Top tips for gardening with kids
The sun is shining, the leaves are growing and flowers are blooming. It’s time for some gardening! We've put together some gardening top tips for getting kids growing in the garden.
Glorious mud...
Getting your hands mucky can be lots of fun, feeling the texture of the soil, smelling the earth and catching a glimpse of lots of lovely creepy crawlies!
Use tools to help with tough roots and digging
Whilst we love getting our hands mucky, sometimes there are a few tough roots to tackle, or a big hole to dig and we need a little help from some garden tools. We have found a very handy tool kit for little ones, here.
Plant speedy sprouters
Little Green Growers want to see the results of their wonderful hard work in the garden, so it’s a good idea to include some seeds that sprout quickly such as herbs. We recommend planting basil, cress and salad seeds for quick shoots. Did you know, sunflowers also grow quickly in comparison to many flowers?
Guess how tall your sunflowers will grow
Another reason to love sunflowers is that the giant variety can grow really tall! Why not plant them with the whole family and see whose sunflower grows the highest?
Label your plants with ice lolly sticks
Once you’ve finished your ice lollies, give the stick a wash and reuse them to make plant labels! Write down the name of your plant so you know what is planted where, and stick it into the soil. Once your beautiful plants bloom, you’ll know exactly what they are!
Be inventive with your pots and planters
Why not get creative with your pots and planters this year? You can use large fruit peels and skins (remember when we used our old pumpkins as planters last year?) to sow seeds in. Not only is this idea a great way to be sustainable and eco-friendly, it’s also great for the plants and soil, as all of the wonderful nutrients go back into the soil to feed the plants. You could also reuse an old bottle buy cutting it open, turning upside down and making a DIY planter! Need a little help? Click here to find out how to make your upside down planter.
Find a good spot for your plants
Plants need sunshine, but some are a little shy of the cold wind, so have a look at the seeds you are sowing, and find the best spot for them to stay. Sometimes we need to shield them from harsh winds, and some require lots more time in the sunshine than others. Your packet should tell you what your plant needs but if not, there are plenty of resources online.
Reuse the rain!
Collect rainwater to use for watering - it’s better for the plants, better for the environment and better for the water bill!
Plant a range of different species
If your kids love colour, why not choose a have a range of plant species that will brighten up your garden with different blooming times through the spring and summer.
Do you have some more top tips for little ones in the garden? Please join in the fun and tell us in the comments!
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