Show your child how to plant a seed & even start a small garden

This is an easy and rewarding activity for the whole family. Purchase seeds, pots, soil, hand trowel, gloves and a watering can. Make sure your pots are big enough to accommodate the plants when they're full grown. If you don't want to spend a lot of money and you already have space to plant in the ground, then just get the seeds and a hand trowel for digging.

Plant a seed

Place seeds 4 - 6 inches apart and about an inch deep, or less for smaller seeds. Follow the recommendations on the seed packet. The outside temperature should be warm for your seeds to germinate. If it's colder than 50 degrees at night, then plant your seeds in small starter pots inside your home. Find a place where it's dark, keep them covered and the soil moist. I put mine in the garage, layered plastic wrap on top create a humid environment. After 7 -14 days you'll see them sprout. As soon as they do, uncover and place them near sunlight. When you transfer them to a large pots or in the yard, water them really well the first time and then continue to water them every couple days or when needed. Be careful not to overwater or it could rot the roots.

Grow a garden

Start sowing your seeds as early as six weeks before the last frost. Here's some seeds you can begin growing indoors:

Vegetables

• Broccoli

• Brussels Sprouts

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Onion

• Tomato

• Celery

• Chard

• Cucumber

• Melon

• Peas

• Spinach

• Squash

Flowers

• Marigolds

• Zinnias

• Cosmos

• Alyssum

• Celosia

• Impatiens

• Morning Glory

• Nasturtium

• Sunflower

• Black-Eyed Susan

• Lupine

• Pinks (Dianthus)

• Primrose

• Shasta Daisy

Herbs

• Basil

• Cilantro

• Parsley

• Rosemary

• Bay Laurel

• Mint

• Chives

• Oregano

• Thyme

• Sage

• Lemongrass

It's best to plant your seeds between March and May. Although, I germinated an avocado seed in February. Then I continued growing it inside until May, when it was warm enough to survive outside. Consult your seed packets or research online for specific growing times in your area.

Maybe one day your child will have their own garden and teach their children to plant a seed too.

Get started with an Organic Home Garden Seed Kit

This company "Spade to Fork" offers 4 options on Amazon - Vegetable Garden Kit, Salsa Garden Kit, Edible Flower Garden Kit, and Lettuce & Greens Kit.