Gardening with children

children gardening - weeding the kitchen garden bean polesThis week, we’ve been working on the old Kitchen Garden. Last year, it was left fallow. I half thought to leave it again, but as the sap was rising, I knew I needed to plant it up again. I felt the unavoidable urge to clear. Images of the patch, bursting at the seams with scrumptious food, flashed through my mind.

Lucky for me, I have three children who are willing to help. Especially Middle Daughter. We decided to make the area about 6 by 4 metres. It was almost fully covered with grass and weeds, when we started. It took several days, but it is now clear.

children gardening - weeding the kitchen gardenTwo lines of peas are planted. Since the photos, two more rows of bean poles are set up. The runner bean sowing has started. I have sweetcorn almost ready to plant, along with the pumpkins which are bursting out of their pots.

alpine flower

I’m glad the children want to get involved. I think it helps that they have joined me in the garden ever since they could yield a trowel and sprinkle seeds. They love the bean houses, they’ve made and played in over the years. Also they have tasted the food we have grown, such as peas, and seen my enthusiasm for it. There is nothing as contagious as enthusiasm.

woad in bloomOf course, there are some parts of the garden that need less help. My woad is in full blossom. I have plenty of plants, but I leave it to flower for all the interesting bugs that it attracts.

This week, we will be clearing other areas and planting them up.I’m pretty sure the children will be helping.

14 comments

  1. Lovely to have help on your gardening project, your middle daughter there sounds like she has a real interest. I can imagine it is hard to turn a patch that large. Guy helped me with our greenhouse this year and a much smaller patch for my herbs but even just keeping up temding this is proving hard for us. Those peas will be the best when they grow. Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids

  2. I think it’s lovely that your children are so eager to help you with the gardening! I bet it’s going to look fabulous. Xx #CounrtyKids

  3. So lovely to see everyone work together and I’m jealous of your kitchen garden, sounds great, though I bet hard work.

  4. You have inspired me! Our patch was fallow too last year, but I will at least grow peas, they are the stuff of a perfect childhood! #countrykids

  5. Thanks for the inspiration. My children are hoping to grow some vegetables this year. We don’t have a great patch like yours though – it looks fabulous, and I can just imagine it fully grown and bursting with fresh produce – lucky you! #CountryKids

  6. Nothing as contagious as enthusiasm. Very true. That set-up reminds me of my grampy and his fabulous vegetable garden.

    1. I love other people’s gardens, so I suspects I would have spent far too much time investigating your grampy’s garden.

  7. We’ve just started a little garden with our 2 and 4 year old. They love to help out. Your garden looks great and will hopefully yield some wonderful veggies this year.

    1. It is fun. I hope your two children enjoy gardening with you. I’m sure they will love anything you grow together.

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