There is a saying that “green thumbs are not born, they’re grown.” And here at Rick’s we heartily agree!  Green thumbs come in all shapes and sizes, and even ages. Today we want to encourage younger green thumbs- kiddos! Kids are naturally attracted to dirt, worms, flowers, bugs, watering cans, seeds, berries and even veggies that are unique. It really is quite easy to get them hooked on becoming gardeners. Some may balk at including kiddos in the garden. What if they mess things up? I counter, adults also mess things up in the garden- often without trying. Let the kids learn, experiment, play and succeed in the garden. If you are a parent, teacher, guardian, devoted auntie, grandparent, or other care giver, these tips will get you started on introducing kids to the wide world of science and beauty of plants. 

Gardening is an adventure into math, science and art.  Math is used when discussing how far and deep seeds are planted, as well as in the conversation of, “If we have three eaters in our home, how many zucchini plants do we need to plant?” There is no right answer for this conundrum, because you typically end up with too many zucchini in general. But having that conversation with a child allows them to think of the production of one zucchini plant, how to extrapolate how many ways they and other eaters can eat zucchini, and to problem solve with what to do with any extras. Maybe the neighbor next door would like some? 

Science takes a look at the immediate needs of a plant; nutrients, water and sunlight.  But as a kiddo becomes more advanced in their gardening skills, you can begin talking about seed production, pollination, photosynthesis, soil biology, mushrooms, diseases, pests and the list goes on! Perhaps most importantly, it may be wise to share why gardening is so important to embark on in this time and age. This can cover creating habitats and safe zones for pollinators, building food sovereignty and security while avoiding supply chain disturbances, farming for the purpose of carbon sequestration, etc. And the variations on this theme grow infinitely from there.  

Of course art goes hand in hand with gardening. Design and edibleness are dependent on aesthetic values. A child will love choosing pansies (some look like tiger stripes!), colorful zinnias, snapdragons, and other annual flowers for their container garden.  Consider taking them through the perennials section for in season cut bouquets, including daisies, black-eyed Susans, Penstemons, and Yarrow. They may want to try purple carrots, purple tomatillos, purple beans or peas, or eggplants if the kiddo’s favorite color is, you guessed it- purple! Challenge them to create colorful dishes with the veggies you all grow. “Can you create an all orange meal? All green? Red? Can you have every color of the rainbow represented on your plate?”  Growing vegetables for their colors is not only fun, it is healthy! Produce that have unique colors often are chock full of vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that we may neglect to get through our Standard American Diet (SAD).

Other ways to encourage the gardener in every child:

• Pick out seeds together to grow by inviting them to take a look at a seed catalog or a seed company’s website. If you are looking for wild and very colorful seeds, Baker Creek Seeds is a great start!
• Grow sprouts or microgreens if you are lacking space, but want a child to see the life of a plant from seed to germination to the plate. See our other blog this month for details on how to grow microgreens!
• Grow things that create awe and wonder like:
  • Sunflowers
  • Beans
  • Pumpkins
  • Small cherry tomato varieties (Spoon is a great variety, because it is abundant and kiddos love the “baby” tomatoes)
  • Raspberries and blackberries
• Plant a tree, and talk through how trees are important for creating habitat, providing oxygen, cooling of the climate and are a generous resource for paper, fruit, and wood.
• Plant fall or spring bulbs for children who may need an example of delayed gratification. Plant the popular daffodils in the fall and watch them bloom in the spring. Or plant gladiolas now and watch them pop up late summer.
• Build an observation habitat: Plant flowers and other plants that will attract hummingbirds or other pollinators that the children love (butterflies, bumble bees, etc). Place a bench beside the habitat and have children tell you what they see, hear, smell, feel, etc. This prompts quiet patience and the building blocks for scientific inquiry.
• Begin a worm or compost bin. Collect kitchen scraps, shred old school work, or bills and throw in a generous community of worms. Children will be amazed to watch these items turn into worm castings, or worm poo, and how it can be used in the garden or with house plants.

A kiddo who eats their first carrot or snap pea from the garden will never forget that moment. While gardening is magical as a child, being an adult and witnessing the magic is priceless. Green thumbs can grow at any age and stage, but it is a true gift to give the love for gardening to a child. They have the rest of their lives to grow with it!  

Rick’s Garden Center believes in the power of people and plants. All of our blogs and content are written and edited by real humans with their own unique creative perspectives. Any use of our publications to ‘train’ generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generative text is expressly prohibited. Any typos or errors are our own

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