Getting Little Hands Dirty
Even after you've planned your garden, it can take some creativity to get children involved. When introducing small kids to planting, "have them start by touching the soil," says Myrie. Then grow things that appeal to young senses, such as supersoft lamb's ears, spiky radishes, and fragrant lemon balm. A sunflower fort (a great hiding place) is easy to make: Just sow the seeds in a square. When the flowers mature, their heads will hang down to provide a bright roof.
Another good way to get kids interested in the fundamentals of growing is building a worm box. "Soil is alive and composting," says Pinchot. "Worm gardens are a great way for kids to observe that." Punch small holes in the lid of a 25-gallon Tupperware bin, then line the bin with wet shredded newspaper and soil. Add worms (buy them at garden stores or bait shops), vegetable pieces, and leaves. Then sit back and let your kids watch the worms turn scraps into soil within a few weeks.
For a treat, take your family to a children's garden. Check the AHS website for nationwide listings; highlights include mazes, orchards, and ponds.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
"Patience is one of the most difficult things for children, yet it is the essence of gardening," says McKinley. "You need to keep it simple and quick." Consult a catalog from John Scheepers, Seeds of Change, or The Cook's Garden to learn which seeds can be planted outdoors and how long each plant takes to mature. Kids love colorful, direct-sow flowers like marigolds and zinnias. Morning glories, which sprout in five to seven days, can shoot up as much as three feet overnight; soak seeds for 24 hours, then plant them next to a fence or wall.
Nothing is more discouraging to the novice gardener than frostbitten stalks or seeds that don't germinate, so be sure to check your area's final frost date. Some vegetables, like carrots and lettuce, can be sown before the final frost; others—beans, tomatoes, radishes—must be planted after it. Pumpkins, which thrive in cooler weather, should be planted in the summer so they can ripen in the fall, in time to be carved into a jack-o'-lantern or baked into a Thanksgiving pie. Because for kids, the best reward is being able to enjoy the fruits—or vegetables—of their labor.
