Getting your littles one out!

After my post at the weekend about my two little ones gardening I had some lovely comments but a couple asked if they didn’t already have a veg garden for their children to play in how else could they get involved in gardening in the winter. Well there are a fair few ways just remember with it still being January try and take advantage of the sunshine. No child will find a love of gardening if they’re dragged out in rain and wind!

Painting pots : A lovely way to pass the time. Terracotta pots work the best but I’ve known people to decorate their plastics ones in stickers and sticky crafting foam which look to be a work of art in them selves.  On the clay pots acrylic is going to be the best bet for bright and longlasting colours!

Putting bulbs in : Do be careful on this one as some bulbs are poisonous. Either pot your little one in some gloves or get some safe bulbs. Ours adore daff-o-dillys which arent poisonous and some bulbs from the garden centre are already popping their shoots which the boys loved popping in the ground and them covering them up delicately with earth.

Making fat balls for the birds:  I’ve included the wording from the RSPB “You can make your own bird cake by pouring melted fat (suet or lard) onto a mixture of ingredients such as seeds, nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal, cheese and cake. Use about one-third fat to two-thirds mixture. Stir well in a bowl and allow it to set in a container of your choice. An empty coconut shell, plastic cup or tit bell makes an ideal bird cake ‘feeder’. Alternatively, you can turn it out onto your birdtable when solid”

Create a worm farm : Now if you have little boys they will love this! Simply get a large cardboard box and line it with a plastic bag. Fill it with soil and some worms from the garden. Let your kids pop in vegetable scraping’s from the garden every day and you should have some lovely compost eventually. Make sure you keep the worms in a shaded area and ensure it stay’s moist (not wet!!)

Plant garlic: Dig over some soil in the garden and weed it where you would like to grow the garlic. Separate the bulbs up in their individually cloves and remember to space them as each clove will grow into its own bulb. Push the garlic down in the soil and allow about 5mm (1/2cm) to stay sticking up out the top. They normally take about half a year to grow and its ready when the leaves turn yellow and collapse.

Jam jar beans: Wet a jam jar (don’t dry it out) roll up a piece of kitchen roll and pop it in the jar and press it up against the glass. Pop down between the glass and tissue your bean or pea of choice. Now pop it on a windowsill in the light and warmth and ensure the tissue stays damp and watch the little bean grow!

Herb garden: Choose three or four little pots and fill with earth and compost. Choose some quick growing seeds and sprinkle those gentle over the earth. Lightly sprinkle some more compost over the top of these and gentle water and very soon you should the seedlings appear and soon you can have your own fresh herbs to cut and enjoy.