Gardening doesn’t have to stop because it’s cold outside
Staying out of nature is tough for kids (and some adults too) for 5 months out of the year. But we thought it would be fun to highlight a few fun ways to engage kids with gardening and entertain them during the winter months.
Watch seeds sprout. Line a glass jar with a damp paper towel and place several zucchini seeds between the glass and the towel. Place a lid on top, leave it in the kitchen and check the paper every day to make sure it’s still most. Seeds should sprout in a few days.
Grow an avocado. Save the pit of an avocado and suspend the pit with toothpicks in a glass of water. Put the pointy side up and add water frequently so the pit remains submerged in l/2 inch of water. The pit should split and send out a root.
Grow citrus. Kids take the seeds from an orange, lemon or grapefruit and soak the seeds in water overnight. Plant two or three seeds one inch deep in each pot filled with potting soil.
Windowsill gardens. A sunny windowsill and a few pots is all you need to grow herbs.
Unusual plants are fun. Purchase an insect-eating plant such as a Venus flytrap. They will fascinate kids.
Decorate while waiting. Get some inexpensive terra cotta pots or use some old pots and let them use paints to decorate the containers. Or create a nature collage. Take them out for a walk around the yard or woods and have them collect little pinecones, sticks, etc. and glue their treasures onto a large sheet of cardboard.
Whitehouse Landscaping promises no green thumb is required and promises that winter gardening will provide lots of entertainment.