Organic Gardening – A Speech For Teachers
Organic gardening has increasingly become an important part of the curriculum in schools around the world. Teachers at every grade level find themselves teaching it to students, and sometimes being called on to give a speech to a group of parents. As a career educator and principal, I know the difficulty of opening up time for speech preparation, and offer this organic gardening speech for your use. Feel free to edit it to fit your needs.
Organic Gardening Speech
How selfish are you? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, how selfish would you rate yourself? If you are the least bit selfish, you might be interested in organic gardening.
An organic gardening speech might seem more appropriate coming from a Home Economics teacher, but I am just selfish enough that I love organic gardening. I want to share that love with you and with your children.
Imagine
I want you to come with me, in imagination, to a time and place before the Industrial Revolution. The year is 1707. It is late summer. We find ourselves walking the streets of a small town. Houses are spaced well apart for privacy. Land stretches out behind each house. As we look, we notice that much of that land is taken up by gardens. Here and there, we see both adults and children actively engaged in gardening. The plants are beautiful.
You call to one of the adults and ask what they use to make the garden so lush. A broad smile breaks, and through the smile come the words, “Feed the soil, and the soil will feed the plants.”
You shake your head. Poor people. Too bad they don’t know about that miracle combination of chemicals you saw advertised on TV last week. That’s the easy way to grow spectacular plants!
Dinner
The organic gardener invites us to join them for the evening meal, and we accept. At dinner, we join in the prayer of thanks, and then watch in amazement as the children, one after another, begin eating fresh vegetables.
You yourself are not that fond of vegetables, but you politely take a small serving of each. You bite into a leaf of steamed cabbage, and your eyes open wide in amazement. It is sweet – twice as sweet as the cabbage you buy at your local market! You watch a small child fill his mouth with dark green kale, and shudder. There’s a small spoonful of the nasty vegetable on your own plate, and you pick at it, putting a single small leaf in your mouth. Amazing! It, too, is twice as sweet as any kale you ever ate. The same seems true of every vegetable on the table. You decide that if your supermarket vegetables were this good, you would eat a lot more of them.
Our imaginary trip ends at that dinner table, and we return to the present.
Organic Gardening’s Benefits
Organic gardening has many benefits. If you are completely selfish, you will want those benefits for yourself. If you are unselfish, you will want those benefits for your family. Let me give you just three of organic gardening’s benefits.
1. Taste: Organic gardening has been proven to produce tastier fruits and vegetables. A Hong Kong study measured Brix levels, the percentage of sugar in plant juices, using produce from organic gardening and from non-organic gardening. The results showed that organic gardening produced produce that was 2 to 4 times as sweet as that produced by non-organic gardening. Sweeter fruits and vegetables are tastier, and easier to eat, whether you are a young person or an adult. Organic gardening helps us eat better by providing tastier fruits and vegetables.
2. Nutrition: Organic gardening has also been found to provide nutritionally superior produce. Virginia Worthington, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, compared the composition of vegetables grown simultaneously under different farming conditions. Her work included 41 studies with 1,240 comparisons of 35 vitamins and minerals. Worthington found that organic gardening produced vegetables and fruits that were higher in most minerals and vitamins than those from non-organic gardening. Not only that, organic gardening produce was lower in potentially harmful nitrates, which result from nitrogen fertilizers. Dr. Worthington concluded that produce from organic gardening is nutritionally superior. You and your family will enjoy better health with fruits and vegetables from organic gardening. (Effect of Agricultural Methods on Nutritional Quality: A Comparison of Organic with Conventional Crops, Virginia Worthington MS, ScD, CNS, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 1998, Alternative Therapies, Volume 4, 1998, pages 58-69)
3. Exercise: Finally, organic gardening offers you and your children regular daily exercise in the outdoors. Organic gardening helps you build muscles, especially important core muscles. Organic gardening gets you into the sunlight where you can absorb essential vitamin D. Organic gardening is a great stress management tool. Organic gardening gives you an outlet for creativity. It provides satisfaction as you see your work produce useful fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
We could talk about the aesthetic pleasures of organic gardening – how beautiful that garden might become. We could talk about how you can save money with organic gardening – growing your produce instead of purchasing.
Finally, we could talk about how important it is for our children to learn about organic gardening, to embrace it as the way to better health, and to practice it with school, home, and community gardens.
An organic gardening speech could go on for hours, but I’m going to stop here, hoping that I have whetted your appetite enough that you will seek out more information on organic gardening.
Helpful Tip for Speech-givers
A few large bowls of beautiful organic produce can be set on the platform or around the room to help visual learners picture organic gardening.
Organic Gardening Gifts Online
Organic gardening gifts online are plentiful and, with a bit of imagination, can be found in highly unlikely places. You can, of course, give organically grown flowers – a bunch of roses or a wildflower bouquet. You can give an organic live plant, nicely displayed in a natural basket. You might even give a gift of organic tea.
Organic gardening gifts online don’t stop there, though. As the popularity of organic gardening grows, the number of gifts for the gardener also grows.
Organic Gardening Tools
Organic gardening calls for tools that chemical gardening does not. Anyone doing organic gardening will enjoy receiving unique tools. For example:
1. Compost Container: Small-scale organic gardening does not require a large compost pile. A compost container, made from recycled plastic, can recycle kitchen waste into organic compost without a compost pit or pile.
2. Worm Factory: This organic gardening gift is another efficient way to compost. Just put worms, their bedding, and some scraps of food in the worm factory’s bottom bin. Stack other bins on top, with more food scraps in each. As the worms finish their meal on the first floor, they move upward to get more food. Their castings in the bottom tray, an excellent organic fertilizer, can be harvested. A handy spigot on the bottom tray drains off compost tea.
3. Compost Crank: If your gardener does use a compost pile or pit, a compost crank makes a good organic gardening gift. He or she will simply have to crank the corkscrew tip into the pile and pull out to aerate the pile.
Earth-Friendly Organic Gardening Tools
Organic gardening gifts online also include some regular tools that are earth-friendly. Think of mowing the lawn with a push mower to reduce pollution. While pushing, wear lawn aerator shoes to keep the lawn aerated so that nutrition and water get down where the roots can use them. Someone who is “into” organic gardening will also appreciate a tree and shrub root irrigator kit. It saves water while being sure organic fruit trees and shrubs receive deep watering.
Ergonomic Organic Gardening Tools
Organic gardening requires more work than chemical gardening. Ergonomic tools will be appreciated by an organic gardener. Sets of ergonomic tools with a convenient canvas bag can be found at many online gardening supply stores.
We found a unique organic gardening gift online – an ergonomic gardening tool called a detachable ergonomic gardening tool set. One handle can be used with every tool in the set.
A wearable gardening stool lets your organic gardening friend rest feet and back while gardening. Even with hands full, the stool is always available.
Organic Gardening Seeds or Seedlings
Organic gardening gifts online include organic seeds or seedlings, too. A home window garden kit set we saw would be a great gift for an organic gardener. Each set has four window garden cans, with everything you need to grow organic seedlings on a window sill. You add water and sunlight, and transplant the plants when they are big enough.
Any organic seeds or seedlings would be a good organic gardening gift. Herbs are always nice – fragrant and useful.
Organic Gardening Books
A book or two on organic gardening is a good idea, especially for the beginner. Find a beautiful and informative book, and your organic gardener will spend happy hours reading.
Organic Vegetables Mail Order
An ongoing gift of organic vegetables by mail order is also good. Find one of the online organic sites that ship via next day in the U.S.
Just for Love
One organic gardening gift we found online would be fun to give, especially to someone you love. The “Amazing Message Plant” comes in its own planter, ready to grow. The recipient pops the lid, waters the plant, and places it in a sunny location. As it grows, the plant reveals the message “I love you” on its leaves.
Can’t Decide What to Buy
It can be hard to choose just the right organic gardening gift. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. If you can’t decide what to buy, check online gardening supply retailers for gift certificates. You can often get them in denominations of $25 or $50. Order one or more, and place them in a nice organic gardener’s greeting card.
How to Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a “Naturescape”
Water-wise “naturescapes” offer savings
When it comes to watering your lawn and paying water bills, sound gardening practices can cut down homeowner investments of effort, time and money, reports the American Association of Nurserymen. And, you don’t have to turn your lovely colorful landscape into a rock garden featuring a sprinkling of cactus plants.
This popular approach to water management and water-conserving landscape design has been commonly known as Xeriscaping, and because the term comes from the Greek for “dry” many people assume it describes desert landscapes. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In contrast, the approach focuses on working with nature’s guidelines to create a lush looking landscape. As a matter of fact, “naturescaping” can be another way to describe this water-wise landscape design and management.
Turning your yard and garden into a “naturescape” requires some common sense and planning. That entails choosing the best plants, soils, locations, and irrigation systems for efficient water use. Some of those water-wise plant materials include vibrantly colored perennials and lush varieties of shrubs.
The keys to “naturescaping” involve how, when, and what you water in taking care of your property. Low-volume irrigation systems such as drip-watering devices reduce water use by 50 percent. Early-morning watering cuts down on evaporation.
Water-wise “naturescapes” offer savings. Grouping plants by water requirements is a smart way to guard against overwatering some plants and underwatering others. Save water by replacing leaky parts of irrigation devices and positioning sprinklers to shower areas of vegetation, as opposed to the driveway, garage, or deck.
A constant among guidelines for being water-wise is maintaining the health of your plants. Strong plants don’t need as much water as weak ones do. We have many reports from gardeners that Spray-N-Grow helps their plants withstand drought much better than those not sprayed with Spray-N-Grow. That’s because Spray-N-Grow helps plants develop a better root structure-more roots that are larger and longer. Plants that have a better root structure are more able to “find” any available moisture.
Be sure to add the needed soil amendments and mulch around plants to keep the roots moist. When adding to your landscape, don’t forget to include drought-resistant plants and grasses to those you already have.
Before you begin planning your new “naturescape” or planning how to convert your current landscape into a more water-efficient one, be sure to check with the experts at your retail nursery/garden center. They can offer the most valuable assistance for getting the best results.
I am a gardener who enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. I believe in using organic methods and products when gardening.
Turn your lawn or garden into an outdoor room
Add an outdoor room to your living space
Have you ever noticed how most people who see a beautiful garden want to stop, breathe in the fragrance, admire the vivid colors and linger a while? You can make the beauty of nature a year-round part of your life by turning a section of your lawn or garden into an “outdoor room.”
By following the four tips listed below from the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN), you can transform your lawn from an unused space into a place to gather with family and friends.
TIP #1
Create an outdoor “room” by framing an area of your lawn with bushes, trees, flowers or shrubs. Build in privacy by planting larger bushes around the perimeter of your outdoor room. Add color with annuals and bulbs.
TIP #2
Think about how you will use your outdoor room and plan accordingly. If you want to provide a place for your children to play and your pets to frolic, choose more rugged plants and place your flowerbeds away from tempting play locations.
TIP# 3
Add charm to your outdoor room by including whimsical garden accessories, such as birdbaths, ceramic and terracotta garden animals or colorful pots for container plants.
TIP# 4
Use a deck or patio, a garden bench or a gazebo to make your outdoor room a place of easy comfort, and create shade with trees or a trellis covered with vines. Invite a friend over, pour some lemonade, sit back and relax.
I am a gardener who enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. I believe in using organic methods and products when gardening.
How to Plant a Cutting Garden
Grow a cutting garden and enjoy flowers indoors and out
If you feel guilty when you cut flowers in your garden, worrying that you’re destroying nature or leaving gaps in your flowerbeds, it may be time for you to plant a cutting garden, says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). A cutting garden is designed to provide flowers for indoor arrangements, and it will give you a new perspective on removing flowers from your garden.
Choosing the Right Flowers and Plants
As with any garden, the first step in planning your cutting garden is to select plants that grow well in your part of the country. Ask the experts at your local garden center for their suggestions, and keep in mind your soil conditions, the amount of sun or shade your garden receives and how much it rains.
Selecting a Color Scheme
After you’ve decided which plants will thrive at your site, choose a color scheme, whether bright and vivid primary colors, soft and muted pastel shades or dusty earth tones. Since the purpose of a cutting garden is to grow flowers to use indoors, think about how flowers of certain colors will look when you place them in main rooms of your house.
Finally, plant flowers and plants in such a way that no one will notice that you frequently forage for new material for your indoor bouquets. One way to achieve a continuously balanced look in your cutting garden is to group your plantings by color, so that when you clip several blue flowers one day and several yellow flowers another, the overall appearance of the garden is still one of continuity and growth.
You can also fill in around your flowers with shrubs and larger, bushy plants that can easily spare a few leaves or berries, as well as plant a mix of perennials, annuals and bulbs so your garden will bloom all year ’round.
I am a gardener who enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. I believe in using organic methods and products when gardening.
How to Start a Garden
Planting a garden can be easier and more enjoyable with these gardening tips
Planting a garden, whether it is a vegetable plot or a flower bed, is an adventure where your creativity and patience are put to the test! You are directly responsible for the beautiful rose blooms or the delicious tomatoes that develop in this section of the land. Therefore to have the most success you need to determine where you plant!
The location of the garden should be determined by several factors: sunlight, soil conditions, water and wind exposure. Take notes on when this area of the yard is exposed to sunshine. This can determine which plants will thrive there. Test your soil to see if conditioners are needed to bring it up to optimum growing conditions. Pay attention to whether water collects in this section of the lawn. Some plants do well in soggy locations, but most need well-drained soil. Strong winds can dry out soil and plants, so try to locate the plot out of direct winds. Once you have determined where you will create your garden masterpiece you are ready to select plants!
Choose plants that will grow in your zone. Although you might have your heart set on a certain flower or vegetable, if your climate or garden location won’t support this choice, you will inevitably be disappointed. To avoid this, choose plants that are meant for your growing zone (ideally native plants), and disease-resistant and drought tolerant plants. Ask the employee at the nursery for assistance in selecting these. Be aware of the future size of each plant. A tree planted near a house will eventually provide shade, but it could also be a hazard during storms.
Plan out what flowering plants you would like for the seasons. Most perennials only bloom for a short time, so by mixing in some annuals there will be constant color in your garden. By having seasonal color you can change the look of your garden and create excitement and personality!
Now that you have your garden location selected and your plants purchased, you are ready to start digging! What tools are required to get things started? These include:
Rake: for seasonal cleanups and spreading/leveling soil
Trowel: for transplanting and weeding
Shovel: for digging, scooping, spreading compost and planting
Hoe: for chopping weeds and tilling soils
Pruners: for clipping flowers and pruning trees
Garden Gloves: for protecting your hands from blisters and dirt
Garden Hose: invest in a top-of-the-line hose that will resist kinking, is flexible and coils easily. Invest in high quality tools. They will last longer and are more durable than their cheaper counterparts.
Have fun starting a garden. Don’t try to create a masterpiece your first year-build up to it. Select a few choice plants that are more expensive. The rest can be less expensive, smaller complementary plants to round out your garden. Gardening is our nation’s number one leisure activity so go out and have a good time in your own piece of earth!
I am a gardener who enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. I believe in using organic methods and products when gardening.
How to rid your garden of bugs
Did you know it is estimated that there are over 100,000 different species of insects that live in North America? If you don’t think you have bugs in your garden – guess again. In a typical backyard there are probably 1,000 little critters setting up house.
Remember, not all insects are bad. Less than three percent of all insects are classified as pests. Different plants attract different insects. You will not find a corn worm on a tomato plant, because it’s digestive system simply cannot handle it.
It is helpful to know the insects that live in your area. This will enable you to avoid insect infestation by planting plants that these insects do not eat. This is the safest, most environmentally friendly way to de-bug your garden.
Unfortunately, this will probably not be enough to keep all destructive insects out of your garden. For many gardeners, it is necessary to use insecticides. When using insecticides, you will have maximum results if you know what kind of insects you have. Always read the label on the insecticide and follow all directions. Make sure that it is labeled for use on your plants and insects. Whenever possible, use organic insecticides that are nontoxic. This will allow you to effectively rid your garden of harmful insects, while minimizing harm to the environment.
Here are some indicators that you need to de-bug your garden:
Do your leaves have holes in them?
This is an indication of a chewing insect. To control chewing insects you have to find out what kind of insect it is. It could be a caterpillar, grasshopper, or beetle, or one of many others. Look under the leaves in the morning, or just after dark. That is when they like to eat. Most people do not realize that they have bugs, because they hide during the heat of the day.
Is your plant discolored, drooping, wilting or generally lacks vigor?
Often times, sucking insects cause this type of damage. These critters do not eat outer surfaces of the plants, so some insecticides will not affect them. It is necessary to use a contact insecticide to eliminate sucking insects. Contact insecticides come in direct contact with the insect’s body and kill by burning, asphyxiation, or paralysis. The insecticide must actually “contact” the pests to kill them.
Is your tree full of holes, dripping sap, or do you have a pile of sawdust-like matter around the base of the tree?
Boring insects, (and we do not mean ones without a social life either) can do quite a bit of damage to trees before they emerge into their adult form. Borers may be directly attacked. When their tunnels are open, they may be impaled on a piece of wire. If they cannot be reached that way, they can be smothered by Bon-Neem Insecticidal Soap Concentrate or killed by Bonide Rotenone-Pyrethrins Concentrate, made with naturally occurring pyrethrin. These concentrates are available through Spray-N-Grow.
These are just a few ways you can de-bug your garden. The bottom line is…if you have healthy plants to begin with, you will probably be doing a lot less de-bugging in your garden!
I am a gardener who enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. I believe in using organic methods and products when gardening.
How to Identify and Manage the Basic Types of Garden Insects
Garden insects: know your friends & foes
Learn to identify and manage three basic types of garden pests
Why is it when 97% of the world’s insects are considered to be either beneficial or harmless, your garden attracts only the remaining 3% that are considered PESTS? Although it may seem this way, there are both “good” and “bad” insects in your yard.
There is a constant battle going on to maintain a balance between these two groups. Toleration of some pests should be allowed as they provide a food source for the beneficial insects, allowing them to thrive in your yard and keep the pests in check. However, even in the best of gardens, uncontrolled outbreaks do occur. Preventing an infestation of bugs is an important part of gardening. By taking several precautions and putting forth a little bit of effort in the beginning, you will hopefully be rewarded with (almost) pest-free veggies and flowers.
Why are some bugs in your yard a good thing? A vast majority of the insects in your yard provide many services that improve your garden and lawn. Insects help pollinate the blossoms, which lead to more fruit, vegetables, flowers, and seeds. Insects improve the soil condition by crawling through the surface layer. Droppings and dead bugs increase the fertility of the soil. Earthworms and centipedes also help aerate the soil during their travels. Insects keep the numbers of bugs in line by capturing and eating other types of insects
Learn to identify and manage three basic types of garden pests:
Soil Insects: This type of pest feeds on the seed in the ground or small tender vegetation. They will also attack larger, established root crops (such as potatoes and carrots). Examples of soil insects include cutworms, white grubs, slugs, and mole crickets.
Sucking Insects: These insects have a mouth type to pierce the skin and to suck the sap from the plant. Sometimes the hole made by these critters is so small that it is unable to be seen without a magnifying glass. Severe injury or even death can occur once your plant has fallen victim to these sucking insects. A badly infested plant will become yellowed, wilted, stunted or deformed. Examples of sucking insects include aphids, leafhoppers, stinkbugs, spider mites, and squash bugs.
Chewing Insects: This group causes the greatest amount of damage to gardens and yards. They chew off all parts of the plant including leaves, fruits, vegetables and flowers. Chewing insects include Colorado potato beetles, tomato hornworm, cabbage looper, webworms, leaf miners and various caterpillars
There are even parasitic insects that live off “bad” bugs, eventually killing them! The braconid wasp larvae infests the tomato hornworm and uses it as a food source. Insects act as janitors for your yard. They search out any dead plants or animals and feast on them, which provides a cleaning service for you. Most important of all is the insect population control created through fighting among themselves.
Surveillance of your garden
Plant your garden in a location so you can constantly see it. If an insect attack occurs you can take care of it early.
Choose resistant plants
Your local nursery or Extension Office can help you select some plants that are less tempting to the pests in your area. Other information sources are seed catalogs and plant reference books at the library.
Proper conditions
Plowing and cultivating you garden brings soil insects to the surface. Birds and other predators can then feast on them as a snack.
Fertilize
Follow an organic fertilizing program and provide the proper amount of water. Strong and healthy plants will be less likely to come under attack by pests.
Practice “clean culture”
Remove debris, including old or dead fruit and veggies, before planting the next season’s crops. By either burning, burying or removing the debris, you will rid the area of insect infestation or disease. Keep surrounding weeds under control.
Encourage beneficial bugs
Do not use an indiscriminate insecticide. Try to use target-specific sprays.
Rotate crops
By moving your plants around yearly, any bugs specific to certain crops will be forced to relocate. Garden pests can be placed into three separate groups: soil insects, sucking insects, and chewing insects.
Be sure to check out Spray-N-Grow‘s organic and environmentally friendly insecticides
Bonide Bon-Neem Insecticidal Soap Concentrate
Bonide Rotenone-Pyrethrins Concentrate
Sluggo Snail and Slug Killer
I am a gardener who enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. I believe in using organic methods and products when gardening.
Grow a Beautiful Garden the Water Wise Way
Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way
Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). “Water Wise” gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:
Planning
Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.
Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features. Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water penetration. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.
Soil Improvement
Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant’s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.
Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.
Wise Irrigation
Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.
Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells. Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m. Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.
Mulching
Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.
Maintenance
Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.
Water Wise Gardening Tips
Follow these handy watering tips from AAN, and you’ll soon be started on your own environmentally sound garden or landscape. For garden products mentioned in this article, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yamfxeo
Make Gardening a Family Event
Show them how much you enjoy gardening. Spend time in your garden. It is especially easy to stimulate a child’s interests when they see you having fun.
Make gardening easy. Don’t expect a perfect garden. Allow your family to work at their own pace and within their attention spans and age range, especially children.
Dig it! Kids love to dig. This is a great way to teach the basics while letting them play and just have fun.
Let them play an active role in planning. Take your children to the local nursery and let them pick seeds or transplants to start their garden. Take your time and let them browse and enjoy all of the beautiful plants.
Grow a theme garden. This is a great way to let your children use their imagination and express their creativity. The sky is the limit. Some great ideas are gardens that coincide with the holidays, alphabet gardens, a garden themed in their favorite colors, a sensory garden where you can experience different smells, tastes, textures and sights, or a “Freedom Garden”.
Give children their own “kid sized” tools. They don’t have to be expensive. You can go with an old spoon and a bucket that you have around the house or you can venture down to the garden center and purchase garden tools made for children’s hands.
Give them a space to call their own. It doesn’t have to be big. This will teach them ownership and responsibility, and your children will be able to take credit for their own little space.
Get crafty! Press or dry flowers to make a beautiful arrangement, make potpourri, or make a pomander ball. Children love making things and will be amazed at the crafts and gifts that they can make from the garden.
Grow a vegetable garden. Your children will be amazed that they can grow their own food. Be sure to use organic pesticides.
Use gardening to brush up your children’s math and science skills. Let them count the seeds they are planting, or teach them how plants are living things. Not only will you capture their attention, you will be polishing their skills as you go.
Have a contest. Kids love to be rewarded. Be sure to give each child a reward; the biggest tomato, the prettiest flower, or perhaps the best tasting herbs (a little Spray-N-Grow will help!)
Don’t try to do it all! Pick a few of these tips that you know are best for your family and have fun with them. After all, gardening is meant to be fun and easy. And with a little help, something the whole family can enjoy.
