GARDENING WITH KIDS:
A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS-- continued
Tips on Gardening
with Kids
The following tips on gardening
with your kids are from local experts Carol Sorbello, a 20-year
employee of Wayside Garden Center in Macedon, NY; Bob Eller, Master
Gardener with Cornell Cooperative Extension; and Sarah VanEnwyck
of Grandpa¹s Nursery and Gardens in Sodus, NY.
1) Pick a spot for your
garden where you know things grow. If you don¹t know the
quality of the soil, have it tested.
2) Pick a spot that receives
six hours of filtered light (sun) per day (necessary for crops
such as tomatoes, lettuce, beans, carrots, beets, etc.).
3) Plant a few things in
the garden that germinate quickly, such as lettuce and sunflowers.
4) Give the kids an area
of their own in the garden and make it fun. For instance, construct
a teepee for pole beans.
5) If you can¹t wait
until after the last frost (predicted date is May 3 for Rochester,
NY), you can start seeds indoors. Carol recommends using a mini-greenhouse,
priced at about $5.
6) Suggested seed-starters
for eager growers: beans, peas, lettuce, radishes, marigolds and
zinnias
7) Vegetables that are especially
popular with junior gardeners: corn, beans, peas, tomatoes.
8) Flowers that are easy
to grow: marigolds, impatiens, and petunias.
Make your Hometown a Great
Place to Live and Grow!
This spring, with a lot
of enthusiasm, we will prepare and plant our crops. Then, we¹ll
hope for the best. With a fresh dose of sunshine and a few sprinklings,
we¹ll have the makings of cost-effective meals all year long
and some happy kids (one in a 40- year-old body). Whatever you
decide to grow this year, and wherever you decide to do it, enjoy!
Make your hometown a great place to live and grow!
Resources
For assistance with your
backyard garden, including soil analysis, contact the cooperative
extension office nearest you. Consult the USDA Cooperative State
Research and Education directory at www.reeusda.gov/
Cornell University Home
Gardening Database: www.explore.cornell.edu/homegardening/
Garden in the City
Designed for youth and adults who have limited space and little
experience with gardening. Covers the garden box, starting seeds,
planning the garden, cleaning the site, breaking ground, planting,
weeding, thinning, and harvesting. Lists supplies and tools you'll
need; suggests activities for groups. 40 pp.
141L78 $4.45
The Home Vegetable Garden
A popular how-to reference. Planting schedules, recommended varieties,
pest control, and more. 31 pp.
161IB101 $4.45
To find a garden center near
you, consult the American Landscape and Nursery Association at
www.anla.org/
For more information on Community Supported Agriculture Projects
in your area, visit the Alternative Farming Systems Information
Center CSA Farm Directory at: www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/.
Jackie Perrin is a freelance
journalist residing with her family in Upstate New York's "apple
country". She is the author a weekly newspaper travel column,
and contributes regularly to parenting, travel, and lifestyle
media.
