Okay. So, you want to teach your children where food really comes from and give them a sense of accomplishment and work ethic. Here goes. Get the family up at 4 a.m. Suit up in overalls and big straw hats. Strap on the garden tiller. Pull weeds until your fingers ache. Work from sunrise to sunset.

Nope. You really don’t have to do all of that. Although starting a garden may feel like an overwhelming prospect when your schedule is already overwhelming, you CAN do it! Check out these ideas for turning little girls and boys into green thumbs that grow their own groceries.

When time and space are limited, square foot gardening is the way to go. You can make your own or buy pre-made square foot gardening kits. The 4’ X 4’ or 3’ X 3’ kits contain the lumber and hardware for your new raised garden. You can purchase them assembled or unassembled. Jennifer Gibson of The Good Earth Garden Center says, “We have kits here and they can help kids understand the connection between gardening and their food. The hands-on activity and skills learned are priceless. They’ll be more likely to eat fruits, vegetables and herbs if they’ve had a hand in growing them.”

Once you get your kit home, place it in a sunny spot. Add soil and gear up for growing something. You can mix your own square foot gardening soil by mixing 1/3 part vermiculite, 1/3 part compost, and 1/3 part peat moss. Or you can buy bags already mixed.

What in the world do you want to grow? Does your family have a favorite vegetable? Do you want to just want to have a butterfly garden and watch wildlife visit your yard? Do you want to have a themed garden?

Once your family decides, following some basic growing tips will help your pint sized horticulturists reap great rewards. Read all information carefully on seed packets and labels. Labels convey seasons for planting and flowering, watering guidelines, instructions for healthy growth, and more. You may opt for fully grown plants instead of seeds to jump start the process. Keep seed packets and plant labels for ongoing reference. Set up appropriate watering and feeding times for your kids to tend to their garden. As plants grow and mature, follow guidelines for harvesting and watch your wee ones enjoy the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor.

Try these themed gardens or come up with your own creative combination:

Pizza Gardens

  • Tomatoes
  • Bell peppers
  • Onions
  • Basil
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Oregano
  • Salsa Gardens
  • Tomatoes or tomatillos
  • Cilantro
  • Red onions
  • White onions
  • Jalapenos
  • Red bell peppers

Butterfly Gardens/Arkansas Native Plants

  • Asters
  • Bee-balm
  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Blanketflower
  • Butterfly weed
  • Cardinal flower
  • Coneflower
  • Coreopsis
  • Gay feather
  • Indigo
  • Joe Pye weed
  • Milkweed
  • Phlox
  • Sunflower

Dig into these gardening books for kids!

  • “Growing Vegetable Soup” by Lois Ehlert
  • “Planting a Rainbow” by Lois Ehlert
  • “Square Foot Gardening with Kids” by Mel Bartholomew
  • “The Ultimate Step-by-step Kids’ First Gardening Book” by Jenny Hendy