How to Plant a Flower Garden With Your Child

If you enjoy the outdoors and would like to find a common hobby that you and your child would enjoy and could share, why not plant a flower garden together? It would not only be an added attraction to your yard, but it would be a place that you and your child created together and can continue to nurture and care for as it grows. Your child will have fun digging in the dirt and will be able to boast that he or she helped plant and create the bright garden when friends pass by. The following steps will help you create a flower garden with your child but more importantly it will help you create many colorful and precious memories for you and your child to share for years to come.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A spot to plant the garden
• Fertilizer
• Flower seeds and/or transplant flowers
• A small garden rake
• A small garden shovel
• Garden gloves for both you and the child
• A watering can or bucket filled with water
• A few hours set aside to create and plant your garden

1. Take your child outside and walk around until you find the perfect spot for your flower garden. Make sure the spot that you pick is in the sun; drains well, and make sure it is not in the way of other yard activities but can still be seen by visitors of the yard.

2. Take your child to the local nursery and allow him/her to help you pick out the flowers that you will plant in the garden. A few good choices for flowers to plant in a flower garden for children would be flowers such as sunflowers, marigolds, pansies, zinnias, violas and cosmos because they are flowers that are fairly ease to grow and require little maintenance. They grow quickly and are colorful so they will hold the child’s interest longer than something that is going to take time to develop. The child will be able to see quicker results for his/her hard work.

3. In the beginning, make the garden small in area, so the child is able to reach and attend to each plant in the garden.

4. Gather all of your garden tools, watering can, fertilizer and all the plants and seeds that you will need and carry them to your garden spot.

5. Put on your gloves and pull all of the weeds and other things that will be in the way of planting your flowers. Allow the child to participate in every step. Allow the child to use the small garden shovel to dig the small holes for the seeds and plants.

6. In each hole place either the plant transplant or the correct number of seeds. Be sure to read the directions on each plant or seed packet. Then use your garden shovel or rake to fill in the hole with the loose soil.

7. Once the seed or plant is in the hole you will need to fertilize it according to the directions on the fertilizer you choose to use.

8. Once the seed or plant is planted, use the watering bucket or can to water the plant generously.

9. Take time to care for and maintain and, most of all, enjoy the flower garden with your child on a regular basis.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to fertilize and water your plants often.
• Encourage your child to help weed, water and maintain your flower garden.
• Always use sun block on both your child and yourself when working outside in the sun.
• If you don’t have space outside for a flower garden create one indoors with appropriate plants.