help your children learn to identify the plants growing in your garden. Show them the leaves, stems, and flowers to differentiate between plants. The kids will soon be able to identify weeds and remove them.
Teach them to grasp a weed close to the ground and pull firmly. Removing the entire root will keep the plant from re-growing. Have a bucket nearby to collect the garden weeds for composting.
Spending quality time gardening with kids is beneficial for them to learn about plants’ needs, nature, and where their food comes from. It is a healthy activity for adults and kids of all ages.
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