Spending time in the garden with children can provide grandparents with an opportunity to work side by side with their grandchildren. The easy communication that occurs while working together toward a common goal of planning and planting a garden can become a tradition that is shared for many years to come and something all will look forward to with the anticipation of spring.
Start Planning the Garden in the Winter
Gardening with children can be something that is more than just a summer activity. Involving kids in planning the garden can begin much earlier in the year.
In January, February and early March, children can begin looking at seed catalogues. Have the kids pick out the vegetables they really enjoy eating or would like to try, and also ones that will grow well in the garden's planting zone. If the kids don't know which veggies they like, take them to the produce market and choose some vegetables to take home to sample.
Get the kids to lay out the garden on paper. What vegetables will go where and how much space will be allotted for each? This can be the map to follow when the ground is thawed and it’s time to turn over the soil.
How Much Space is Needed for a Garden
Start with a small plot for children so everyone doesn’t get overwhelmed. If grandparents are already gardeners, create a small area that will be the kid’s section. Other things to consider are how often the children visit and how much time they will be able to tend to the garden themselves. How much responsibility for the garden will fall on the grandparents if grandchildren are only around sporadically?
Start Seeds in the House
Start growing from seeds in the house about 4-6 weeks prior to planting. This is a great way to show kids about how things grow and observe the evolution of seed to seedling over a period of a few weeks.
Be sure to harden the plants before putting them in the garden by putting them outside during the day when the temperatures are warm enough and bringing them inside for the cold nights. This should be done for at least a week. Reverse this for hot, sunny climates that would shock the plant if it were put out in direct hot sun after initially growing in the house.
Plants that germinate quickly and bear fruit early are good for keeping the interest of young children…such as peas, bush beans, lettuces, radishes and scallions. Other vegetables that may be attractive to children and are not difficult to grow are tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, sugar snap peas and broccoli.
Sharing a Garden with Grandchildren
If gardening is an important part of grandparent's life, it can be enthusiastically shared with grandchildren. If it's a new venture for grandparents, it can be exciting to explore together, and a satisfying opportunity to create a sustained interaction. It's important to keep in mind the age, attention span and manual dexterity of the children when starting out. Include children in the planning and give them a place to dig in the dirt.
Resources:
Richardson, Beth. Gardening with Children. CT: The Taunton Press, 1998.
Hannemann, Monika. Hulse, Patricia. Johnson, Brian. Kurland, Barbara. Patterson, Tracey. Gardening with Children: Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guides. NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2007.
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