Imagine this: It's snack time and your child feasts on sugar snap peas or fresh tomatoes right off the plant. Or, before supper you ask your child to pick some fresh parsley and lettuce for the family salad.  

Kids can learn great things from even a small pot of herbs or a container garden on the doorstep. They can experience planting a seed or transplanting a baby plant into the soil. They can learn what that plant needs to grow bigger and provide edible food. They can experience the joy of munching on a just-picked vegetable that is bursting with flavor and color.

And there's more! They can observe how the weather affects growing things.  They can see how other critters, from bugs to bunnies, love to munch  on their harvest. They will understand that the grocery store does not grow the food we buy, and appreciate for the many hands it takes to make food available.

Whether you grew up on a farm  or  you think you have a "black thumb", you can enjoy gardening with your kids.  You might be surprised to find that you children already know about gardening and can teach you some things. Many schools are growing seedlings or even planting a community garden.

 Pick A Manageable Project

Start small.  You don't need much room to grow one or two veggies.  You can put a plant in a pot, a large tub, or a special gardening box (like those available at www.Earthbox.com).  Or, you can dip up a small patch of your yard (even even a flower bed) and plant it with edible stuff. 

Depending on your region of the country, you'll need to know what time of year to plant and where to put your garden since most vegetables need 6-8 hours of sunlight each day. Visit your local plant store and ask.  You can also call or visit the website of your state extension program for ideas.  

 For new gardeners, buying plants (instead of seeds) is often more satisfying. Buy 2 or 3 extra in case little hands break the plant before it gets into the soil. And remember, there are many amazing veggies to grow: imagine the thrill of watching eggplants, watermelon or pumpkins take shape!

 Dig Getting Dirty

You can buy the kids and yourself some inexpensive gardening gloves.  But, enjoy the dirt.  Kids naturally love it, and you can expect dirt to end up on shoes, clothes, hair, faces, and your rug.  An outdoor hose really helps. For some enthusiastic dirt-lovers, an extra pan of dirt or a patch of garden "just for digging" or making mud pies can be great fun. 

There are many garden tools that are useful like a shovel and hoe, and you can find smaller versions for children.  However, a "digger" for each person is important.  Most gardening stores have inexpensive "trowels" that are rounded on the end for digging into soil. Kids also love a watering can or a hose with sprayer attachment.

The right soil is important.  Buy good potting soil.  If you're planting directly into the ground, mix in lots of the potting soil with the earth. 

Assign Jobs

What a great chance for kids to learn how to provide proper care for plants. No matter how young, it's a thrill to water the growing veggies and watch them getting bigger. Knowing when to start harvesting is also a skill.  Over enthusiastic gardeners will be tempted to pick every day, so reading about gardening ahead of time can be a big help.  

Some gardening books: 

 Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

 A Harvest of Color: Growing a Vegetable Garden by Melanie Eclare

 Grow Vegetables: Gardens-Yards-Balconies-Roof Terraces by Alan Buchingham

 Stories about gardens:

 The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin

 How Groundhog's Garden Grew by Lynn Cherry

 Make a watering schedule, and assign who will be responsible each day. As plants getting bigger and the weather gets hotter, children will learn that that more water is required. Plants don't like to be over-watered or under-watered, so this is part of the skill you and your children will acquire.

The Most Fun: Eating the Harvest

What could be more fun for a child than serving food that you grew, picked and prepared yourself.  Since freshly picked veggies are so delicious, healthy and beautiful, why add other ingredients? Let your kids wash and slice the vegetables, and maybe add a healthy dip on the side (see Feeding the Kids for ideas on dips and other healthy foods featuring vegetables).  

Celebrate with garden pictures so you can remember to do it again next year.  Help your children share their enthusiasm with grandparents and teachers.  And remember to start planning for next year when you might want to expand your garden or even plant an extra row to share. Or, maybe start a community garden with the neighbors or your church. 

Ellie Taylor