Do you consider yourself to have a green thumb or, maybe not so much? Whether you do or don’t it’s always great to get kids excited about the benefits of gardening. Nowadays there are indoor gardening options, or even smart gardens that grow themselves, but whatever you choose it’s fun to watch plants grow! There are plenty of plants that are easy to grow and you can see our picks in this article below along with some first hand experience, tips, a link to finding your gardening zone, ideas for super cute kids activities, and a special code for Monmouth County, NJ families to order from Rising Up Gardens. Enjoy!
Get Kids Excited About Gardening
With the warm spring weather coming I can’t help but recall the memories of growing up and tending the garden with my mom. It’s safe to say my mother has always had a green thumb and now that I have a daughter of my own I try to get her excited about gardening like I was as a child. In the current times we live in with electronics and other distractions the garden isn’t always the most exciting idea for kids, especially if you have a 4 year old or little one. However, there are ways to get your child excited about gardening like giving them their own space, letting them play with a little dirt, and maybe teaching them a thing or two. Even if you didn’t grow up gardening or consider yourself to have a green thumb there are still easy plants you can grow and tend with kids.
Trial and Error
Over the past couple years of establishing my own gardening ways I learned a couple things. When we are doing something new in the garden it is always trial and error so we aren’t always expecting a perfect outcome. We have had everything from bugs and bad storms take out plants or sometimes it just doesn’t work. The whole process overall is fun and when you finally get your first vegetable or fruit it is exciting for parents and especially the kids. The process helps teach kids that it is OK that not everything works out just right when it comes to gardening and that it can always be tried again. It is definitely a learning experience but can give a family something to be proud of.
Seeds vs. Buying Already Grown Plants
If you’re feeling adventurous you can start plants from seeds or you can purchase sprouts or bigger plants from a local nursery. At our house we like to buy a mix of seeds and already sprouted plants because for the kids it is always fun to watch seeds sprout. Depending on the seeds you buy some are sown indoors first and some are done outside so it is always best to read about what you plan on planting before making any firm decisions. Where we live in NJ we always wait to plant anything outside until after Mother’s Day to make sure we avoid the last frost. Gardening can be a lot of work and does take time so make sure to not overwhelm yourselves with too much at once( don’t buy 6 flats of flowers like me if you don’t have the space). Our favorites to plant from seeds are tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, herbs, and wildflowers. Each year we always buy some flats of marigolds and other seasonal flowers along with a strawberry and pepper plant.
Click this link to see an article from HGTV on Gardening Projects Kids Will Love.
Picture from HGTV.com
Benefits for Kids
For us my daughter absolutely loves having the responsibility of taking care of her garden and every year her strawberry plant is her favorite. Once kids learn the less interesting basics like sun, soil conditions, and drainage it is more fun when it comes to seed planting and nurturing the plant as it grows. It’s fun to track progress buy making a journal and measuring how much your plants grow or how big you can get your strawberries and other plants. They learn that plants they grow can be used practically, some examples are, picking fresh tomatoes from the garden or strawberries and cucumbers for a lunchtime snack.
Know Your Gardening Zone
You can visit this helpful site Garden.org and type in your zip code to find out which zone you are located in. It will then give you an option to click ” View Our Planting Calendar for your Area” and it will give users a really helpful list of what can be grown near you and how to do it.
Below are some of our favorite plants that are easy to maintain (for the most part) and some links to helpful resources.
Any Herbs
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Beans
Lettuce
Strawberry
This site KidsGardening.org has fun activities that provide opportunities for families to learn together, while encouraging love for nature and the environment. They even have a cute idea for a kids garden birthday that can be done at home with family during COVID. Click here for the Garden Birthday Party.
DEAL! Rising Up Gardens FREE Delivery to Monmouth County NJ Families on Their Beautiful GIY Kits
Check below if they ship to your state!
USE CODE : MMCURBSIDE
For FREE Delivery to Monmouth County, NJ
Code is Valid Until MAY 10TH, 2020
Rising Up Gardens based out of Atlantic Highlands, NJ provides irresistibly yummy Garden It Yourself (GIY) Kits. You are provided everything you need to create your own garden collection. They provide Pot(s), Organic Soil, Garden Markers, Seedlings, Care & Planting Instructions and Recipes by @HobokenFoodie. They offer the most beautiful kits that are perfect to fit in with any decor and in light of COVID provide all the materials you need without going to the store. For delivery options they offer curbside pick-up in Atlantic Highlands, NJ or will hand-deliver within Monmouth County, NJ and will overnight ship to you 1-2 business days if you are out of county or state and live in the following places : NJ, NY, CT, PA, MA, RI, DC, MD, DE, VT. Click Here to order now!
View their Instagram @risingupgardens
