Any tips for introducing kids to gardening?
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What's the best way to get young children interested in gardening?
This is easy – Easter is the perfect time to get gardening. Seed sowing has to be the most magical experience for children of that age. Invest in some seed trays, seed compost and some very fast germinating seeds such as radish, cress or lettuce seed.
If you have a greenhouse then this makes life far easier and will encourage germination. If not put your seed trays on a sunny windowsill. Get the children to make their own labels and keep a diary about the growing process. You could even ask them to sow the seed in the shape of the first letter of their name.
It is well worth investing in some children’s tools so that they can work the soil. Ask them to pick out the stones and weeds and they can then start to create their own flower or vegetable garden. Some children will love just being able to dig a hole.
In a larger garden then how about starting off a compost heap and getting the children to create layers of cut grass, weeds, shredded paper and uncooked kitchen waste. The messier the job, the more fun.
Tamsin Westhorpe - Editor, The English Garden magazine
