Ready, set, sprout!
Spare time ideal for growing green thumbs
Even during one of the most extraordinary times in our lives, people turn toward Mother Earth for solace and sustenance.
And gardening has taken on a whole new meaning as people learn to navigate the new normal of their lives brought on by COVID- 19 — especially with the warm weather making its way into our lives and interest in gardening at an all-time high.
Plus the easing of visits to the country’s gardening and nursery businesses has everyone eager to get their hands in the dirt — and where there’s dirt, there’s dinner!
“Gardening is good for both the heart and soul,” says Canadian gardening guru Frank Ferragine, known across the nation as Frankie Flowers.
The award- winning author and media personality sees the pandemic crisis as a time for everyone — including kids — to get into the gardening spirit, even if they’ve never gardened before or live in “sky- high condos and the ever-shrinking backyard.”
“This is a good time to teach fundamentals and instil joy and enthusiasm in what our great outdoors offers,” said Ferragine, adding “food gardening gives you control over what you eat. And when you garden, you can count the steps, not the miles, your food took to get to your plate.”
Kids are champing at the bit, Ferragine said, and “now is the perfect time to instil the love of gardening, not to mention teach valuable lessons on the role of recycling into a young person’s mind.”
“One of the best ways to get kids eating better is have them grow their own food,” he said. “What better way of growing your own than jumping into the recycling bin or green bin to get children engaged in gardening and the environment?”
Ferragine supplied the following tips so parents can help their kids release their creative juices in the gardening department and grow their own junior green thumbs!
Milk carton
Turn a milk carton into a window garden. Cut the carton in half, then cut a window on the bottom section of the carton. Line the window with clear wrap, place in seed starting soil or potting soil and add a bean seed. Within a few days, beans will germinate; within a few weeks, you can open the window to see the roots.
clamshell containers
Clamshell containers are perfect for starting salad greens. Poke additional drainage holes in the base, add seed starting or potting soil, sow seeds of lettuce greens, lightly cover seeds and water, close clamshell lid ( this works as a greenhouse) and once seeds have sprouted, open lid and keep moist. In two to four weeks, you will have salad greens for a salad or sandwich.
Romaine stems
From the green bin, grab the bottom stem of romaine lettuce. Simply allow the stem to toughen ( it should be already; it cannot be a fresh cut), fill a pot with potting soil, push the section of romaine in and presto: A few days later, it will sprout and new leaves can be plucked and enjoyed!!
Egg cartons
The perfect seed starting vessel. Fill with Miracle Gro seed starting soil. Sow seeds, cover lightly and water.
Be careful not to move when wet — they fall apart.