BUDS

Come Alive!

It’s Springtime! And for your little ones, now is the perfect time to get them busy with helping to plant the family vegetable garden. In many parts of the country, spring break is about to happen and with it comes a perfect opportunity to take a weekend to prepare the soil and get in the first of the cool weather vegetables.

Salad and other greens such as spinach and kale, along with herbs are great to get the garden season started. Although you can usually find a nice assortment of seedlings that are ready to put into the ground, I encourage you to start with seeds. By starting from the very beginning, you provide your child with an appreciation of the total growth cycle and the look of surprise on their faces upon arriving in the garden to discover the first of the seedlings poking up through the soil is worth every bit of the wait.

If you are in a colder region and the soil is still a bit cold, put off your planting for a couple of weeks.

Here are a few tips to make your experience awesome:

  1. Set aside time to get suggestions from your child of what they would like to include in the garden.
  2. Spend time in the area where the garden will be planted and measure the space. This can be a great way to get in some extra math practice without them being aware.
  3. Check the local newspaper for specials on seeds.
  4. Take your child along to purchase seeds for the garden. Be sure to allow enough time to make sure you are not rushed. The idea is to make sure the experience is a pleasant one.
  5. Prepare the ground with a tiller making certain to keep your child out of harm’s way.
  6. Set up a schedule for care of the garden, including who will water and weed and when.

Enjoy!