Children love to plant seeds in the soil and watch them grow into flowers and vegetables. Planting in containers is the easiest way to get started. Containers are small, flexible, portable and easy to control. Give your children “ownership” of several containers and make it their garden.
Getting started:
• Choose a spot for the containers that is close enough to a water faucet with a hose so they can easily water plants. Also make sure the location of the container garden receives a minimum six hours of sun, preferably indirect sunlight.
• Containers can be colorful – red, green, blue, yellow or multi-colored. Each container should have drainage holes in the bottom.
• Before filling the containers with potting soil, put broken pieces of pottery or a layer of small rocks to improve drainage. We have nutrient rich potting soil and fertilizer available for growing vegetables or flowering plants.
• Choose seeds that quickly reward young gardeners such as radishes, squash or pea. Or plant seedlings (small plants transplanted from other containers). For best results, select annual flowers that are easy to grow such as marigolds, petunias, alyssum, lobelia and zinnias. Vegetable seedlings such as tomatoes cucumbers or zucchini are some other great choices.
• Follow directions on the seed package to plant seeds into containers. Thinning crowded seedlings gives them a better chance to develop. Apply fertilizer as needed.
• Check soil moisture regularly. Soak soil then allow to dry. Soak again before the soil becomes too dry and crumbly. Try not to over or under water.