HOW CAN WE MOTIVATE CHILDREN TO LIKE THE GARDEN?

In a garden we can have a great variety, although some crops are more complicated to bring to fruition than others. There is also the component of the development time of the same that many can get desperate. If you want quick and easy crops for the little ones to see a relatively accelerated evolution, keep reading …

We all remember from our childhood, that bean that we carefully kept between two damp cottons, put in a glass of yogurt to see it germinate. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is all that my school did for my practical education in the plant world. Fortunately, today we can motivate kids with countless ways to make gardens , whether at school, in town or at home. The great thing about it is that children are curious, eager to discover, but also impatient. A garden is very tough, fun but tough and if you don’t see results more or less quickly, many children end up unmotivated and go to the “farmville” where they grow more and on top of that they fatten pigs that don’t smell and harvest wheat in hours without getting muddy . 😉

In his day we already talked about the values ​​that a garden can contribute and those values ​​are what we must gradually instill in them through the urban or non-urban garden. Of course, always with fun and dynamism !!

This is nothing more than a mere reflection to try to find a series of crops and ways to make them attractive to the kids and that little by little they will take a liking to the garden and the leisurely and good work of the plants. The urban garden is undoubtedly the best option for the little ones to get in touch with the land. What’s more, the potted garden is even more attractive for several reasons:

• The environment is more controlled (substrate conditions, light …)
• It is mobile. They can experiment by moving them around and testing with several specimens , less or more light etc. It is the basis of the scientific method. Observation, analysis and interpretation of results.
• It is comfortable for them and for us to be in pots. It can be done on any balcony, gallery or even inside the house in many cases so no land is necessary.

THE CURIOSITY TO DISCOVER, DARKENS THE PATIENCE OF THE LITTLE ONES. THE URBAN GARDEN NEEDS ITS TIME

The urban garden or garden in pots allows all this, but we must also be consistent with what we plant. As we said before, children are impatient and want quick results. Little by little they will learn that everything has its process and that the vegetables in the garden take time . But until then you have to motivate them with quick and easy cultures. Still, we must not forget about germination. It is a very important point in teaching. They have to see how the plant sprouts from a tiny seed that will later become their food. They must know the complete cycle and the fascinating nascence must always be present.

4 FAST GROWING AND EASY TO GROW CROPS

Here are a few examples for the urban garden, especially in pots:

Arugula : Although it has a very particular flavor and not everyone likes it, arugula is the perfect thing to have a fast growth and an even faster harvest. In less than a month we will have arugula to collect.

Lettuce : It is not what children like the most but lettuce is another vegetable that can be grown throughout the year and also has a rapid growth. The great advantage of this species is that it is necessary to wait for it to be done completely. Children can collect it sheet by sheet and thus get motivated. We must choose species of lettuce that are not too bitter. The oak is a good example since it is not one of those that are so bitter.

Radishes : They are very colorful, they are very funny, so globose, small and deep red. They can also be grown all year round and their growth is not slow at all. In just over a month they can be harvested if growing conditions are good. They are very suitable for growing in pots. We also show them how there are also roots that can be eaten. That is not only the green parts and fruits.

Cherry tomatoes : They are also very suitable for pot and there are very productive varieties from which you can get real clusters of tomatillos from a single plant planted in a pot. They are very sweet and can really be the candy from the garden .

Of course, these are 4 quick examples to start with but little by little we must introduce more crops.