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Gardening: A good pastime for children

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Environment Bring the children close to nature

Children love playing in the mud, role-playing and creating something marvellous on their own. Combine these simple passions and encourage them to start a small garden of their own. Getting children involved in gardening is a fun-filled affair and a cool and easy way to teach them about the environment and connect them to nature. And if the children can grow a kitchen garden then it just might get them a wee bit more interested in eating their daily dose of veggies!

Gardening can also be a pleasurable time for parent-child bonding. Children enjoy more when they have a separate small plot earmarked for them, though be prepared to do all the ground work and maybe even the watering and weeding in that plot as well, when other kiddie activities take precedence. The kid’s age, skill and attention span; decides the plot size, small kids are happy with a single plant or potted plant – easy to focus on and maintain. If land is not easily accessible, then opt for potted plants or a small herb garden in a tray.

Talk to experienced gardeners or nursery owners and select easy to maintain plants that suit the soil and climatic conditions in the area. Find out the required watering pattern, fertiliser, pesticides, etc. Buy safe tools and natural and non-toxic fertilisers and manures. Get them their own gardening tools – smaller and lighter than the standard ones, gardening gloves, a hat and seeds or saplings of their choice.

Kids have less patience and the sooner the green shoots show and blossom, the better. Start with simple and fast-growing plants like tomatoes, citrus, spinach, carrot, mint, basil or coriander. These show results fast and kids would love to pluck the fragrant leaves and fruits and serve them with an exhilarating sense of pride! Also pick a flowering plant (without thorns), as flowers are a winner every time!

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