How does your garden grow?

There are many reasons to try gardening with your kids. It’s a great way to enjoy a healthy, delicious diet while better understanding where your food comes from. Gardening gets you outside for a little exercise and fresh air. And, studies have shown, it’s great for mental as well as physical health.

Gardening doesn’t have to be a big, overwhelming project. There are lots of ways to achieve a ‘ do it yourself’ (DIY) simple garden with a creative theme. Families can experience the accomplishment of growing their own food, learning about nature, or just having fun digging in the dirt and creating something beautiful.

One themed garden project is to focus on a favorite food, like pizza. Decide on ingredients you can grow in your region (tomatoes, peppers, onions, herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, even eggplant or zucchini). Pick your location: it could be a raised bed in the yard, a big round pot or even a bunch of smaller pots. This garden can even look like a pizza, round and divided into “slices”—one for each type of ingredient/ plant. Plant, watch it grow, then eat!

Gardens can have any kind of theme that will excite your kids. A salsa garden would be tasty (tomatoes, tomatillos, scallions, cilantro, garlic). Flowers are fine too. A garden is a hands-on science project, where kids can enjoy learning no matter what their age. You can plant a garden to attract and feed butterflies, hummingbirds or other pollinators – and learn what pollinators are and why they are important!