I really, really, really want to have a garden with my child this year.  I imagine us going out back and picking beautiful veggies and eating strawberries straight from the …vine?  Strawberries grow on vines…right?

Ok, ok…I have never had a garden before.  I have no idea where I want to start. None.

My husband laughed when I said I’d be making a garden this year with my boys.  Not a little chuckle laugh…a hardy, you’re crazy kind of laugh. And I can’t really blame him…I have killed every single plant I’ve ever tried to grow.  Every. Single. One.

So, knowing that I don’t have the greenest thumb in the world, I’ve been searching for help on the internet.  I’ve compiled a list of resources that I hope will help me on my journey to having “World’s Best Garden!”  Ok, maybe not.  I’ll just take an “Ok Garden that Grew A Few Things”.

I can’t be the only one who wants to grow a garden with their kids, but has no idea where to begin.  So, I thought I’d share my research with you. Ready?  Here We Go.

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The Basics:

I started off by purchasing a book called Gardening Projects for Kids.  This thing is packed full of great ideas for what to grow with kids as well as some fun activities to do for your garden, with your kids.  I’m loving it!

This post really helped me with WHEN to start planting…because I have no idea.  I figured in a few months…well I was WRONG!  Looks like I need to head to the store soon!

Another post from that site gave me some great beginner gardening tips.  Because I’m a total beginner and I need all the tips I can get!

I’ll be planting a container garden…why dig up my backyard when I don’t know if I’ll be a good gardener?    So…again for the same site…she shares some best plants for a container garden.  Who knew some foods didn’t grow well in containers?  I didn’t!

Nurturestore has a ton of information about gardening with kids, but I really like this post about how to start your garden.  You should check out the planters she made out of old rain boots!  I’m totally doing this…good excuse for new boots too.

What to Plant:

This is the piece that I’m totally clueless about…wait no…I’m pretty clueless about all of it.  But this was the part I was the most interested in.

The Educator’s Spin on it has a list of great veggies to grow with kids…Including some for the beginner gardener.

I found an entire blog called Kids in The Garden and they have a post all about vegetables to grow with kids and another post about growing fruit with kids.  Score!

Make it Fun For Kids.

I want my garden to be fun for my son, so I’m looking into ways to make it more engaging for him.

Inspiration Laboratories has a post about how to use recycled containers as planters.  Some of these are downright brilliant…time to start saving all those recyclables again.

Want to make fun creatures out of plants?  Happy Whimsical Hearts made Sprout Heads! 

And I love these plant markers from Dilly-Dally Art.

I even found this plant journal from Lemon Lime Adventures so that kids can write about their garden.  How fun is that?

Other Posts All About the Garden

I found some really great posts that have lots of info about gardening with kids.  They are worth a quick read!

At Home With Ali has a three part series all about gardens and kids.  I loved it and got some really great ideas from her.

The Educator’s Spin on It shared the Good, Bad, and the Ugly of gardening….now there shouldn’t be any surprises…right?

Need a whole list of Gardening with Kids Tips?  Kids Activities Blog has some great ones.

And finally…a little Wikki How article on how to keep your plants from dying.  This is a must have article in my book.  Planting the seeds is the easy part.  Keeping them from dying is where I really need help.

Ok, with all that, I can’t fail…right?  Well, we are heading to the store this weekend to pick up our seeds and plants.  I’ll make sure to keep you posted on how our garden is growing.  Fingers crossed I don’t kill too many of our plants.

Other Great Gardening with Kids Books

 https://messymotherhood.com/beginners-guide-gardening-with-kids/