Build A Garden Of Memories With Your Kids
by Dominic Weidman
http://www.iamgardening.com
This is not your typical how-to article. I'm not going to
share with you a step-by-step tutorial on which plants work
best for kids, or how to line up the rows so little feet
don't trample the plants. There are hundreds of other places
that you can find those tips.
This article will not help you build a perfect garden. It
will, I hope, make you stop and think, take a few moments to
reflect, and then... take the nearest child by the hand and
lead them into the garden with you to share a love of nature
that will live with them forever.
You can introduce your children to gardening from the time
that they're infants. When you go out to weed or water, take
the baby with you. A playpen or bassinet in a bit of shade
is a great place for a baby or toddler to be part of things
without being in the way.
Long before the ground is ready to turn, bring out the
planting trays. On a sunny afternoon with hints of spring in
the air, open a window to let the breeze in. Set aside one
special tray just for each child, and let them plant
whatever they want in it. Never mind that the peach pit will
never sprout. Pretend you don't know the apple seeds are
destined to be trampled. Give matter-of-fact advice about
burying the seed too deep, and fill a glass with just the
right amount of water to feed without drowning.
Be ready with a selection of easy-to-grow seeds for them,
but don't be surprised if the seeds from last night's
watermelon or the peach pit left over from lunch hold more
interest. Let them plant whatever they want, even as you
encourage a little more practicality with seeds that
germinate quickly, like marigolds, peppers and beans.
Rise early each morning and go right out into the garden so
they learn early where to find you. Be sure you ooh and ahh
over the first tiny seedling that sprouts in their patch,
and show them how to mark it. You don't have to tell them
yet that it's a weed. Children don't know from weeds. To
them, a dandelion is a miracle of intricacy - and isn't it?
The funny thing about gardening with kids - you'll learn as
much from them as they will from you.
Sunflowers are another great kid favorite. They sprout
quickly, and grow so fast that they'll tower over your
munchkins by midsummer. Kids love to track and measure, and
sunflowers give them a good reason to do it. A sunflower can
grow as much as 4 or 5 inches literally overnight.
On a sunny, sticky summer afternoon, pick the ripest, most
beautiful tomato you can find. Take it and sit on the bottom
step of the porch and as they gather round (because they
will, trust me on this), slice off bite size chunks with a
pocketknife and share the bounty.
All summer and into the fall, take them with you when you
harvest and pick. At first, just tell them what you're doing
- why this bean, why not that rose just yet. After a while,
let them point out the ones to pick, and then, still later,
just give them a nod and let them twist the tomato off the
stem. Be sure you tell everyone at the dinner table who
picked the salad tonight.
As summer draws to an end, sit out in the late afternoon sun
with the culls and picks from your garden. Let them get
their little fingers into the act, picking the seeds for
next year's garden. Show them how to gently stir and turn
the trays of seeds you're drying. Those same little fingers
can hold a knot when you tie up the brown paper packages
with twine. Tuck them away in your gardening closet, ready
to bring out on a cold winter day when there's just a hint
of spring's promise in the sun.
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