I’m not a gardener. I know very little about keeping plants alive (even my air plants), so when it comes to knowing whether to plant in the shade or sun and what kind of soil to use and when to plant what, I’m a little lost.
My girls, however, love gardening. They love planting things, working the soil, watching things grow. They can identify most of the plants and flowers in our backyard. They’ve learned most of what they know from my mom who also loves gardening.
While flowers are fun, and beautiful to look at, our favorite thing to plant is something that they can eat straight from the garden. We’ve planted several herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, mint, and tarragon) and every summer we plant tomatoes and sweet peas that they can pick off the vine and munch on while playing outside. (My oldest likes to make a “salad” from the herbs, too.) It’s fun for them to have something tangible to show for their work in the garden.
If you’re like me and don’t really know where to start, here a few tips to point you in the right direction:
- Start small and simple.
Don’t try to do it all at once. Pick a couple things to plant and invest in learning about how to best take care of them. For a novice gardener, I’ve found that tomatoes and herbs are pretty hearty and will thrive without much assistance. And a bonus: you can eat them and use them in cooking, so there’s a payoff in the end. - Read the label.
When you buy plants, they have a nice little label that not only tells you what you’re getting, but what the plant needs: sun/shade, what season it grows in, how long it takes to grow, what soil to plant it in. Read the label, and buy accordingly. If you’re lacking a green thumb, this is a big help to point you in the right direction. - Ask for advice.
We love going to Sky Nursery for gardening help. Their employees are always eager to help us find what we need and give us advice on how to keep our plants alive and thriving. Find a nursery near you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. They often have pamphlets with information on different plants that you can take home to help you know how to care for each kind of plant in your garden.(Bonus: Sky Nursery has a Jr. Gardener’s Club where they give away one free plant a month to Jr. Gardeners. This helps us know what to plant when it’s in season and keep it simple with just one plant a month. You just pop by the store and ask any of the associates working and they can get you signed up!)
Still unsure where to begin? Here are a few links that might help you get started:
- Vegetable Gardening with Kids (Swansons Nursery)
- Starting an Organic Garden (Planet Natural)
- Sowing and Growing Beans with Children (Kids in the Garden)
I’m Hannah — a Seattle native and a mom to three spirited daughters. I love a good oat milk latte from Caffe Ladro, learning to skateboard with my 6-year-old, and exploring new parks with my best friend and partner, Matt. I’ve walked through hard seasons of divorce, single-parenting, and mental illness (in my kids and myself), but in the last couple years I’ve been redefining what it means for me to be a mom in my 30’s and how to find joy right here. (Hello, skateboard lessons and adult art class!) I didn’t expect much of anything about my life as it is now, but I’m learning to savor each moment. There is so much joy to be found here.
