If you’re like most parents, you want your child to have a successful and fulfilling life. One great way to help them achieve this is to encourage them to get into gardening. Gardening is a great way for kids to learn about nature, stay active, and develop a green thumb. In just five simple steps, you can turn your child into a green thumb gardener! Let’s take a look at those steps now.
The amazing benefits of teaching kids to garden
One of the most important things that children can learn from gardening is responsibility. When children are responsible for taking care of a plant, they learn to appreciate the effort that goes into keeping something alive. They also learn that they need to be consistent in their caretaking in order to see results. Tutors from Arrendell Secondary Education Centre note that this is a valuable lesson that will serve them well in all areas of their lives.
Another great benefit of gardening is that it helps children develop a green thumb. Once they’ve had some success with growing plants, they’ll be more likely to want to try their hand at other gardening projects. This can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment from gardening and even help them become more environmentally conscious adults.
Finally, gardening provides an opportunity for quality family time. Spending time together outdoors working on a common goal is a great way to bond as a family. It’s also a chance for parents to teach their children about nature and where their food comes from. Gardening is an activity that the whole family can enjoy and benefit for years to come.
Five simple steps in teaching your kids to garden
Here are 5 steps to turn your child into a green thumb gardener.
1. Start with a small garden plot – children will be more likely to stick with it if the space is manageable
You don’t need a lot of space to start teaching your child about gardening. In fact, a small garden plot is better. They’ll be more likely to stick with it if the space is manageable.
First, let them choose what they want to grow. Whether it’s flowers, vegetables, or herbs, let them have a say in what goes into the ground. This way they’ll be more invested in the outcome.
Second, get them involved in every step. From planting the seeds to watering and weeding, let them do as much as they’re able. It’s a great way for them to learn about responsibility and the process of growing things.
Finally, make it fun! Add some games or activities into the mix so they’re not just standing around looking bored. For example, see who can collect the most worms while you’re turning over the soil. Or have a race to see who can water their plants the fastest.
2. Choose plants that are easy to grow and care for – tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, etc.
There are two main reasons why we recommend choosing easy-to-grow plants when teaching kids to garden.
First, it’s more likely that your kids will be successful in growing these types of plants, which will help them feel good about themselves and the experience overall. Second, easy-to-grow plants require less work on your part, which means you can spend more time enjoying the experience with your kids instead of worrying about whether or not everything is going according to plan.
There’s nothing quite like a sun-ripened tomato fresh off the vine. And while tomatoes can be finicky, they’re actually one of the easier plants to grow, especially if you start with a determinate variety.
Lettuce is another great option for kids. It’s fast-growing, which means they won’t have to wait too long to see results, and it’s relatively low-maintenance. Just make sure you plant it in an area that gets some shade during the hottest part of the day; too much sun will cause it to bolt (go to seed).
Peppers are a bit more challenging than tomatoes and lettuce, but they’re still a good option for kids. We suggest starting with bell peppers because they’re relatively easy to grow and don’t require as much attention as other varieties (like hot peppers). Just make sure you give them plenty of sunshine and water.
3. Teach your child how to water the plants and when they need to be fertilized
Over-watering is just as harmful as under-watering, so it’s important that your child knows how much water the plants need and when they need it. Suppliers of garden soils from Hives Demolition and Excavation recommend watering deeply once a week, rather than lightly every day.
Also, don’t forget about fertilizer. Plants need nutrients to grow, so be sure to add some fertilizer to the soil before you plant anything. There are many different types of fertilizer available, so ask your local nursery or garden center for advice on what would be best for your particular plants.
Lastly, make it a regular activity. The key to successful gardening is consistency. If you can make watering and fertilizing the plants part of your child’s daily routine, they’ll be more likely to stick with it and see results.
4. Help them harvest their vegetables and fruits when they’re ripe – this will give them a sense of accomplishment
One of the most important things you can do when gardening with kids is to make sure that they understand the concept of ripeness. Explain to them that fruits and vegetables need to be harvested when they’re ripe, or else they won’t taste as good. You can even have them help you pick out ripe produce from the grocery store so that they can see what to look for.
Once they know what ripeness looks like, let them loose in the garden to harvest their own crops! This is where a little bit of trial and error comes in, as not all fruits and vegetables ripen at the same time.
But that’s okay – part of the fun is figuring out when each type of fruit or vegetable is ready to be picked. And if something isn’t quite ripe yet, that’s fine too – just tell them to leave it on the vine for a little while longer.
5. Let them experiment with different gardening techniques and see what works best for them
One of the best things about gardening is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. So, let your kids experiment with different techniques and see what works best for them.
They might want to try planting seeds in different ways or using different kinds of fertilizer. Just make sure they’re doing it in a safe area where they won’t accidentally damage any of your other plants. For example, they might want to try using synthetic turf instead of real grass seed.
Synthetic turf is durable and easy to care for, so it’s a great option for kids who are still learning the basics of gardening. By letting them experiment, you’ll help them find the gardening technique that works best for them.
Closing Thoughts
With these five simple steps, you’ll have your child on the path to becoming a green thumb gardener in no time. Just remember to be patient, and let them take the lead – after all, it’s their garden! And if you need any help or guidance along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always happy to help budding gardeners of all ages get started on their gardening journey.
