It's been really fun to watch the vegetables in my garden grow. That's why the quote that says “One of the most delightful thing about a garden is the anticipation it provides” is just perfect to describe how I feel about my garden. Of course I do not take credit for the gardening. Actually, I'm quite hopeless and instead of green fingers, mine can be called black fingers – once that ends in the death of the plant :(My FIL and DH has put in much work and now we get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. There was actually plenty to do as the ground was just horrible. We had to get rid of the weeds and big rocks. Then we had to purchase some good soil and my DH was diligent in watering the ground with water from the fish pond plus rice water. Constant weeding was necessary. My kids wondered why we were throwing rubbish in the garden as DH dug holes to make compost. Carrot skin, apple skin, vegetable ends and whatever would rot organically.
The kids have tried to help and though we don't make a lesson out of it, I'm sure they've learned something. What have we allowed them to do? Throw away the big stones, water the garden and weeding. It's been interesting coz' things we take for granted, you have to stop to explain to the kids. For example:
- What is a weed?
- Why don't we want weeds?
- Which part of the plant do you water? The leaves or the roots?
- What is a root? How does it look like? Why do you water the roots? (This is where weeds are good coz' you can pull them out and show what roots look like),
- Why you must not pluck the flowers?
- What are the names of the vegetables?
- Why are we throwing rubbish in the garden?
By far the most funnest (is there such a word) activity for the kids is digging. They are lucky that my garden is grassless and therefore looks like one giant sandpit to them. Of course, they has to be a limit as to where, when and how much they dig. Plus very important to teach hygiene – hands and legs must be washed immediately.
One thing I read that has not worked for me is the idea that kids are more eager to eat what they have planted. Well, my kids still think the brinjal is yuck, even if it came from the garden. Hahahah.
Well, if you want to read more about gardening for children, here are two sites:
How I wish i have a bigger garden for planting veges on ground. But I love my potted herbs in the pot!
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