First Grade Gardeners

A question came to me by a reader of Little Gardeners. The reader is located in central Ohio. The reader asked about gardening with a young child (first grade). I thought I might post a few examples of what I might do (or what I have done) with a first grader or younger gardener.

A first grader can be picky depending on their style of learning, attitude and likes/dislikes. I have a first grader who absolutely adores dirt and digging. So it’s not a problem when we have to dig. But there are other responsibilities too such as weeding daily, watering and then there’s the waiting period until harvest. Those things can be tough on a young gardener. Choosing the right type of garden can help. I’d say a raised bed/container garden was the best thing that ever happened to my young gardeners. They are easier to maintain than a regular in the ground garden. You can use just about anything to plant in. Here’s a list of some of the things I’ve used.

a. Tires
b. Kitty Litter Containers
c. Buckets
d. A black wagon
e. Cinder blocks
f. Regular ornamental bricks
g. Pots

For raised beds and containers, use a combination of soil and potting soil or just regular potting soil. Add in some compost or some other organic materials (I add in chopped up leaves sometimes to my stuff. The leaves break down into a nice material for plants). Always make sure the containers have good drainage. Even though a lot of commerical planters have drainage holes I almost always add a few more by drilling holes with a drill.

I’d say go small and quick at first. What I mean by quick is grow plants that are quick in their growth. This will further increase the curiosity of a young gardener. Radishes are great because they usually are mature in about a month. Lettuces also are great because there is such a huge variety of these available. Peas (also cooler weather crops--NOW) are also fun especially the ones with edible pods. What a great way to get a young kid to eat green! Once the weather warms up enough, planting some beans. These grow quickly but be warned that pole beans will grow better vertical and will need support. Bush beans might be a better bet to grow for a younger gardener.

Central Ohio is what is known as hardiness zone 5a to 5b. There are pockets (and microclimates) in southern Ohio that are zone 6. What this means is that the last frost dates are usually around May 15th although this isn’t an exact date. The last frost date means the last date that a killing frost might occur. Most vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and squash and melons shouldn’t be planted out until this time because they aren’t frost tolerant and will likely be killed if subjected to the cold temperatures. However, there are a few typical garden plants that are tolerant to light frost. These are radishes, lettuce and even established carrots will tolerate a light frost. Potatoes are another plant that will tolerate a frost.

Starting seeds indoors can be an advantage especially for new gardeners. A first grader might love to see all the new plants emerging. But you will have to have a few things to start them inside. You will need a container, some seed starting supplies and a window that gets plenty of sun or you will have to supplement with artificial lighting. You can buy grow lights just about anywhere. I get mine at Lowe’s, Wal-mart and other stores like that.

Seed starting can be as simple as buying a few small peat pots or regular pots and just throwing in the seeds. You could also buy the seed flats that are often available at home and garden stores. Use a soilless mixture. It’s often called a germination mix. It has nutrients and minerals to help the little seedling grow.

Be sure to water the seedlings as needed. The trick is to stick your finger in the soil about an inch. If it’s dry, then you need to water. Make sure you don’t water too much or the seeds can have a lot of problems with rotting and might not germinate at all.

Transplanting is important if the seedling gets too tall or big for its original container. You may have to transplant it a couple of times. But try to time sowing the seeds so you will do the least amount of transplanting. This helps reduce transplant shock, a condition that almost always kills the plant or severely reduces its production.

Check out some other great tips for gardening at Home Gardening Tips. Happy gardening and spring to everyone.