Gardening For Children

Gardening and children just seem to go together. Dirt, water, nibbling and color is good for the soul. Bring the children out in all of us through gardening.

Once the snow melts and the temperature begins to get above freezing it is time to prepare the garden beds, plant the pots, start the seeds indoors, visit greenhouses and get ready for spring.

Children of all ages can assist in gardening from start to finish. Start seeds inside and watch them grow. Start tomatoes, sunflowers, peppers and herbs inside. Teach children about the plants themselves by visiting the local library.

Take children grocery shopping and pick out vegetables and fruit that children enjoy eating to plant in the family garden.

Once spring hits, buy the seeds at the local greenhouse or gardening centers. Let children pick out their favorite seeds. Seeds that grow quick are carrots and radishes and can be sown in containers and harvested without transplanting into the garden. Children enjoy tomatoes, pumpkins, sunflowers, peppers, snow peas, and cucumbers. Besides vegetables are flowers and fun plants such as gourds, pansies and sweet peas.

Children enjoy eating out of the garden so watch for those seeds with short life cycles.

Create meals with children. Make a theme garden. Try a pizza garden with oregano, basil, tomatoes, peppers, chives and marigolds.

Teaching gardening with children assists with childhood obesity and gets children outdoors as well as community involvement. Planting a large garden can then be sold at a local farmers market in the community. Teach children to be stewards of the land and create a greener planet.

Pamela Bussi lives in southern Montana, just north of Yellowstone National Park. Surrounded by five ski resorts, make winters wonderful. Along with winter, is summers that exploid with beauty. Hiking, biking and camping make summers an explosion of wonder. Photography is a hobby as well as internet marketing.

By Richard Allen -

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