Introduction
Looking for a family project that will keep them working and entertained this summer? Planting a family garden is one great venture to be involved in during summer. It is one of the quickest ideas through which one can get creative as a family, spend time in the sun, and learn something new together. It teaches children responsibility, patience, and how to grow tasty vegetables right in their backyard. Whether you live in the bustling city or in a peaceful village of India, you will have a blooming family garden in no time, enjoyed by everyone. Ready to get started? Follow these six easy steps to begin your gardening adventure with your kids.
How to Start a Family Garden with Your Kids
Choosing Your Plants
When it comes to creating a family garden, the very first question that people need to ask themselves is what they are going to plant. Ask your children what fruits and vegetables they would want to grow. Do they like to snack on cucumbers? Are strawberries their favorite fruit? Maybe they will even be excited about trying something new, such as bell peppers or tomatoes. If they are not convinced, then you can show them pictures of different options and let them decide what excites them the most. Some summer plants which are easy to grow, flourishing well in the Indian climate include tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, summer squash—most of these plants are very versatile and are perfect for beginners to grow either in raised beds or containers.
Make Space
You don't have to own a huge backyard to start off with a family garden. It only takes a small patch of land, a raised bed, or galvanized containers to know the joys. Go for a sun-drenched area in your balcony or fashion an herb garden directly on the kitchen windowsill. Be sure your raised bed or container is at least 12 inches deep so that roots grow properly. You can build your own raised bed or get one from a local garden shop. The key is to have a dedicated space for your plants to thrive and, likewise, one in which your children can easily move around to practice these daily routines.
Choose Your Method
You can either start your garden with seed or just buy young plants that have already sprouted. Starting from seeds can be very rewarding for children, as they get to see the full exchange from seed to maturity. However, buying young plants can provide your garden with quite a jumpstart. Whatever your decision is, you will definitely require a lot of soil for your garden beds. Choose a good potting mix so that your plants fulfill all the conditions for them to grow properly.
Time To Plant!
Now that the plants and the soil are all ready, start planting. Ready raised beds or your containers with some soil in them. If using seeds, let your children put the seeds inside and set proper distance to grow, following the distance indicated in the spacing instructions on the seed packets. With pre-sprouted plants, have your children make a hole in the soil for each of the plants, making sure there is enough room for the roots to extend. Place the seedling into the soil, filling up gaps with more soil, and gently tamping down. Quick Tip: Many plants love being planted with specific companion plants. A quick web search will help you pick plant pairings for your garden.
Care for Your Plants
Get the kids involved in taking care of their plants. That's one of the most important parts of a successful garden. Now, show them how to water the plants properly. It's always a good idea to water your plants when the top inch of soil has dried out. Your child can stick his/her finger in the soil, and if it's dry and doesn't stick to her finger, then it's time to water. The child can utilize the watering can or hose; however, the water ought to go down to the roots. After that, explain to them that plants want more water on very hot sunny days. Also, enlighten them as to why weeding and protecting the plants from pests are necessary. In this manner, through constant care, there will be healthy and healthy plants.
Enjoy It!
Keeping your kids involved in the process of gardening itself is what makes it entertaining and full of knowledge. Get them to record how many days it has taken for each plant to shoot up and grow. Have them check the soil every day and water the plants if needed. Encourage them to notice which plants they are looking most forward to seeing and those that please their eyes. You will be surprised at how enthusiastically they may react to such an activity. Planting a family garden is work with fun, but more than that, it brings about sustainability and reduces the cost of groceries.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
