Gardening is a great activity for families
The benefits of gardening seem to be limitless. Whether you do it to enjoy the great outdoors and get some sunlight in your day, to eliminate the stress of daily life, to grow your own food sources or beautify your lawn, well, I could go on and on.
I have to admit, until this summer, I had not dabbled much in the world of gardening. But, with an adamant 3-year-old, anything is possible.
My son saw a woman planting things on television. He was sold immediately, insisting we grow our own food, too.
In early spring, we decided to make the commitment. We planted our own garden. Armed with a few hand tools, we broke the ground on our great adventure next to our backyard shed. We tried to pick a spot with plenty of sunlight, to ensure our vegetables would have the proper nutrition.
This year, in our first glorious attempt, we planted potatoes, onions, peppers and lettuce.
Just weeks after placing our seeds in the ground, we saw sprouts. Weeks after that, our first real “plants” were forming.
We suffered our first setback when the residents of our lawn, i.e. a handful of small rabbits, ate our lettuce heads. They still haven’t properly grown back. Instead of heads of iceberg lettuce, we have tall stalks that resemble more that of corn, sans any cobs.
Through the good and the bad, we have learned a lot. I think that has been the best part of growing a garden with my son. OK, it is the second best part. The first best is spending the time with him and watching him enjoy it.
But, learning is a close second. He gets to watch the formation of plants, understand where his food comes from and deal with the trials and tribulations of nature. We’ve watered together, weeded (though not as often as we likely should have) and watched our “crop” come in. (Mind you, this huge garden is all of about three-foot-by-three-foot in size.)
Now, our garden is actually producing foods we can eat. My son thinks this is amazing, that tiny seeds he put into the ground are now making foods we can put on the table. It may even trick him into eating some vegetables.
I recommend planting if you are looking for something fun to do this week. You can start small. You needn’t have a large yard or space. You can purchase a small flower box or planter to start.
Along with our garden, we also planted a long, narrow box of herbs. We now have a great supply of oregano, parsley, basil and rosemary for our at-home cooking inventions. They are so fresh and tasty, and there is such little work necessary.
Perhaps flowers are more your forte? Add a decorative box of flowers to your window sill, indoors or out, to bring some more color to your house.
Seeds, plants and supplies are readily available for a very low cost at department stores, or at your local garden center. It doesn’t cost much to start this hobby, and it can be as little or as great of a time investment as you want to make it.
If, like me, you do not fancy yourself a “green thumb” in any sense of the words, fear not. There are resources out there to help you plan your garden, flower bed, shrubbery or herb plantings. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a great place to start.
From the McLean Library, full of resources on gardening and guidance, with more than 15,000 volumes, to its Green Scene magazine published six times a year, this Philadelphia-based society has much to offer the budding (pun intended) gardener.
You can even have gardening questions personally answered via e-mail by the horticulture experts, or find “Gold Medal Plants” to add to your shopping lists.
For more information, visit the society’s Web site at www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org.
Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, through Penn State and Rutgers universities, participate in the Master Gardeners program, which consists of trained volunteers who provide the public with all kinds of gardening advice.
Information about this program can be found at horticulture.psu.edu/extension/mg for Pennsylvania and njaes.rutgers.edu/mastergardeners for New Jersey.
Penn State also maintains a Web site answering many common garden questions at consumerhorticulture.psu.edu.
Local garden centers can also be a great source of gardening information. Try reading up on the planned plants online, as well.
No matter the size or plants, gardening can be a great way to spend some quality time with your family members, teach them about “going green,” add decoration or fresh foods to your home, or just a great way to relax.
