Children in the Garden
When our three sons were small I was often asked how I had the time to work in my garden. My answer was very simple; they were outside with me. Growing up on a farm I had chores at an early age. I never considered that it was too much to ask a grade school age little girl to feed the dogs and cats. I was well able to do that task. So when I was married with children of my own it was only natural to have my boys outdoors. On hot summer mornings when the sprinkler was watering my garden the boys stood near and played in the mud. Yes, this caused my lawn to look a little less than pristine, but I knew grass seed germinates easily. My sons would grow and be out of my house in a blink of an eye.
Here are a few ways to introduce the children in your life to gardening:
If you already have a garden spot reserve a small corner of it for the children. This can be their garden. Let them in on the decision on the seed selection. Find out from your local garden center or extension office what varieties do best in your area.
If you do not have an existing garden, get your children involved in selecting the new location. Use this opportunity to teach that plants are like people, they need certain things to grow well. Your new garden should have at least 6 hours of sun light a day. Have them help you work the soil. Most children will love the feel of the soil in their hands as well as the earth worms they discover.
Select seed that is larger in size and easy for small hands to handle. Planting vegetables such as beans, peas, or potatoes will have the added benefit of encouraging children to eat them at the dinner table. Flower seed choices could include the annuals sweet peas, nasturtiums, or marigolds. Annuals are the best flower choice because they germinate quickly and will bloom the same year. If you have the room, sunflowers can be grown and used to feed the birds. Gourds can be grown then dried and painted to make bird houses.
If there is no space for a garden plot container gardening can be the next best thing. Allow your child to pick out the container. Basically anything that has drainage and can hold soil will work fine. Be sure to use a potting mix rather than potting soil. Potting mix contains compost, bark, vermiculite or other materials to add aeration and nutrients.
After the planting is completed find ways to hold the child’s interest. Weeding and watering can be tedious. Try keeping a calendar with a “to do” list so that the child can cross off each task as they complete them. There are great children’s stories and nursery rhymes about gardening. Use these to spark their imagination. Remember Peter Rabbit?
Fall plantings of tulips or daffodils are another fun outdoor activity. In the winter months bulbs like Amaryllis and Paper Whites are easy and fun to grow.
House plants are another great option. Try growing plants from items purchased in the produce section of your local grocery store. The cut off tops of carrots and pineapples, avocado pits, or the seeds of the citrus fruits lemon, orange or limes are all fun choices.
Child-sized garden tools are found in almost any garden center or big box store. They make great Christmas or birthday gifts!
“Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord. Having a lot of children to take care of you in your old age is like a warrior with a lot of arrows. The more you have, the better off you will be, because they will protect you when your enemies attack you in court.” Psalms 127:3-5
When I was planting in my garden this week. My next door neighbor was leaving to go shopping. Her two year old was holding on to her dress chattering up a storm. Her newborn baby was crying. I saw a familiar look on her face. She was tired and a little stressed. I remember those days. I worked so hard trying to be “June Cleaver” (From the TV show, “Leave it to Beaver” 1957-1963) I wanted my home to be perfectly clean, make every meal from scratch, always have my make up on perfectly, and the list went on. Our sons are grown men now with wives and families of their own. I have all the time in the world to clean, cook, put my make up on, and work in my garden. With Mother’s Day approaching I found myself wishing for one more moment to just stop and cuddle with my little boys. To read them a story, or make mud pies. The moment passed and I began to smile. Those verses in Psalm 127 came to my heart. My husband and I knew one thing early on in our boys lives. It was that they were not merely our children. They were our brothers in Christ. Children are a gift from God. We do not own them, they have been given to us. It is our mandate from God to see to it that we train them according to their individual gifts and talents. We have a responsibility to guide them into their calling. Today these three men are the first to lay hands on us and pray when we need healing. They send “random” text messages with a scripture or a simple, “I love you” in a time when we need it the most. Every one of us leaves a legacy of some type or another. We make time for what is important to us. Pass on your love for gardening to your children. At the same time teach them about the Creator of all things. This Mothers Day let’s remember that our children are the most precious treasures God has given us. They are a perennial garden that will continue to bloom even into the winter of our lives. Enjoy your special day everyone.