Earth Day: Gardening with Children
As Earth Day approaches, I want to share, with you, the joys of gardening with children. My love of gardening came from my father. He was raised on a farm in West Virginia, and although he married and became an electrical engineer, his love of the land never faded. As I was growing up, Dad and Mom always planted a garden. Sometimes it was small and other times it was huge. Digging in the dirt, playing with worms and watching the plants, start as small seedlings and grow large enough to produce the food for our table, was a treat. I will admit that the weeding and breaking bushel after bushel of green beans got a bit tedious at times; but the vegetables we grew in our garden were better than anything we bought at the store.
I don’t have the green thumb that my Dad and Mom have but I continue to try. A few years ago, because of several health issues my husband has, we decided to try our hand at organic gardening. We chose the Square Foot Gardening method, as taught by Mel Bartholomew. It can be a little expensive in the beginning but I love it because I don’t need a rototiller to break up the ground. It is always soft, loose and easy to work in. And since it’s so easy to work with, it makes gardening with children a breeze.
One of the areas I fail miserably at is having the time to take care of my garden the way it needs to be. I work full time and I live far enough from my workplace that I don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to gardening. It’s mid-April and this is what my garden currently looks like:
I know, I was taught better than that. I should all ready have my onions and radishes in the ground. I was hoping to have my little helper (my great-nephew) last weekend but he and his mom were busy. Even though he wasn’t able to help me this past weekend, I can share the fun we had getting the garden ready two years ago.
Jeremiah was 21 months old, so as you can see, you can start gardening with your children when they are quite young. Here is one of the reasons that the Square Foot Gardening method works well when gardening with children; the dirt was so soft and loose that he was easily able to help me pull out weeds and old plants. He also helped me loosen the dirt by digging and raking. At first, he wasn’t too sure about getting dirt on his hands but the longer we worked the more he got into it. And I really mean he got INTO it! LOL!
There is so much learning that can happen while gardening. Realizing that vegetables grow on plants before they get to the store can be a lesson in itself. You can discuss how worms and certain bugs help the garden while other bugs hurt it. Learning about weather, and how the garden needs rain and sunshine to grow, are other lessons. You might find that your child is willing to try different vegetables when they have had a hand in growing and caring for them. One unexpected thing you might find growing, while working in the garden with your child, is the bond between the two of you. So put on some old clothes, grab some rakes and shovels and start growing your own memories.
Kim @ This Ole Mom says
I love when my little boy helps with our garden. We don’t have a huge place to grew a garden so we use containers. Your little helper is adorable!
Mama Carmody says
Those little guys are so fun to work with. I think I learn just as much from him as he does from me. 😉
ashley packard says
I absolutely yearn for a garden, but I’ve been in apartments since I move from my parent’s at 18. Usually 2nd floor. These pictures make me wish I could let my boy feel the Earth and grow something.
But potted plants it is for now.
Mama Carmody says
Do you have a balcony/patio? You could grow some things in containers.
Jenn @ mommytime365 says
Those pictures are adorable!! I loved gardening with my mom, so I’m continuing that tradition with my kids.. So fun.
Mama Carmody says
Gardening can be hard work but it’s also very rewarding.
JcCee Watkins Barney says
This post took me down memory lane when I used to help my grandmother with her veggie garden. I never really realized all of the lessons that I was learning in gardening. She would explained to my sister and I about how the veggies grow, how the ground has to be, how important the rain is, etc. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Mama Carmody says
My grandparents used to have a big garden too. I love that type of learning…the kind that you don’t even realize it’s happening.
Nicole says
I love gardening with our kids!! Still a little cold to start here, but I cant wait!! Only a few more weeks!!
Mama Carmody says
It’s warm enough for onions, radishes and some lettuce but I haven’t even gotten my garden cleaned out…as you can see.
Emily, Our house now a home says
I love to garden, have always just done flowers. This year we are going to do a vegetable garden. I am so exited. That picture of your son walking away is precious!
Mama Carmody says
I love beautiful flowers but my favorite thing is my vegetable garden. I think partially because it saves money and the things you grow in your garden taste so much better than store bought.
Karren Haller says
Those are the cutest photos, I love the one of him walking away!!!
Mama Carmody says
Thank so much. The one of him walking away is my favorite too.
Kathy says
You are so right about kids loving gardening, and it is so great for them to see things growing and to make the connections between the garden and their plate. And I know what you mean about not having the time to take care of your garden as you should! I’ve just spent a desperate day trying to sort mine out after a two week holiday and I’m not sure I’ll be able to move tomorrow! Little and often would be so much better 🙂
Mama Carmody says
Little and often would be better but sometimes that’s just hard to accomplish. Good luck with your garden this year.
Allison says
This is great! We have a porch garden and our 4 year old was so excited when he saw his first tomato!
Mama Carmody says
That’s so wonderful that you are able to have a garden so close to the house. It makes it nice to be able to step out the door and get what you want.
annabelt says
He looks like he loves gardening! One of my kids does too, another one is oblivious to it, and the little one just likes playing with the hose pipe!
Mama Carmody says
He was a big helper. I can’t wait to get him over to help some more.
yanique says
First off how cute is that little guy! My kids love to garden,but I’m no green thumb. I’ve only ever been able to keep a Spider plant alive. However, you will still catch me out there in the middle of SUMMER trying to garden. (Last year I learned a valuable lesson about what time of year to plant things.) I’m good at a few things. Gardening…not so much!
Mama Carmody says
It sounds like we have a lot in common. The plant I kept alive the longest was also a spider plant. Even though I know a lot about the correct times things are supposed to be planted I have a hard time accomplishing it.
Ashleigh says
My daughter would love this…she lives in the garden! Thank you for sharing! I invite you to please come share this and link up with me now at http://www.wrightsimply.com/2015/04/not-so-wordless-wednesday-linky_14.html
I think others will love this! xx Ashleigh @SimplyWright
Mama Carmody says
Thanks so much for stopping by and for the invitation. I did stop by and participated.
Takisha says
I love this post! Why? Because we are rebuilding our lives to move out of the city and into a more rural area. I WANT A GARDEN! I am want to grow everything I eat. Your baby boy is adorable too.
Mama Carmody says
That is so exciting, that you are moving to a rural area. Just be aware that in a rural area you will have more critters to contend with. Last year we had squirrels eating our tomatoes. In all my years of gardening, I had never seen that before.
Leslie says
I love flower gardening and hope to branch out into veggies one of these days! My daughter enjoys helping me. Your nephew is precious.
Mama Carmody says
I love growing my own veggies because they taste so much better than the store bought ones…especially tomatoes!
Kim @ Knockitoffcrafts says
Gardening with children is such a great experience for all involved! Although we’ve had little success with actually growing anything, we’ve more than enjoyed the process!
Mama Carmody says
That sounds very familiar. I had quite a bit of success with cucumbers but then I never got around to making pickles out of them…what a waste. 🙁
Leah says
Love this! We love to garden with our kids, and they love it too! They love to see what veggies come out of the garden, and then they willingly eat them!
Mama Carmody says
I think I’m more willing to eat the different veggies because we grew them in our garden when I was young. My mother says I used to go to the garden and pick green peppers and eat them like someone would an apple. I still love them.
Robin @ The Golden Rule Kids says
Love that you are not giving up on something you have loved your whole life and that you are getting your children involved!
Mama Carmody says
I keep at it, even though I’m not very successful. It is relaxing feeling the sun on my back and digging around in the soil.
Agatha says
I definitely agree that kids need to get closer to nature and having a garden is a great way to do so. It teaches them the value of food too!
Mama Carmody says
Not only does it teach them the value of food but hopefully they will more interested in trying new things.
Jean says
I don’t have a green thumb either and yet I also keep trying to garden. I love the idea of square foot gardening but we are already trying again with gardening straight into the ground. Good luck with your garden this year!
Mama Carmody says
Thanks so much, and good luck to you. I have found the square foot gardening so much easier and enjoyable…at least for me.
Amy Nielson says
I’ve been out in the garden since I could walk, and probably before. My parents always taught us the joy of growing food, and I’m passing it on to my kids now. I still dread picking the green beans 🙂
Mama Carmody says
We are kindred spirits. I love eating those beans but picking and snapping can get old.
Six Pack Mommy says
Such cute pictures! I usually have my girls help me plant our herb garden, but I may try something more ambitious this spring.
Mama Carmody says
I’m just getting into herbs. I have never used that many fresh herbs but I’m trying to change my ways.
Tirralan @ Tinseltown Mom says
This is a great bonding activity to do with the kids. Thanks for sharing this information!
Mama Carmody says
I love sharing with you guys. It’s also fun doing the activities with Jeremiah.
April Rutherford says
This is great advice, I need to work on this! I have a horrible green thumb, but my kids love it and I need to get out there!
Mama Carmody says
Like, I said, I’m bad at it too but I keep trying. Hang in there.