August is a great time to start preparing your fall family garden. Growing your own veggies is a wonderful way to encourage kids to try new foods and appreciate the great outdoors. Here is a list of veggies that grow well in our state this month.  

• Beans

• Beets

• Broccoli

• Cabbage plants

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Collards

• Corn

• Cucumbers

• Garlic 

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Lima Beans

• Mustard

• Parsley

• Snow Peas

• Spinach 

• Southern Peas

• Summer Squash

• Swiss Chard

• Turnips

Getting Started: Kid-Friendly Tips

Start Small 

Consider starting with a container garden. It’s an easy way to get started, especially if you have limited space. From this list lettuce, salad greens, beans, garlic, carrots, cucumber, parsley, broccoli and summer squash will all work well in a pot. 

Leave Room for Play

When working in your plot or container, leave space that’s just for digging. Getting dirty will probably be your kids’ favorite part of the experience, so allow some room for tunneling and earthworm hunts. 

Invest in Tiny Tools 

Speaking of digging, grab some kid-sized tools to help your kids feel like an important part of the process. You can find mini-size gloves, trowels and shovels at your local gardening supply store.