How To Involve Your Family In Gardening

Gardening is one of the most family-friendly activities that you can engage in. People of all ages and skill levels can get involved with gardening. This is especially a fun activity for children. Gardening teaches them how to take care of something in order to make it grow. It provides them with the perfect opportunity to learn about nature and science. This article will discuss some ways in which you can get your children involved in your family garden.

The main thing to keep in mind is to keep your garden simple. Although you may have dreamed about prize roses or exotic plants, sometimes these require very specific planting techniques which may be a bit too complicated for your children to understand. Look for plants that are hardy and easy to grow, preferably plants that are native to your geographic area. Consider vegetables that have easy planting instructions. You want to keep everything simple so your children will not get discouraged by a myriad of instructions about specific plants.

Remember that your children are smaller than you are. Therefore, they will need tools that are properly sized for their small hands. You can find gloves and hand tools for children in your garden center. Giving them their own set of tools makes the activity more meaningful. When they are comfortable with what they have to use, they will enjoy the activity more.

Take your children with you when you shop for plants for your garden. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects about gardening. Watch their delight as they browse through the multitude of plants that they can grow. When you involve them in the plant selection, it will instill in them a sense of ownership. Children tend to take better care of something that they own, so this is a good way to encourage them to take care of the plants.

Assign gardening tasks that are appropriate for your children's age. There are many types of maintenance tasks that even young children can do, like pulling weeds and raking up leaves. They can water plants with a water can, too.

You can add nice garden ornaments to give your garden a personality. Children who like fairy tales may like figurines of little animals that remind them of stories. Pinwheels come in a variety of colorful designs, and they can add life to any garden. Involve your children in the selection of garden decorations as well.

If your children will be working in the garden, it is important to use only fertilizers and weed control methods that are environmentally friendly. You do not want to expose your children to any harmful chemicals. There are many natural ways to nourish and protect your garden, so look for those options.

As you can see, gardening can be a very enjoyable activity that your family can do together. From growing vegetables to beautiful flowers, your children will be delighted when they see the fruits of their labor. Keep the suggestions in this article in mind, and see how gardening can open up a new world for your children.