Best gardens for kids: Choosing plants that are easy to grow

by Anne Siller

You may have kids like mine: They blast through life like small hurricanes. They want to be outside all the time, moving, learning, leaping, and... digging. I am always seeking ways to help them channel all that energy in a way that is productive, rather than destructive. I want their activities both to satisfy their urge to make big things happen in their small world, but also to teach them that fitting themselves into nature's rhythms can be rewarding.

Structuring my garden so that my three preschoolers are a big part of the process gives my kids a break from the usual rush of modern life...a break that is simultaneously peaceful, exciting, and productive. New to gardening? New to kids? The first way to make it easy is choosing the right plants.

The difference between seeds and bulbs

(And what that means for small fingers and growing things... a general paragraph)

The right tools

Seeds

String beans:

Seed description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Radishes

Seed description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Peas

Seed description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Pumpkins

Seed description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Lettuce

Seed description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Carrots

Seed description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Bulbs and tubers (a potato is a tuber, right?)

Onions

Bulb description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Potatoes

Description
When to plant
Where to plant
How long it's going to take
Any other tips

Flowers

(a little paragraph on each)

Sunflowers:

Zinnias:

Cosmos:

Nasturtiums:

Pansies:

Petunias:

Sunflower house idea

General tips for gardening with kids

Digging

Digging tips

Planting

Planting tips

Watering

Watering tips

Weeding

Weeding tips

Harvesting

Harvesting tips

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