Kids' Container Gardening: Year-Round Projects for Inside and Out
A Few Words for Grown-ups about Gardening with Children Gardening gets you in touch with the earth It’s for the porch all are great ways to start Give children the supplies they need and then let them go Who cares if they get it right Plants are amazingly forgiving Even killing a plant can be an adventure and a learning experience And when kids do it well seeing something they planted themselves actually grow can be the beginning of a lifelong love and a source of memories for a lifetime Sharing this experience with someone makes a lasting impact not only on children but on your relationship with those children I’m sure you’ll agree it’s well worth the effort And it’s a lot of fun good for the soul It’s especially good for children who have so little control over their own daily lives Playing God in the garden and learning that our actions can affect the world around us is an important lesson to learn at any age Gardening with children in my opinion is also the best kind of quality time Ask anyone who gardened with a grandparent Watch the look on their face as they talk about their memories Ask your little ones if they’d like a garden of their own It doesn’t have to be big A garden in a martini glass a salad bowl a hanging basket xi n o i t c u d o r t n i
you beforestart There are things plants need to grow If we know them and plan and plant accordingly our plants will be happy and so will we If we try to cut corners and do what’s easy for us but not best for the plants we won’t have great looking gardens And since we garden for the fun of it why not do it right 1 1 t r e p a h c
whatplants need Find out about the plants you choose Find out what they like Then see to it that these needs are filled You wouldn’t send your little sister out into the cold without a coat or forget to feed the dog would you Plants tell you what they want in quiet ways They wilt or turn colors or the leaves curl up or shrivel You have to watch carefully If you do your plants will tell you how they feel Also if you’re planting two or more plants together make sure they like the same things A shade plant that needs a lot of water and one that needs dry soil and sun will never do well in the same container Get to know the plants you choose and plant them with their friends those who like the same conditions Roots need water and food just like people Some need more some need less Some can stand in water others need almost totally dry soil with an occasional dunk Plants will tell you if they are get ting enough not enough or too much water if you pay attention to them Pay attention Your plants depend on you They can’t run away The signs of too much and not enough water can look the same if you only look at the leaves If the leaves wilt or curl up check the soil Feel the soil every day or two Is it wet Is it dry Does the soil smell rotten If you need help finding out what is wrong ask a per son who works at a garden center You also have to be very careful when handling your plants Never hold a plant by the stem leaves or flowers Always hold it by the roots or by the pot A plant can be removed from the pot by tipping it on its side or slightly upside down and then knocking gently or pushing from the bottom and freeing it Then hold it by the roots when planting 2
WA OR ID NV UT CA MT WY ND SD NE MN IA CO KS AZ NM OK TX MO AR LA VT ME NY NH MA RI CT NJ DE MD PA VA NC Zones based on the following average minimum temperatures ZONE 1 ZONE 2 ZONE 3 ZONE 4 ZONE 5 ZONE 6 ZONE 7 ZONE 8 ZONE 9 ZONE 10 ZONE 11 Below 50 F 50 to 40 F 40 to 30 F 30 to 20 F 20 to 10 F 10 to 0 F 0 to 10 F 10 to 20 F 20 to 30 F 30 to 40 F Above 40 F WI MI IL IN OH WV KY TN AL GA MS SC FL Hawaii Alaska Something else to think about is how cold it gets in your area It won’t matter for indoor plants but if your containers will be left outside it’s good to know what Zone you’re in The USDA Zone Map tells you how cold different parts of the United States get Find where you are what Zone number you live in and choose plants that have your Zone number or a higher warmer number Here is the Zone Map Can you find where you are and what zone you’re in You also want to wait until after the last danger of frost before you plant certain plants Find out when your town’s frost-free date is and don’t plant anything delicate outside until after it is past 3
