Gift ideas for young gardeners
QMy young children have just recently begun expressing an interest in gardening. I’d like to nurture that interest with a few useful and appealing gifts at and after Christmas. Any ideas? I’d also appreciate ideas on keeping their interest alive between now and spring planting time. We are on the coast.
A: I’ve seen enticing child-size gardening tools in bright colours at some garden centres and gardeners’ gift and supply stores. Look, too, for small, child-manageable watering cans. Kids love watering.
Look for mild January and February days for venturing into the garden to choose a plot or plots for their own garden(s). The tools could be used to define, clear, and dig the areas. Do this only if the ground is well drained, not soggy with wetness. If the winter continues as wet as the fall has been, consider brightly coloured and/or patterned rubber boots.
Indoors, they could decorate and write their names on large wooden stakes or labels to indicate a cleared area is to be “Mary’s Garden.”
Seed racks usually start filling up at garden outlets in January. Make a list of easy flowers and vegetables the children like, then shop for seeds to plant in the spring. Nasturtium is ideal. The big seeds are easy to handle and plant. My son, when he was small, liked carrots best. I gave him large wooden labels to decorate and write on. On the label for his favourite vegetable he wrote VIC to stand for Very Important Carrots.
Another gift could be a few wide, shallow pots, planting mix and seeds for fast-growing leafy vegetables you think the children will like. Look for mescluns — blends of various leafy greens — and perhaps basil, spinach and kale. Grow the greens at a bright window and look forward to children’s salads. There’s another garden-related project: Preparing what you’ve grown for a meal.