Today, I’m sharing gardening with kids tips and the topic is indoor seed starting for kids. First, gardening with kids can be a great experience. And, it’s a great way to get them outdoors and involved with nature in the spring and summer. As a result, I made a list of seeds that kids could start inside this winter. My list is not all inclusive, but I have chosen those that I know are easy to grow and some of kids favorites.
Zinnias – These beautiful flowers are will grow nice and tall. They came in a variety of colors that the kids will love. Zinnias are great for our pollinator friends. And, they provide a great viewing area for butterflies. Also, the kids can even cut flowers for a beautiful bouquet for mom or grandma.
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Sunflowers – Next, I grow sunflowers every year. My granddaughter loves to watch them grow. So, I had sunflowers that grow around 14 feet this summer. I must admit, they’re are the tallest I’ve ever grown. I used Grey Stripe and Russian Mammoth seed. Imagine seeing those little faces peeking at the window every morning to see how high their sunflowers grew over night. They’re also great for feeding the birds or growing them for a snack. If you have a sunny location where the kids can view them from the window, that’s a bonus too. Especially, if it’s a rainy day.
Marigolds – Also, Marigolds are easy to grow and there’s a wide variety to choose from. I love planting them in containers as well as in my vegetable garden.
Tips on starting seeds with kids
Lettuce – Also, growing a variety of lettuce can be fun. There’s Iceberg, Swiss Chard, Buttercrunch, Loose leaf and other varieties kids can try. Ask if they want to make salads, wraps or use it on sandwiches. If you grow Swiss Chard, grow the variety that has the beautiful, colorful stems.
Cabbage – My granddaughter loves cabbage. Who knew, right! You’ll be surprised at what kids will eat when it’s fun, healthy and seasoned just right. Cabbage can also be used to make Cole Slaw and Kraut. Kraut is a favorite in my household with mashed potatoes.
Tomatoes – First, growing a variety of vegetables can be a lesson on both healthy eating and getting to know nature when gardening with kids. Try a tomato variety that can be grown in containers or on the patio. The cherry tomatoes are a good option for a snack or fun recipe like pizza. You can slice the tomato and use as a topping. Or, grow a variety that good for making sauce, like pizza sauce. Roma tomatoes are perfect sauce making tomatoes. And, they don’t get tall. So, they won’t need to be caged.
Pumpkins – So, what could be more fun than growing your own pumpkins? How about carving or painting them for Halloween. You can grow the small variety, or the medium or large pumpkins. If you want to carve your pumpkins, grow the large variety. If you want to paint them try the medium size and use the small pumpkins for fall decorating. Either size is great for fall decorating.
Birdhouse Gourds – In addition to the list above, growing birdhouse gourds is a great project for kids. You will need some space for this endeavor, the vines will sprawl if you don’t keep them contained. If you have a trellis, it will be a great backdrop for the vines. I actually used a small tree branch one year. It was a just lovely in the garden, and it was fun walking around counting the gourds that had grown on the vines. Get creative, build a green bean teepee trellis. You can transplant the seedlings in the garden in the spring and watch it climb the trellis. Once you have gourds, have the kids paint the birdhouse gourds and turn them into birdhouses.
Last, I hope my seed starting seeds for kids suggestions have excited you and your children. Indoor Seed Starting for Kids can be a great way to keep the kids occupied this winter into spring. Most importantly, use a good seed starting mix, and a sunny spot for the seeds to germinate and grow.
Finally, if you have to transplant your seedlings because they’ve grown too big in the seed starter, consider using biodegradable containers.
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