Gardening with Kids

Tips and tricks to get kids excited about gardening!

to start gardening
When it comes to planting a vegetable garden, its best to know when your last average frost date is for your immediate area, so that you can plant your plants without worry of them being killed by frost (hopefully, anyway).

Plant
As a general guideline, you plant your cold season plants first and the warm season plants closer to when the nights arent quite as cool.
Cold season plants include your lettuces, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, cabbage, onions, etc. Broccoli Bush Beans Cabbage Cauliflower Corn Cucumbers Okra Peas Peppers Pumpkins Tomatoes Watermelon

Days from Seed to Harvest

55-60 57 63-74 60-75 58-90 50-68 52-56 54-72 65-75 100-110 60-79 70-85

Warm season plants include peppers, tomatoes, beans, etc.

If youre growing your plants from seed, youll know exactly how long until youre able to harvest.

before you begin

Where to plant your garden? -Sunny location (6-8 hours of sun/day!) with limited shade -Close to a water faucet or water source! -An area that is slightly elevated and has decent drainage! But what about the soil! Rich soil is essential to garden growth and productions. Consider adding aged manure, compost or fallen leaves to give nutrients to the soil!

Too many plants can be a bad thing! Start with a small crop and work your way up. Which plants to choose?! Consider the purpose of your garden are you hoping to feed the family off your yield? Or are you just in to get your hands a little dirty? This will help prioritize your selections

things first
Make a garden plan!
Draw a map of your garden, like a mini city! Depending on the age of students, measure the area and draw it to scale! Which plants need sunshine, which need shade? Which plants grow well together? (chives and carrots, marigolds and tomatoes) Do the plants need to be rotated? Great activity for a nature table and unique garden art!

Order your seeds!

Make a wish list and get shopping! Think about supporting local, independent and organic suppliers

Feed your soils.

Add in some added nutrients with feed, fertilizer or compost.

Begin germination! Some seeds can be started in March

students can see the entire growth cycle!

to plant?
Straight From the Vine! Cherry tomatoes Snap peas Herbs (chives, mint, etc)
Fastest Growing Veggies! Radishes Baby Carrots Lettuce

Low Maintenance Munchies! Potatoes Asparagus Green Beans

Journaling! draw pictures key words sensory diary observations animals in the garden inspired thoughts

Art Projects using gardening tools or recycled materials

warned! Have
Gardening takes TIME!
Plant Water Harvest plus daily attention Weed Water Plant Monitor

Gardening takes EFFORT!

Dedicate yourself to keeping your plants alive. Insects pose a threat to the health keep them away!

Little or no effort = dead plants!

Gardening costs MONEY!

Seeds, tools, soil, fertilizer, insecticides! All this can add up!