1/12/2013

Kids in the Garden

 Planting Projects for Kids

Planting Winter Carrot Tops in Repurposed Containers

 

Teach your kids how to plant and harvest year-around so that growing their own food will become second-nature to them.  Start with heirloom seeds (non-GMO varieties) to ensure they will be eating real food, and let your kids have fun planting and growing.

 

Planting can, and should be done in the wintertime (as in spring) in any number of containers, from repurposed drinking glasses (as in the video) to organic pots such as these shown here (eggshells actually nourish the seedlings).  

 
These can easily be maintained indoors if you live deep inside snow country, or kept outside in warmer climates.  You should get your kids in the habit of planting weekly or monthly to harvest just as often. 

 
 


Planting, growing, and harvesting should continue year around, because eating is also done year-around, and it is recommended in our book "How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden" (with instructions - below).

 
Cold weather crops can include a variety of root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beets, and radishes because the earth stays warm under the snow.  Other cool-weather crops are herbs, lettuce, and spinach, as well as heartier vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kid-sized Brussels sprouts (any of which tastes great with cheese sauce, or diced up, and cooked right along with mac & cheese).

 


Fruit trees actually prefer to be planted in the wintertime, and sunflowers have been known to grow even in the most extreme of temperatures.  Both can be planted in pots or directly into the ground with great success.
Your kids will enjoy getting their hands dirty, even if you don't, so you might as well teach them to enjoy gardening for healthier, tasty foods.  


 

Allow your kids to tend their gardens, with your supervision.  Then watch their gardens grow, just as your children grow, strong and healthy.  





This is an important lesson plan for  homeschoolers, Pre-K, kindergarteners, and approved elementary classrooms.  And as a family,  you can also learn  together -
"How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden - book"




Also learn how to grow:

Blueberries and Strawberries