Gardening with your children can be a wonderful way to spend time together and to encourage them to spend more time outside.
It’s so easy for children to become discouraged so try to grow plants that are easy to plant and fun and easy to eat – picking a cherry tomato and popping it into their mouths may well render a smaller crop for the kitchen but your children will love it and it should encourage them to eat tomatoes all their lives.
Getting them into the gardening habit is not only rewarding for parents but may well encourage them to eat more veg – if they grow it they are more likely to eat it.
Growing your own food isn’t difficult; it just takes a little time and care. You don’t need a massive garden to get started; a few window boxes or pots for the patio is enough to get you going.
Time spent out side helps run off excess energy and reduces stress levels, making them more content and better sleepers.
Encourage them into gardening with easy to grow flowers and veg, we’ve included a few suggestions below.
Cress – so easy to grow, it can be grown on your window sill.
Lettuce – easy to grow out in the garden or planted in containers, lots of varieties to choose from
Radishes – another veg that needs little maintenance
Courgettes – Easy to grow and gives a very generous crop
Peas – Easy to grow and great fun for the children to pick and eat straight from the pod.
Tomatoes – Plant an outdoor variety somewhere sunny, water regularly and pick when ready – if the kids haven’t got there first!.
Sunflowers – Children love growing sunflowers and compete with each other to have the tallest flower. They are large seeds (ideal for little hands) which germinate quickly and are easy to grow.
Nasturtium – These colourful, quick growing flowers are perfect for children to grow. Ideal for both garden beds and containers the seeds can be sown directly into the soil. Get the children to add these edible flowers to their salad.
Pansy – Every ones favourite flower, with their cheery faces who could resist planting a few of them. Easy to grow and the children will enjoy dead heading the fading flowers which will encourage more to grow.
Californian Poppy – this fast growing annual has beautiful flowers that the children will love and as it self seeds you’re guaranteed more flowers next year.
Big or small your garden is the ideal place to share time and have fun with your children.
Medically proven to be good for both you and them it makes an ideal and cost effective hobby for all the family, and it’s fun!
