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A Garden Makeover
2
If you want to let the kids
loose in the garden with the idea of creating a
garden makeover but you’re afraid of the result,
let them think what they would like and then
submit a plan to you - or someone else whom you
trust. In this way it can still be a surprise
for you and you could have them copy the ending
of those popular TV makeovers by having a
special celebration complete with blindfold.
Some ideas for simple
makeovers with a low budget would be the
addition of pot plants under trees or hanging
pots from low branches; adding purchased
stepping stones; edging an existing garden with
bricks, rocks or bought edging or adding outdoor
wind chimes and/or statues. A birdbath will add
both coolness to the garden and give a place for
birds to cool off.
Any kind of shallow
container could be used for a water feature.
Simply setting a found container in the garden,
filling it with water and planting some
flowering annuals of perennials nearby would
enhance the garden and give your child a great
deal of satisfaction. If your child is big on
enthusiasm, but short on ideas, bring home some
books from the local library, or take them
walking past other gardens for ideas. The local
nursery could also be a place for ideas.
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Kids Growing Giants
Kids love to grow seeds that
germinate quickly and giant red mustard is one of the Asian greens
that will not only poke its shoots out quickly, but continue to grow well in
the cooler months of autumn and early winter. It is so attractive that it
can take a place in the flower garden as well. If planted in the hot
weather, Asian greens will bolt to seed, so April and May are the ideal
time.
To keep them growing quickly,
fertilise with liquid fertilizer once a fortnight. Asian greens include bok
choy, pak choy, tatsoi, kailan and Chinese cabbage as well as giant red
mustard. Many can be found in the same packet and can all be planted
together.
They can be thinned out as they grow
if they seem to be too close together. Those that are removed can be
transplanted or eaten. Don’t sow the whole packet all at once, but keep some
for another two or three weeks so that you’ll have another crop coming on.
Watch out for slugs and snails, as
they simply adore Asian greens. Protect the plants with bait - but be
careful that little children and pets don’t get near the poison. Also try
placing a barrier of thick sawdust around the garden. Snails don’t like
trying to slide over that. Growing them in a pot or box on a sunny patio can
solve the snail problem.
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Kids growing Broad Beans by
Bev Boorer
Broad beans have lovely big, fat seeds that kids will
delight to plant in the garden. They can be planted in May in climates
similar to Sydney and Melbourne. Broad beans love lime and potash. The first
should be mixed in with the soil when digging and raking while the latter
should be sprinkled over the top after planting and watered in. this will
help to keep them free of disease.
Choose the broad beans that have red flowers. Why? Just
because kids love bright colour, so they will enjoy seeing their broad beans
with brightly coloured flowers. Broad beans are ideal to grow in the garden
because they actually put nitrogen back into the soil. So the next crop you
grow can be something that loves lots of nitrogen.
Broad bean seeds can be planted out 15-20 cm apart -
but if they are closer it doesn’t matter. You can make a furrow, or simply
push them into the soil to the depth of your finger. They will take two or
three weeks to germinate, so push a small stick in next to each seed. Then
you’ll remember where you planted them.
There are two ways to eat broad beans. Pick them when
young and eat them as you would ordinary beans, or let them grow a bit more
and shell them. You then discard the pods and only eat the seeds.
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Growing
sprouts
When the weather is freezing cold
and kids simply cannot get out into the garden, it’s the ideal time to
introduce them to growing sprouts. What are they? Sprouts are seeds that
have gone through the germination process and are just beginning to show
their first set of leaves. Seeds that have been sprouted in a controlled and
clean environment are extremely nutritious. We often see sprouted alfalfa (lucerne)
seeds in the sandwich shop, ready to go on top of your salad sandwich.
Showing kids how to sprout their own
seed will teach them all about germination and also provide a nutritious -
and cheap - supplement to the family diet. Use seeds from a health food
shop, not those marketed for planting out in the garden. These often have
fungicide or pesticides added.
Equipment needed for sprouting
seeds: -
Place 1 tablespoon of seed into the
jar and half fill with tepid water. Fix the pantyhose over the top of the
jar. Let it stand overnight or for 2-4 hours, then drain off by tipping the
jar up. The pantyhose will keep the seeds in, but let the water out. Swish
the water and seeds around the jar so that they stick to the sides rather
than clumping at the bottom. After this pour water over the seeds twice a
day and drain if off immediately. This will wash away any toxins and keep
the seeds moist.
The jar should be kept in a warm
dark place such as the kitchen cupboard near the pipes, which have warm
water draining through them. It could also be kept on the cupboard and
covered with a cloth. If the jar is kept on its side, the seeds will be less
likely to clump together and not sprout.
After 4-5 days or when the sprouts
are about 2 cm long, place the jar on a sunny windowsill for about 4 hours.
The light will make them go green and they will then be ready to eat. If you
want to wash away the brown seed shells, submerge the sprouts in water and
most will float to the top. Kids will be fascinated to watch the process of
germination and eating their own sprouts will keep them healthy. Other sees
that can be sprouted are mung beans, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, barley,
rice and wheat. After sprouting, keep them in the refrigerator.
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Kids
Making Seed Pots
When spring is in the air we start to think about
planting seeds in the garden, but some seeds are only small and need special
care to germinate and grow a little before they are put out into the garden.
Without this extra care they will either fail to germinate due to the soil
drying out, or they will germinate only to have snails or some hungry insect
gobble up the tender shoots. So to save your seeds grow them in pots first.
The only trouble with growing seeds in pots is that
they sometimes suffer transplant shock when you remove the plant from the
pot. This is because the delicate roots have been crushed or broken when
trying to get them out of the pots. You need a magic wand to make that pot
suddenly disappear. Or you could plant them in special pots that will
disappear…
You can get a pot that will last just long enough to
grow seeds until they are ready for the garden by making one out of
newspaper.
You will need:
- A drinking glass with straight sides.
- Newspaper.
- Scissors.
- And perhaps some sticky tape.
Do this:
- Measure the height of the glass.
- Cut the newspaper sheets into long strips 2-3 cm
wider than the glass is high - and much longer.
- Wrap 2 strips loosely around the glass
several times with the excess at the bottom.
- Fold in the excess like you would wrap a present.
- Carefully slide the glass out just a little way.
- Pinch all around the edges of the folded part.
This will help your paper glass to stand and help to stop it unfolding.
- Take the glass out.
- Carefully fold down the top of your paper glass
about 2 cm to the inside.
- If the bottom unfolds you can secure it with one
strip of sticky tape, but be sure to remove this before planting, as
sticky tape will not rot down.
If you make
several paper glasses you will have enough seed pots to place one seed in
each. Stand them together on a tray and fill them with potting mix very
carefully. When your plants are ready for the garden, simply pop the
paper cup into a hole the same size. It will soon rot away.
Hint: Just before planting cut or tear slits in
the sides of the paper glass to help the roots escape.
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Making Snail Traps -Bev
Boorer
No matter what kind of seeds you plant, there will
nearly always be a hungry snail or slug ready to start chomping as soon as
it is dark. You can sprinkle snail bait around, but pets will sometimes
nibble on this and may die because it is poisonous. Rather than take the
risk of losing your pet, make your own snail and slug trap - with stale
beer. It is quite simple.
You will need:
- A margarine container or something similar.
- Stale beer.
- A trowel to dig a hole in the garden.
Do this:
- Ask Dad or Mum for some stale beer.
- Dig a hole in the garden just big enough to hold
your container. The top of the container should be level with the top of
the ground.
- Place the container into the hole and smooth the
soil around the edges so the snails can slide right up to the edge.
- Fill the container up with stale beer. The snails
and slugs love the smell. They will fall in and drown.
- Empty the container and snails out every day, or
it will become very smelly.
Hint 1: Place the container near your plants so
the snails will go to it, instead of eating the plants.
Hint 2: If you cannot get stale beer, ask mum to
save up all the eggshells. Dry them out in the sun for a few days, and then
crush them into eggshell grit. Sprinkle this around your plants to keep off
snails and slugs. They don’t like sliding over the sharp pieces of grit.
Hint 3: If you use commercial snail bait, hide
it under rocks or a short length of timber. Slugs and snails can still get
it, but pets won’t be able to. Always wash hands after using it, even though
you have sprinkled it from the packet.
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Growing carrots by Bev Boorer
Carrots are not that easy for kids
to grow in the garden because the seed is very fine. This means that the top
layer of soil where they are planted tends to dry out too quickly to allow
successful germination, or get washed away if the kids are too enthusiastic
with the hose. But don’t let this stop you getting those kids to grow
carrots. They can do it in a container much more easily.
While it is possible to grow carrots
in a foam box, using a deep pot can also be a good alternative. A pot is
easier for those little fingers to handle and light enough for them to carry
it off to a sunnier position after the seed germinates. So choose a small
pot, but make it deeper by inserting a roll of waxed cardboard, or several
layers from a glossy brochure catalogue. The paper in this kind of catalogue
is stronger than newspaper. Make the pot twice as deep in this way.
Once the paper has been fixed in,
fill the pot up with potting mix, reserving the last several centimetres for
a finer seed-raising mixture. Don’t fill it right to the top of course, or
your water – and seed – will just run off the top.
Carefully put one or two carrot
seeds in the pot, following the directions on the packet. Keep the pot in
the shade and spray it carefully with water in an old spray bottle such as
you get for cleaning products. Twice a day is not too much if it is hot. You
can also place a small plastic bag over the top to shorten the germination
time.
Once the carrot has germinated it
can be carried to a sunny position. Carrots have feathery tops, so your
child will be able to identify the shoot easily from any weed seeds that may
have blown into the pot. Don’t stop at just one pot of course, but do a
whole line-up. Once the carrots are a decent size, one can be pulled for
eating raw, while the other can be left to grow bigger.
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Growing Squash
Kids love to see quick results when
they plant things in the garden and vegetable seeds are both easy to
germinate and quick to grow. Yellow or white bush squash are fascinating
plants that grow quickly into a fairly large bush that flowers and sets the
squash in the middle of the plant.
The squash can be harvested quite
quickly too, because they are picked well before they grow to any large
size. If you have bought them from the supermarket you’ll notice they are
only as round as a small child’s palm.
Children will find them fun and easy
to grow simply by digging a small circle and placing three seeds in a
triangle inside it. Show them how to sprinkle a little organic fertilizer
over the circle first and rake it in. Or they can be purchased from the
nursery ready to plant out.
It won’t be long before the plant
starts to flower and these will be in the centre of the bushy shape. The
stalks and even the leaves are covered with stiff hair that can be quite
prickly, so encourage the children to wear gloves when they are
investigating their squash.
They will be interested to see that
some of the flowers will form fruit at their base as they die off, while
others will not. These are the male and female flowers, but you can choose
whether you go into that explanation or not. If the child is very young,
they will be more interested in seeing the squash form that any
explanations. And once the squash is big enough to pick they will be proud
to see them on the plates at tea time.
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Growing Coloured Lettuce
March is the ideal time to grow
lettuce. As the days become cooler it will not be so inclined to bolt into
seed. Lettuce seed usually germinates quite quickly so it is a good plant
for kids to grow as they won’t lose interest before the plants show up. It
also transplants readily so buying the seedlings may be preferred.
For added interest, why not
encourage the children to grow several varieties of lettuce. There are: -
-
Leaf Lettuce varieties.
-
Romaine or Cos lettuce.
-
Butterhead lettuce
-
Crisphead lettuce.
·
The leaf lettuce comes in various reds and
greens that look very attractive grown next to each other. Ruby and New Red
Fire are two leaf lettuce varieties that are coloured. Children will enjoy
making little plant markers to indicate which seed they planted where. The
best thing about leaf lettuce is that it can be picked sooner than lettuce
that grows into a head.
Lettuce seeds can be started in a
small pot and planted out when large enough to handle. To save root damage
during transplanting, try one of those newspaper pots that you can
make yourself.
When planting, follow the
instructions on the packet. Romaine and Butterhead lettuce take up less
space than other kinds of heading lettuce, while the leaf lettuce can be
grown in an even smaller spot. Lettuce can also grow in semi-shade, unlike
most other vegetables.
Never water lettuce plants while the
sun is hot as that will burn the leaves. Watering them in the late afternoon
is best. Lettuce needs plenty of water and will be improved by an
application of soluble fertiliser every so often. Snails love lettuce, so
make sure they are protected from such pests.
Copyright Bev Boorer 2010
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Sprouting seeds
Sprouting seeds is a fun thing to do
even if you don’t want to eat them. The most popular seed for sprouting is
alfalfa seed, otherwise known as Lucerne in Australia. But why do we sprout
seed? Usually, people sprout seed because they like to eat them just after
they have germinated and before they have grown leaves. The root is still
short and fat and the stem is there, but no leaves.
People like to eat sprouted seeds
because they are extremely nutritious. You might see bean sprouts in Chinese
or Indian food. Buying sprouts can be fairly expensive, but growing your own
is really cheap. It is easy and doesn’t take very long; 2-3 days, usually.
So how do you sprout seed?
Things you need: A largish glass jar
with a wide mouth, seed, a piece of cheesecloth or clean pantyhose and a
rubber band.
What to do:
-
In the evening, place one or two tablespoons of alfalfa seed in the jar
and half fill it with water that is just lukewarm.
-
Cover the mouth of the jar with the cloth and fix it in place with the
rubber band. Leave overnight.
-
Next morning tip the water out. The seed will not come out due to the
cloth being in place.
-
Add some more water and swirl the jar around so that the seeds stick to
the sides.
-
At breakfast time tip the water out carefully. Place the jar and seeds
into a warm, dark cupboard. Under the sink is ideal.
-
At lunch time repeat the rise and tip process.
-
At teatime do it again and leave the seeds and jar in the cupboard until
next morning.
-
Repeat the rise and tip steps all the next day.
-
By the third day your seeds should be sprouted enough to eat.
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Growing
Cress and Mustard
The great thing about growing cress
and mustard is that it can be planted at any time of the year and it is
ready to harvest in four to six weeks. For kids who like quick results,
these are the plants to grow.
Prepare two or more boxes or pots so
that the seeds can be grown separately. Use a good quality seed raising mix
or soil and mix in some general fertiliser. Sprinkle the seeds liberally on
top, covering them with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite. They should
be kept damp until the seeds germinate – about a week in winter, but much
more quickly in warmer weather.
Don’t worry about thinning the
seedlings when they emerge, just place them in a sunny spot to grow. A spray
bottle is good to water these seedlings with – you can also use it to keep
the soil damp while they germinate.
Once these little plants measure
10-15 cm you can cut them off just above ground level with a pair of
scissors and add them to sandwiches, salads or stews. If you want to have a
good supply, plant pots of them successively – at about two weeks apart.
Copyright Bev Boorer 2010
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It’s Great
to Grow Herbs
Children might like to start their
own herb garden. This can be anything from a couple of square metres to a
few pots placed on a sunny step or balcony. Many are suitable to grow in the
rockery or as a border to the flower garden. However, others are quite
invasive so should be kept for pots.
Herbs are generally small plants
that are either annuals or perennials. They germinate easily and are low
maintenance, making them ideal for children to grow. They can be used to
flavour the food we eat, nibbled at in their raw state or made into tea or
used in many other ways.
Copyright Bev
Boorer 2010
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Growing orchids
Orchids are not that hard
to grow and will reward you with beautiful
blooms often for three months duration - much
longer than annuals bloom for. While they do
have rather different needs from other plants,
it is not impossible for kids to grow them,
especially if there is an area of dappled shade
such as under a tree. The requirements for
orchids really only concern four things:-
-
Light. Most orchids
need to be grown in dappled shade such as is
found under a tree or on the patio or
veranda in strong light but not direct
sunlight.
-
Humidity. In areas that
have low humidity, this can be addressed by
placing the orchid container on rocks over a
saucer of water. The roots must not be
allowed to stay in water or root rot will be
the result.
-
Watering. Orchids like
water, but it must drain freely and the
media they are in should be quite dry right
through before each watering.
-
Media. what orchids
grow in is important. Soil from the garden
or standard potting mix will not do. Using
commercial potting mix is the easiest way to
pot them up. Most orchids prefer to grow in
bark or pebbles.
Many orchids take their
nutrition from the air and water. these can be
found growing on trees or rocks in their natural
habitiat. Be sure to choose a variety of orchid
that suits your area.
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Kids
‘n Dirt
Most kids love messing around in
dirt and this makes it very easy to encourage them to become gardeners. But
they also like to see fast results for their efforts so growing vegetable
seeds that germinate quickly is another way to get them to stay motivated.
If they can also harvest those vegetables and eat them right off the plant
they will surely be hooked on gardening. It will be play to them rather than
work.
Some parents tend to discourage
their kids from playing in the garden due to the fact of getting their shoes
and clothes so dirty. This can be minimised by getting rubber boots for them
to wear, or else let them wear their oldest joggers that can simply be hosed
off and let dry in the sun. Gardening clothes can be kept for those times in
the garden and to keep their good clothes clean. And since kids tend to wipe
their hands on their clothes a gardening apron might be even better than
special clothes.
Kids should have their own patch of
dirt to play in whether it is for growing stuff or just for play. However,
if Mum or Dad encourage them to grow plants it won’t be long before the
habit is established. You may be surprised at just what results can be
obtained by kids messing around with dirt.
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Kids
‘n Pots
Kids often love to grow things in
pots, but why not let them decorate their own pots first? This will give
them an added interest in creating a thing of beauty. For younger children,
pot decorations can be as simple as slathering paint over the outside in any
kind of pattern, or gluing shells or pebbles into a pattern on one side.
An older child might enjoy winding
thin rope right around the outside of the pot and gluing it on with a hot
glue gun. Or they could use the rope to create an interesting shape on one
side. Pots that are going to be kept indoors or on the veranda can be
wrapped in foil or have coloured paper glued onto them, or stickers made
from contact paper shapes placed around them.
In fact, small pots decorated in
such ways can often be used for storage of toys. The holes in the bottom of
the pots can be closed over with coloured tape or left if larger toys are
going to be placed inside them. Decorating pots is a good way to keep kids
busy on those days when they are bored or it is too cold to play in the
garden. Decorated pots will look attractive when placed in a row on the
veranda and filled with herbs or flowers. Make sure there is a saucer under
each one to catch the drips though, or that muddy water will stain the
floor.
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Kids
growing rockets
Not the kind that blasts off, or
course, but rocket, the salad herb. Since kids mostly like to see results
quickly, rocket is an ideal plant for them to grow as it will be ready for
picking within a few weeks, so long as it is given plenty of water and
liquid fertiliser. Some children may even develop a taste for the peppery
leaves which can be mixed with other salad greens. Rocket can be sown by
seed into finely raked, damp soil or into pots with seed-raising mixture. Or
it can be planted out from seedlings purchased at the nursery. Sometime even
supermarkets have a seedling stand.
Rocket is not the only quick growing
plant of course. You can also try growing other salad greens such as mizuna,
baby spinach and lettuce, endive and chicory. In fact you can buy a packet
of mixed salad green seeds and it is exciting for kids to see what comes up.
Lettuce does prefer spring to
summer, when they may tend to bolt, or go to seed quickly in the heat. But
if you live in a cooler climate lettuce of all different colours will
fascinate children and they are easy to grow too. These can be grown by seed
of seedling too, but you will have to watch out for slugs and snails.
Copyright Bev Boorer 2010
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Autumn
- Gardening with Helen
Autumn is just beginning here while
in other parts of the world spring has sprung. Both seasons are good times
to be out in the garden. Here the weather is generally pleasant – not too
hot, cool, rainy or windy – just right for parents and kids to join forces
in the garden.
Weed pulling and bulb planting are
great jobs for children. Flowering annuals that are past their prime should
come out too to make room for autumn plantings. Cosmos are an example. Mum
or Dad can loosen the plants if necessary and the kids can follow behind to
pull them out. The taller the plant they remove, the more satisfaction the
kids get. Even very small children like wheeling a barrow. Load it up with
weeds for the compost and let the kids wheel it for you.
While shopping, let the kids choose
some bulbs from the pictures on the packets. After you have loosened the
soil, allow the kids to dig the holes and plant the bulbs. Many bulbs can be
grown in pots too. This is a good way for your child to have his own
special bulb and to keep an eye on its progress.
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Jobs
before the weather is too cold- by Helen
Even toddlers can be involved in the
garden. Autumn is an ideal time for pulling out spent plants. Toddlers who
can be frustrating plant pullers when you are trying to weed, come into
their own when allowed to pull up the tomatoes that have finished fruiting
or the marigolds that the first frost has ruined.
Pre-schoolers can
-
rake leaves and weeds into piles
-
push the barrow
-
spread compost
-
water with hose or watering can
-
gather bark in a basket for the
fire inside
-
gather pinecones
-
be sent on a creature hunt to be
your eyes for snails, caterpillars and other bugs.
When all this is done, they’ll love
to dig holes and plant seeds. ABC gardening personality Sophie Thomson
suggests Sweet Peas which germinate quickly and will grow tall. They bear
colourful, sweet smelling flowers in spring.
Older children, under your guidance,
will love to prune with secateurs. They can cut off pieces of grape vine or
trailing plants that have got out of control. Gardening is so much more
enjoyable when your kids are involved.
Copyright 2009 (Bev Boorer)
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Gardening with Helen
The
Garden shed
The garden shed is a great place for
kids to learn. Pegboards for tools are the way to go in the shed. Kids will
love to trace the outlines for you and will also like replacing the tools on
the board. This will help them to sort, see the relationship between shapes
- an aspect of maths - and can also give counting practise. Language is
another learning area. There are the names of the tools themselves, their
uses and the safety measures necessary. Where I live, Bunnings regularly
gives kids workshops on all manner of things from craft to planting, to
using tools. If a service isn’t available where you live, take on the job
yourself. It will be fun and worthwhile jobs will get done at the same time.
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Gardening with Helen
A
tree to climb
As a child my favourite place in the
garden was up in the pussy willow tree or under it collecting some of the pussies or
picking leaves. This tree was so loved that I determined to grow one for my
own children when I had a family. I did grow the tree, but it didn’t fulfil
my expectations as it clumped too densely whereas my original one had great
trunks and lots of branches ideal for sitting on. Climbing trees are a great
addition to a family garden and winter is a good time to plant. Elders and pistacias grow quite quickly and will be available bare branched in
nurseries now. However, in my reading up on climbing trees, I discover that the absolute favourite
is a mulberry tree which grows quickly. It will have fruit within three years
and also leaves to feed silkworms – an added bonus if you have a school aged
child. Wattle trees are also quick to grow, easy to climb and will be loved
by birds for the nectar the wattle blooms provide.
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Gardening with Helen
Photos
in the garden
Last year I talked about kids taking
digital photos themselves
(Kids and cameras). Winter
time is a great time for them to take some more photos. Bare trees are
particularly beautiful with their lacework of branches against a sky of grey
or blue. Other interesting photos can be of the wood heap, frost on the
grass, magpies finding worms, pools or dishes of water that have turned to
ice, dogs or horses wearing rugs, the family rugged up and working in the
garden and of course any winter blooms that brighten your place.
19th August is Daffodil
Day to support cancer patients. Why not plant daffodils on that day or take
a photo of the daffodils in your garden if you already have some planted?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gardening
with Helen
Spring
is around the corner
Where I live it is still very cold
but I made the effort in the past week to begin preparing the vegetable
garden for spring planting. The days are getting longer and the willows are
bursting into leaf and soon winter hibernation will end. There was some rain
too so pulling weeds was quite easy. Children like to be involved in real
jobs so digging with tools, spreading manure from buckets, raking it over
and spreading leaves or hay as mulch will be jobs even pre-schoolers can do
and will help them to feel important. They should wear their boots, and
gardening gloves are a good idea. Then a visit to the nursery to select a
couple of punnets of plants for planting into pots for the time being will
be fun too. Many nursery plants will grow quite quickly if planted into
individual pots and put in warm spaces, ready to plant out when frosts have
gone and the root system has developed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gardening
with Helen
An
easy bonsai
Willow trees herald the spring each
year as they are the first trees to burst into leaf. They are quickly
followed by wattle and blossoms. After the drabness of brown grass in
winter, spring is a feast of colour with flowers appearing and the first
good rain brings green to the grass. Spring is an invitation to get
children outdoors and engaged in the garden both looking at and doing
things. Sprigs of willow set in water take root quickly and children will
take an interest in watching for the roots to appear. Once rooted let the
children plant the small willow pieces in pots to make their own bonsai
tree. Keep the water up to the pots or stand them in a pool where they can
provide shade for tadpoles and fish. Let children experiment with different
lengths and circumference of willow stick to see how long they take to grow
roots and which ones make the style of tree they like best.
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Gardening with Helen
Kids
‘n Forests
The year is drawing to a close and
this year has been the international year of forests. Over 80% of the
ancient forests on earth have already been destroyed so talking is not
enough, we need to act to prevent further destruction.
What do your children know about
forests? Is there a forest near where you live? Ask your children to think
of ways they can help look after a forest. If there isn’t a forest that you
can visit, help your child to buy and plant a tree either at home or at
school or in a park or community area. You may need to get permission from
the land owners e.g. the council.
One thing we can do as home
gardeners is to make sure that we don’t let feral plants escape into the
bush. Help your child to identify plants that fall into the feral category,
such as lantana and privet and remove them. When buying plants at a nursery,
choose ones that don’t threaten the indigenous bush in your area.
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with Helen
Christmas
Plants
Many seeds germinate very quickly
and a potted seedling makes an excellent Christmas present. So many of the
Child Care centres have vegetable gardens now, and the children take a real
interest in growing plants and would love to take one home. A small pot is
ideal for a tomato seedling, or a bean or two or a zucchini or cucumber.
There is still time for the children to get a seedling started before
Christmas.
Another idea is to allow the
children to choose a packet of seeds to give as a gift to parents. Purchase
seeds suitable for summer planting in your area, and let the children choose
from the pictures on the front of the packets.
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Starting little kids in the garden
by Bev Boorer
Often it is what we learn as a child
that stays with us through our adult years and gives us great pleasure. If
you want your child to develop a passion for gardening the best time to
start them off is as soon as they can toddle around. They can do
delightfully messy things such as watering potplants or scuffling in the
dirt with tiny gardening implements.
If they are started young, by the
time they are two, they will have a good idea of planting, watering and
growing plants. However, some parents think that before two is far too young
to allow a child to mess with the garden. But by the time they are two years
old they can really understand what you say to them, so it is far easier to
teach them the basics.
Of course they are still too young
to dig up a garden from scratch, but once the earth has been dug and big
lumps broken up, you will be surprised what your child can accomplish – with
a little help from you, of course.
Allowing them to see a large seed
germinating in a jar will help them to understand what happens when they
plant seeds. Letting them then plant larger seeds in rows and cover them
over will have some meaning and they are not so likely to go back later and
try to find the seeds.
They will probably forget about them
after a few days, but then when quick germinating seeds such as beans show
through they will be amazed and delighted.
No matter what age your kids are,
make sure that they understand safety requirements such as wearing boots or
sturdy shoes and washing their hands afterwards.
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Gardening with Helen
Garden fun with dogs
Winter is
a great time to have some fun in your garden with the family dog. With
holidays starting, give the dog some extra attention every day outside.
Begin with a brisk walk around so the dog will have a chance to toilet
himself and to sniff out any interesting smells. Then prepare to play.
Dogs like
to run, roll, fetch and carry, wrestle, jump, catch and chase.
Have a
selection of toys such as balls, frisbees and chewing toys, ready to throw.
Get the kids to set up an obstacle course so both dog and child can go
under, over, around and through things. Dogs also like to play tug-a-war
with ropes or plaited material. Some like to play at catching bubbles.
Play time
can vary according to the age, size and fitness of the dog. It’s important
to stop if the animal seems tired or too hot. Remember to have drinking
water easily accessible. Slow down activities should follow after vigorous
games, just as an athlete slows down. This would be a good time to groom the
dog . Check the paws too, especially if some of the games have been on rough
surfaces or there are prickles in your garden. Encourage the kids to take
photos of their pet in the garden too.
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Plant
for the spring.
The
weather in August has ranged from snow to almost summer temperatures in some
regions. The first of September is the first day of spring and people who
live in the cold regions will be hoping that winter is really on the way
out. Look for something really bright to plant. Pansies are lovely and will
flower right into summer. Get some that have buds forming and it won't be
long before the kids will see the flowers. Pansies do well in pots as well
as the garden beds.
First of
September is also wattle day. Buy a wattle tree or some wattle seeds to
plant in the garden. Pick some sprigs of wattle and help the kids to press
them between paper sheets with a heavy book on top. They can use the pressed
sprigs to make lovely gift cards
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The
threat of magpies
Last week
when I arrived at one of the pre-schools, I was just in time to see a magpie
swoop above a parent’s head. He hadn’t even had time to read the notice
outside the gate warning of this type of springtime behaviour. Inside the
playground, children all wearing their hats, were not swooped by the bird at
all. There are 6 magpies who patrol the land at my own place. They never
attack the family, but have been known to swoop unknown people in spring. It
is always safest to wear a hat at nesting time, when walking past parks or
areas where there are tall trees. Magpies are intelligent, beautiful birds
and I love their melodious warbling. It is only a short time each year when
they can be dangerous and I am always sad to hear that a bird has been
killed because it has defended its territory too well. The magpie near the
pre-school will be respected, and its behaviour is interesting and
informative for the children and their parents. Staff and kids look forward
to seeing the young when they take flight soon from a nearby tree.
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Growing sweet peas
Sweet peas have a wonderful perfume
so are rewarding for young and old alike.
1)
Help your child to make a tee-pee of bamboo or garden stakes big
enough to creep inside
2)
Rub the sweet pea seeds on light sandpaper at the side, not where the
root will grow. Then soak in water overnight so the seed swells.
3)
Plant the seeds at the base of the tee-pee about 2 cms deep and 10
cms apart.
4)
Water gently then cover the framework with netting to protect the
shoots as they emerge.
5)
When plants have about two or three sets of leaves, the netting can
be removed.
6)
Gently help the plants to wind around the tep-ee. In spring, your
child will have a fragrant tent to sit inside.
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Smelling
and seeing the spring
Although the wattle trees have been
a delight for a month in many areas, September 1st is the first
day of spring in Australia.
It isn’t too late to plant for
spring. Buy packets of alyssum seeds and cosmos seeds for your kids to
plant. These will grow quickly, smell sweet and bloom over summer too. Take
your kids to the nurseries where you live to see sweet peas, lilly-of-the-valley,
and pansies which also have sweet perfumes. If you have room for a climber
get some wisteria or some jasmine and plant it over a trellis to make a
kid’s cubby house that will have a delightful perfume as well as giving
shade.
If you live in a capital city take a
trip to the botanical gardens. Sydney’s Royal Botanical Gardens have a
special spring walk. There you will see masses of tulips, pansies, bulbs,
rhododendrons, wisteria, roses, other flowers and blossom trees that will
take your breath away and inspire you to get into your garden even if it is
only a balcony size. The herb garden too is a mass of flowers and scents in
spring and butterflies abound there.
With warmer days and more sun it is
a perfect time to pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it on the lawns in a park
somewhere. Go home inspired to get your own garden blooming.
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Pizza
gardens
Many pre-schools have raised garden
beds now and teachers help the children to plant seeds or punnets of seedlings. They
watch them grow then eat the harvest. If your centre has a number of raised
beds, this coming term would be a good time to plant each bed with plants
that will be used on pizzas. One bed can have tomatoes, another basil and
parsley, and the third onions or shallots and capsicum. Children will love
to water with a watering can. At the end of the term help the children to
make pizzas for their lunch using the tomatoes, the onions and herbs, plus
cheese. Of course the same idea can be used in home gardens.
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Copyright Helen Evans 2011/12
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