Mallory's first bean thrilled her dad. Ronnie Lambert had wanted his three-year-old daughter to learn to garden in part because he was concerned that she wasn't in touch with her family's farming roots. Also, "I wanted to show her how plants grow and where our food comes from...Too many children today think hamburger comes from McDonald's."
So he and Mallory planted a few beans and some watermelon seeds on their Hessmer, La., land. "Every day I'd tell her, 'Go check your beans,' " Ronnie says. "When she actually found a bean, she was so happy she jumped up and down."
Gardening can be a great experience for children. It can teach them about responsibility, satisfying work and reward. It also can introduce them to the joys of nature. The look of wonder that bursts from a child who plants her first seed is as beautiful as anything a flower can achieve.
Progressive Farmer tapped into some gardening and education experts for advice on teaching children to garden. Here is some of what we found.
First, consider age. Three or four years old is not too young to learn. But set realistic goals.
"As long as I don't expect us to accomplish something in the adult sense of the phrase, gardening (with young children) is fun. We move mulch. We catch toads. We pull a few weeds. We blow the fuzz off of dandelions," writes Cheryl Dorschner on the National Gardening Association's Web site.
Val Blosser, a master gardener in Gower, Mo., helped some young 4-Hkids plant a vegetable garden this summer. She says, "The young ones really only want to play in the dirt. That might not seem like much. But it's a good start."
As they grow older, kids want results. To get them started on the right path, choose plants that guarantee success, "Beans and tomatoes are great," says Michele Warmund, professor of horticulture for the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension.
You also might choose to enroll kids in a structured gardening course. Warmund wrote a summer program called Garden 'n Grow for Missouri nine- to 13-year-olds. For 10 weeks in the spring and summer kids have twice-a-week sessions of 1 1/2 hours each.
The goal is to give children the skills needed in gardening, but the emphasis is on fun. For instance, Warmund advocates themed gardens to attract and hold their interest. Suggestions include a Salsa Garden, a Rainbow Garden and a Relish Tray Garden.
The Junior Master Gardener Program also is geared toward kids. It was established by Texas A&M but has branches in many areas of the country. Check the Internet for gardening programs for children in your area.
In programs like this, kids usually spend time in a classroom learning gardening basics. Topics include why a plant is green, what beneficial insects are and how to diagnose problems.
Once in the garden, they should work in pairs to learn teamwork, Warmund says. "Gardening is the perfect vehicle to teach life lessons. (Children) learn responsibility and how to budget the space of the garden for what they want to accomplish."
Older kids should learn about the economics of gardening. For instance, at harvest time they can weigh their produce and put a dollar value on it. They can sell their produce or donate part of the crop to a local food pantry.
"The whole idea is to make it fun," Warmund emphasizes. "You want to instill the lifelong joy of keeping a garden."
As for Mallory Lambert, her dad is going to help her garden again this year. "My grandfather taught me to garden, and I intend to pass that on to my child," he says.
Teaching Tips
Make the garden sessions short.
Plan fun activities in the garden.
Let kids have hands-on learning.
Use mulch or newspapers to help control weeds.
"Nobody likes to weed," Michelle Warmund says. "If it becomes too much work, kids will lose interest.
"Kids don't have to know how to identify weeds," Warmund adds. "They just have to know how to identify their crops. Then they can pull up everything else."
