I really, really, really want to have a garden with my child this year. I imagine us going out back and picking beautiful veggies and eating strawberries straight from the …vine? Strawberries grow on vines…right?
Ok, ok…I have never had a garden before. I have no idea where I want to start. None.
My husband laughed when I said I’d be making a garden this year with my boys. Not a little chuckle laugh…a hardy, you’re crazy kind of laugh. And I can’t really blame him…I have killed every single plant I’ve ever tried to grow. Every. Single. One.
So, knowing that I don’t have the greenest thumb in the world, I’ve been searching for help on the internet. I’ve compiled a list of resources that I hope will help me on my journey to having “World’s Best Garden!” Ok, maybe not. I’ll just take an “Ok Garden that Grew A Few Things”.
I can’t be the only one who wants to grow a garden with their kids, but has no idea where to begin. So, I thought I’d share my research with you. Ready? Here We Go.
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The Basics:
I started off by purchasing a book called Gardening Projects for Kids
. This thing is packed full of great ideas for what to grow with kids as well as some fun activities to do for your garden, with your kids. I’m loving it!
This post really helped me with WHEN to start planting…because I have no idea. I figured in a few months…well I was WRONG! Looks like I need to head to the store soon!
Another post from that site gave me some great beginner gardening tips. Because I’m a total beginner and I need all the tips I can get!
I’ll be planting a container garden…why dig up my backyard when I don’t know if I’ll be a good gardener? So…again for the same site…she shares some best plants for a container garden. Who knew some foods didn’t grow well in containers? I didn’t!
Nurturestore has a ton of information about gardening with kids, but I really like this post about how to start your garden. You should check out the planters she made out of old rain boots! I’m totally doing this…good excuse for new boots too.
What to Plant:
This is the piece that I’m totally clueless about…wait no…I’m pretty clueless about all of it. But this was the part I was the most interested in.
The Educator’s Spin on it has a list of great veggies to grow with kids…Including some for the beginner gardener.
I found an entire blog called Kids in The Garden and they have a post all about vegetables to grow with kids and another post about growing fruit with kids. Score!
Make it Fun For Kids.
I want my garden to be fun for my son, so I’m looking into ways to make it more engaging for him.
Inspiration Laboratories has a post about how to use recycled containers as planters. Some of these are downright brilliant…time to start saving all those recyclables again.
Want to make fun creatures out of plants? Happy Whimsical Hearts made Sprout Heads!
And I love these plant markers from Dilly-Dally Art.
I even found this plant journal from Lemon Lime Adventures so that kids can write about their garden. How fun is that?
Other Posts All About the Garden
I found some really great posts that have lots of info about gardening with kids. They are worth a quick read!
At Home With Ali has a three part series all about gardens and kids. I loved it and got some really great ideas from her.
The Educator’s Spin on It shared the Good, Bad, and the Ugly of gardening….now there shouldn’t be any surprises…right?
Need a whole list of Gardening with Kids Tips? Kids Activities Blog has some great ones.
And finally…a little Wikki How article on how to keep your plants from dying. This is a must have article in my book. Planting the seeds is the easy part. Keeping them from dying is where I really need help.
Ok, with all that, I can’t fail…right? Well, we are heading to the store this weekend to pick up our seeds and plants. I’ll make sure to keep you posted on how our garden is growing. Fingers crossed I don’t kill too many of our plants.
Other Great Gardening with Kids Books
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Amanda
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I absolutely love this!!! I am just like you, I kill everything! But, I am very interested in starting a garden with my daughter. Thank you! Good luck to us both. ?
a strawberry does grow on a vine and my mom says all vines grow like this: the first year it sleeps, the next year it creeps and the third year it leaps!! for strawberries that pretty much means u wont have berries right at first~
Oh that’s good to know! Thank you so much. I would have been so disappointed if I didn’t get strawberries this year. Now I know to just wait a bit.
We are going to plant a dirt garden alongside our aeroponic Tower Garden to compare growth. My bet is on the Tower Garden since it grows weeks faster than traditional garden and easy for those (like me) without a green thumb and not a fan of dirt or weeding!
These tips are great!! As are the links. Research shows that kids involved in garden choose to eat what they grow!
http://www.kpiccola.towergarden.com
We started our garden last year and it wasn’t the best, but the harvest was quite enough. Our daughter (she’s four) took part at preparing the seed starters this year and was very excited and curious. It’s summer already, and she’s still excited and there’s not a day passed without her observing each plant in the garden, or picking up a vegetable. When we started the garden we were not sure how it’s going to be, but now as I see how important is the garden for Ruby, I know we’ve made the right choice. Having a garden is really good for the children. Greets!
Great tips for encouraging kids to garden, which leads them to growing up and loving their fresh veggies and probably sharing the skills they learned with their friends and eventually their own kids.
Great post, the kids really seem to love it.
Thank you for the great tips. I think that here is the simple steps to get a great garden with kids. I encorrage kids do the gardening to develop the whole skills
Nice read =) Kids should be allowed to spend more time in the garden and playing with dirt. It only makes them happier but it also enhances their cognitive skills and learning. Hope your kids will enjoy it =)
I’m also in the same situation like you when i say to my husband that we “me and my pretty girl” will grow our garden ,, he also laughed and tell me this job not for girls and ladies . but i insist that i will grow my garden only with my girl , days passed and now my garden became green !! you have to come to see how its beautiful
Rock on! Mine is pretty and green too ? Show your man you can DO IT!!!
I bought the same book as you did when starting out gardening projects for the kids.
It was a great help. The author, Jenny Hendy has a ton of other books worth checking out.
Oh thanks Gary! I’ll look into those.
My kids love gardening with me as well. In fact, this is what drove me initially to get into gardening.
Sure, you can save some money and eat healthier, but gardening is much more than that. For me, it has helped me get more in touch with my family and have some wonderful moments together!
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Awesome Amanda. I also want my daughter to have fun with gardening.
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Indeed, It’s all about having fun when involving kids.
My kids loves gardening now, my wife somehow got them to love it a whole lot.
It’s so much fun to be able to spend time together in the garden, the whole family together.
Thanks for a great post aswell!
Hi Amanda. Awesome Post. I personally love gardening with my kids as well. I find it extremely stress revealing and a great hobby. Thanks for Sharing!
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Hey Amanda,
Great post and some cute ideas for kids and gardening.
I have been having alot of fun using old jars to make plant pots which we decorate with crystals and paint.
The kids love it!
Great blog by the way and keep up the good work.
Thanks,
Selina
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Thanks Amanda for interesting post.
My kids love gardening as well. They have fun when gardening.
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My kids hated helping me out in the garden. And one day my husband said I should let them plant stuff they love! Then it dawned on me that these kids eat pickles like crazy and what’s more healthier than eating your own home-grown pickles? I also brought some of those veggie molds – heart & star shapes. Needless to say this idea worked. Great article!
Great idea! Gardening with kids can be both delightful and a wonderful way of educating children early in life about nature’s beauties. So I always try to spend my free time on starting out gardening projects for our kids.
This is a fun and inspiring guide for beginners to gardening! Planting flowers was a pastime when I was a child, and I especially like the idea of a plant journal. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderfully. I always try to spend my free time on starting out gardening projects for our child. Thank you so much.