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Growing a Gardener

If you want to raise children who are hard workers, patient, generous and even eat their vegetables, then it might be time to plant a garden.

 

Why garden?

Carolyn Dewey, outdoor classroom educational coordinator at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, says gardening teaches children to be responsible. Children also learn to share by giving friends and family the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor. Dewey says that “if done correctly, gardening is an activity that everyone in the family enjoys.”

Start small. Gardening is hard but rewarding work. Molly Fusselman, horticulture educator at the University of Missouri Extension, says, “It’s always best to start small.” She advises families to begin with a simple container garden. Fusselman, who gardened as an apartment-dwelling college student, says starting small is the “best way to get the bug for gardening.”

Additionally, Fusselman busts the myth that green thumbs are a gift. “I really think gardening is a trade that all people can learn,” she says. She explains that gardening takes hard work and determination as well as a willingness to try new things.

Dewey also recommends starting small. If you’d rather not use containers, Dewey, who has had gardens ranging in size from half a football field to just a few plants, recommends starting with a garden that is between 8’x10’ and 10’x 10’ so that you don’t become overwhelmed.

 

Let’s get growing!

After you decide to start a family garden, it’s time to pick the perfect spot. Dan Cole, education specialist at Powell Gardens’ Heartland Harvest Garden and Fun Food Farm, recommends gardeners “pick a good spot with no shade and hopefully good soil.” As for planting food or flowers, Cole says, “My philosophy has always been if I’m going to grow it, I’m going to eat it.”

 

Help get your children excited about their own garden by reading books written just for them.  Many books suggest indoor activities that will get children excited about gardening. Some suggestions:

 

Great Gardening Books for Both You and Your Budding Gardener

Once you decide what and where you want to plant, it’s time to grab a pencil and some paper. Let your kids grab some crayons or markers. “Doodle and think about how you want your garden to look,” recommends Fusselman. Then, follow through with your plan, including your children every step of the way.

 

Overland Park mother Jennifer Bentch has gardened since her childhood. She is following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. Her backyard is now home to her own garden where her three young children are learning to share in one of her favorite hobbies. Each year, her children choose their own plants. They even take pictures with their plants to document growth.

 

Her children help her with everything from tilling to harvesting. She loves the lessons that are inherent with gardening and believes many of those lessons will serve them well in life. Patience is something that she knows gardening has helped her children cultivate. Bentch helps encourage them by taking them out to the garden to measure their plants every few days. Her children also learn about nutrition. Her oldest son was only 11 months old when he harvested his first tomato. Although he has never really cared for vegetables, he’s happy to eat from his family’s garden.

In addition to being the source for fresh salsa ingredients, a garden can be a place families can enjoy together from generation to generation. What’s not to love about that?

Elizabeth Welter lives and writes in Olathe where she hopes to develop her green thumb with her three young children.

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