Get Your Favorite Kid Interested in Gardening!

It doesn’t matter if the kids are your kids, the grandkids, the next-door neighbors kids or your students.  By exposing the growing minds of children to gardening, you just might be sparking an interest that will take hold in childhood, continue through adolescence, and become their passion and livelihood as adults. 

This project (for kids of ALL ages!) is cheap, fun, and oh so easy!

I found a dizzying array of mini-greenhouses, peat pots, starter soil and seed created by Jiffy and Burpee at in Manchester.  I am certain that you will find the same materials at , , or Lowe’s.   While you’re perusing the aisles trying to decide which product to purchase, let me give you a few hints about starting your own flowers, vegetables and herbs indoors. 

Right now is the perfect time to get some plants started indoors so they can be planted outdoors in 4 to 6 weeks.  Hop in the car with the kids for a fun shopping trip!

When you arrive at the store, ask the nearest salesperson where the aisle with all the seeds and seed- germinating accessories are.  Explain the products to your kids, but let them ultimately be the ones to carry their goodies to the cash register.  This project is all about them, make sure it’s a positive experience.

Hint #1-  Don’t buy a bigger set-up than you have space for.  There is even a kit for those with limited space.  It’s only $3 at and it fits on your windowsill.  It’s made by NK Corporation, has 36 spaces for seeds and a clear plastic “greenhouse roof.”

Hint #2-  To speed up the germination of your seeds, place the planting tray on the dryer.  The heat produced by your dryer will raise the temperature of the soil, speeding up germination.  If your dryer is next to a sunny window, that’s the best situation possible!  You can also place the seed starter containers on a heating pad at the lowest temperature for a little while.

Hint #3-  Let the kids pick out their own seeds.  Parents, the quickest way to squash a youngsters budding horticultural interest is forcing him to grow what he doesn’t like. 

Hint #4- Save some popsicle sticks and let the kids make markers for their new plants.  Remember to write down the date you planted the seeds and type of plant you’re planting in each container.

Hint #5-  As your seedlings germinate and begin to sprout, you’ll need the clear plastic cover less and less.  They can actually get waterlogged, causing the seeds to get TOO WET and decompose.

Hint #6-  If you buy peat pots or empty cell packs for your seeds, make sure that you buy the seed starting mix.  It really is a different composition than your regular potting soil.  It’s sold right next to all the mini-greenhouses.

Hint #7- With your seed packet, take the kids to the computer and let them “google” the plant they selected.  It’s a great visual aid for them to see what their vegetable or flowers will look like as it reaches maturity.

Hint #8- Decide where you’ll put your seedlings when the weather warms.  You don’t have to have a huge garden.  A large pot on the deck is a great size for tomatoes, peppers, herbs and flowers.

Hint # 9-  If you’re really into recycling and want to create as little waste as possible, purchase Jiffy’s peat pellets and peat pots.  The pellets expand and can be planted directly in the ground.  Ditto for the peat pots.  Jiffy also sells replacement pellets for the greenhouse system.  You buy the system once, and get new pellets every year.  Let the kids know how environmentally friendly they’re being with their choice.

Hint #10-  This isn’t a hint, really.  Make the project fun.  Encourage your kids to see that the seedlings are watered.  If your little seed babies don’t survive, there’s always another time to try.  Getting them involved in nature and gardening is the best part of the project!

Unfortunately, I won’t be participating in this project with a child.   I have a new nephew, Miles, who is about 5 weeks old.  I figure in 2 or 3 years I’ll be picking him up and taking him shopping for his own little garden. 

Although my 25 year old son dabbles on a minimal basis where gardening is concerned, neither of my children inherited the gardening bug like me.  Alex grows hops for his home-brewed beer in containers in our back yard.  He purchased the hops, we planted them together and I take care of them.  He loves showing off “his hops” to all his buddies- even though we know they wouldn’t survive without me tending to them!

I hope you find this project to be a fun, inexpensive way to get kids and adults together.  By spending some good, quality time with your favorite youngster, you might also spark an interest in gardening.