Vegetable Gardening with Kids
Cultivating vegetables provides a meaningful opportunity for children to witness the full lifecycle of a plant, feel a sense of achievement in their efforts, and develop a better understanding of the process involved in producing food.
You may associate landscaping primarily with pruning bushes and maintaining your lawn, but gardening is central to many homeowners’ outdoor work. Incorporating vegetable gardens in your backyard isn’t merely an aesthetic improvement; it’s also a profoundly rewarding and fulfilling venture.
The satisfaction of cultivating your own vegetables is further enhanced when shared with your children. Vegetable gardening affords kids the chance to be fully involved in the life cycle of a plant, giving them a sense of responsibility and sparking their interest in the origins of their food. Moreover, the pride they experience upon picking their first cucumber or cherry tomato is hard to beat.
Grow These Vegetables with Young Gardeners
When planning a vegetable garden with your children, it’s best to pick vegetables that are low-maintenance, fun to grow and gather, and don’t have an extended growing season. Here are a few great options to kick off their gardening journey:
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes stand as one of the most gratifying plants for children to nurture. Just a couple of months post-planting, the tomatoes are ready to pick, and your kids will revel in the rewarding and tasty outcome of their patience and diligence.
Potatoes
Potatoes are not only simple to cultivate but can also be fun for kids to plant. Point out the potato ‘eyes’ and help your children plant a few sprouted sections to start their own potato plants.
Lettuce
Lettuce, a cool-season crop, thrives best during the period between the summer heat and the onset of frost. It grows rapidly and can be harvested within only one or two months! The excitement of raising their own lettuce may even encourage your children to eat a salad with dinner. Incorporating cool-weather crops like lettuce into your garden can sustain your kids’ interest in gardening even after the thrill of those summer tomatoes has subsided.
Bush Beans
Bush beans make another fantastic crop for your children to discover. They grow swiftly, produce abundantly, and are easy for kids to care for and gather as they remain close to the ground. Moreover, bush beans don’t necessitate poles or trellises, thus minimizing your workload as well.
Pointers for Vegetable Gardening with Kids
Ensuring that your children recognize their garden’s significance will help to maintain their enthusiasm, interest, and pride throughout the process.
Acknowledge Their Efforts
Acknowledge the importance of your children’s gardening work and express your pride by sharing their achievements with others. Point out their garden when visitors drop by. Share pictures with their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Post photos on your social media!
Involve Your Children in Every Step of the Process
From sowing seeds to setting the table, allow your kids to be involved in every stage of the gardening process. They can plant seeds, water plants, pick mature vegetables, and help with food preparation. Let them decide between baked, roasted, and mashed potatoes, then have them help make dinner. When they see the process from start to finish, they will have a deeper understanding of the importance and joy of cultivating their own garden.