{"id":2291,"date":"2013-07-26T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T14:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/?p=2291"},"modified":"2021-02-09T22:48:18","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T04:48:18","slug":"its-not-too-late-for-gardening-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/its-not-too-late-for-gardening-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Not Too Late for Gardening with Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did your summer pass you by without giving you the time to garden with your kids? You haven\u2019t absolutely missed your chance to garden with your kids!<\/p>\n

\"Gardening
Photo by Flickr user kurtknock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Time spent gardening is an excellent time to talk to your kids about life, to teach them about science and growing plants, personal responsibility, and it\u2019s a fun way to get them out of the house and into the sunshine with purpose. Get them their own pair of garden gloves and teach them to pull any weeds they can, but step in and help if a weed is too large or prickly.<\/p>\n

The success of any summer gardening endeavor is dependent on fighting the sun. Keep the soil moist and soil temperature lower than 80 degrees Fahrenheit to keep plants healthy. This can be achieved through the use of drip irrigation bottles buried in the soil, shade netting over the plants themselves, and any natural shade from trees. Creating and installing the first two are enjoyable kids\u2019 activities.<\/p>\n

Growing their own vegetables is one of the best ways to get kids, especially picky eaters, to expand their palates; a child is more likely to eat something he or she is personally invested in. When choosing varieties of any vegetable for a summer garden, be sure to pick a winter-resistant variety that fits in with your climate zone (which you can easily find on the USDA website to check against seed packets). Add 14 days to the maturity date on the seed packet or seedling information tab to find your planting date.<\/p>\n

Here are some things you can plant with kids now to get them out in the garden and interested in vegetables:<\/p>\n