Urban Gardens
Don't have a lot of space for a garden? We'll give you all the information you need to create a fun and flourishing garden, even in the tiniest of spaces. Gardening with your kids is one of the great ways to let them get their hands dirty and develop a respect for nature and life as well as learn about good food choices.
What you'll need
For a container garden, you'll need containers. These can be large pots or for small herbs, consider using empty coffee or formula tins, even halved milk cartons will do the trick. Make sure the containers have sufficient drainage and line the top of the soil with mulch to retain moisture.
If you have sufficient space in your yard that gets at least 5 hours of sun per day, consider a raised bed/no-dig design or cultivating the soil to prepare for a garden. Look for our upcoming newsletters with raised garden designs.
Other necessities:
Soil - local nurseries and some grocers carry potting soil. Additionally, check this out for homemade potting soil recipes.
Seeds or Seedlings - be sure to read April's information on seeds and check out her blog for non-Monsanto seed distributors.
Garden Tools - your local nursery will carry a variety of gardening tools, but for a simple start, try using old spoons for your digging and scooping in your containers.
Water - watering in container gardens is a delicate balance. The soil can dry out more quickly than if the plant was in the ground. The soil should remain moist, but not wet. To help retain moisture, you can add a layer of mulch to the top of the soil.
Sun - review your seed bags for sunlight suggestions. Full sun typically means between 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day, Partial is 4-6, preferably in the morning and afternoon, and Shade is less than 4 hours of direct sun each day.
What Should I Plant?
Be creative and willing to experiment. Let your kids pick out some plants to grow. Even if they pick an odd variety of tomato because they like the purple color, your family may fall in love with the delicious new discovery.
For small containers, most herbs will grow well. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, beets, carrots, lettuce varieties and more will grow in larger pots. With a little extra care, most plant varieties will do well in containers.
If you want to start off small and simple, check out this Green Toys Indoor Gardening Kit made from recycled milk containers.
How Do I Get My Children Involved?
Make it a surprise. Remove the seeds from the labeled pouches and ask your children to pick out the seeds they want to plant without them knowing what plant they have chosen. Label the pot with their guess as to what plant will grow and wait for the ultimate surprise! (Of course, you should keep track of what is planted where to care for the needs of each individual plant)
If you have a large space of land that would take well to wild flower varieties, create seed bombs with your children. Hollow out an egg shell by creating pin holes on either side of the egg and blowing out the contents into a bowl for breakfast later. Stuff the egg shells with wildflower seeds and let your kids egg your garden!
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