Starting a garden is a fun way to teach your kids about healthy fruits and vegetables and get some exercise as you work on a project together.
You don’t have to be horticultural expert to grow a simple garden this year, just use these tips from Kids.gov and you and your kids can be growing your own food in no time.
Find a good site for your garden: You want an area that gets plenty of sunlight, at least six hours each day. You’ll also want to make sure your garden is in an area that is protected from animals. You may need to put up a small wire fence to keep hungry rabbits, deer, or other animals away from your growing plants. If you’re tight on space, you can grow some plants in boxes on a windowsill.
Pick which plants to grow: Some fruits and vegetables grow better in some parts of the country than others. When you’re shopping for seeds and plants, ask an employee for advice on what grows well in your area. You can also get tips from a Master Gardener, someone who has been trained by the USDA and volunteers their time to help people grow gardens.
Be careful when weeding: You don’t want weeds to absorb all the nutrients in the soil or choke your crops, but you want to make sure you don’t harm any of your crop when pulling up weeds. Weed carefully to preserve your plants.
Get help from your cooperative extension office: Cooperative extension offices are located throughout the country to help answer your questions about gardening and more. Find the office near you to get answers to specific questions.
If you really enjoy the time you spend in the garden with your child, you might want to look into the Junior Master Gardener program. The program offers a full community learning experience through gardening.
Whether you and your child only grow a few herbs this year or if you have an entire gardening bursting with fresh produce, you can have a fun time playing in the garden and enjoy the taste of home-grown food.