I grew up on the eastern stretches of Long Island on a small family homestead. We raised animals and kept a huge vegetable garden in the backyard, and even as children, we were expected to pitch in, working off a list of daily chores. For the garden, that meant weeding. I remember sitting on a small bench in the soil, sun beating down on me, and ripping out weeds. I intentionally left some roots behind and felt both guilty and utterly empowered. I smugly passed over small pieces of dandelion root, knowing they would come back again to taunt us. Above all other chores, I hated working in the garden.
I do keenly remember loving what the garden produced. Come spring, I would sneak snap peas off the vine, thinking I’d get in trouble if I got caught eating one. I taught myself to squeeze the pod between my fingers and decide which would offer the sweetest peas. Too big, and they lost their flavor; too small, and I felt cheated.
Involving kids in the garden is thought to inspire their interest in food, but the real trick is finding the right task for the right kid. I’ve seen plenty of children grow weary of weeding or hauling around wheelbarrows of mulch. That sort of work is okay for teenagers, but the tedium quickly produces boredom for younger kids. It also pays off to think about the big plan for your yard, including if you want to add animals at some point.
If you want your kids to love gardening, here are some ideas regarding what to grow and which jobs to assign at different ages. Younger kids get short tasks that — let’s face it, you could do faster yourself — but will inspire their interest. Older children are assigned plants that need long-term care: allowing them to nurture plants along a life cycle not only cultivates green thumbs, it can also help foster feelings of self-worth and achievement. It’s not a terrible way to spend a summer day!
Age 3
With a short attention span and growing motor skills, toddlers do best with short tasks and fast, fun results.
Arugula: This cool-weather-tolerant plant handles our finicky spring weather well. It has no specific planting requirements — kids can sprinkle a handful of seeds on the ground, poke a rake around, and call it done. (For adults, we’d call this erratic flinging of seeds onto topsoil “broadcast sowing.”) Arugula produces fast results, maturing in about 45 days. Toddlers may not love the “spicy” flavor, but having grown it themselves, they just might.
Nasturtiums: These vining flowers are vigorous, prolific growers, producing lilypad-like leaves and bright flowers, both of which are edible. The seeds are large and easy to handle. They do well in most any soil — poor, rich, containers — and need only a regular spritz of water. Plant anytime in spring or early summer, as nasturtiums have a nice, long window of opportunity (a perk for busy parents). These plants also make great seed savers: Allow flowers to die back and harden, and large seeds will form that are easy for even toddlers to harvest, store, and keep for next year.
Arugula and Nasturtiums might be best for tiny 3-year-old hands (and temperaments). (Image: iStock)
Age 6
As new readers, elementary-school-aged children can pick and choose their own seeds, reading growing requirements off the label. This allows them the independence they crave, and parents need only be on hand for questions.
Peas: One of the first seeds to be planted in spring, peas are quick-growing plants that produce edible vines and pods. Choose from shelling peas, snap peas (eat the whole pod), or snow peas. Pea seeds are large enough to handle easily, and a small handful is all any family of four needs to plant. After plants are 6 inches tall, children will need some assistance trellising up the vines, but it’s simple work that can be completed in an hour, and children can practice tying knots using twine.
Zinnias: Zinnias are a summer crop, allowing kids to monitor their progress actively. With a strong stem that won’t break easily and petal-color options that span the rainbow, these flowers are captivating and joyful. Small children can easily cut and make bouquets independently — a fun addition to the annual lemonade stand. Owing to the flower’s fat head and large seeds, young children can easily collect the seeds. As an extra project to keep them busy, young ones can make and decorate their own seed packets after harvest.
Six-year-olds will love helping with peas and zinnias! (Image: iStock)
Age 9
Older kids have defined palates and preferences and are also capable of more demanding tasks. With more patience, older children can choose from long-season crops that take months to mature and need a bit of attention along the way.
Carrots: Carrots need concerted attention during growing and harvest. Rows must be thinned about three weeks into maturation to allow the root to develop. (Some strategy is required: thin too many and you won’t have many carrots to harvest; don’t thin enough, and they’ll compete for space, producing small, unsatisfying carrots.) It’s not always clear when carrots are ready to harvest, but older kids can make the assessment and learn from it. As a rule of thumb, when the tops start to push out from the soil, and you can clearly see some carrot crowning, they are ready.
Sunflowers: Sunflowers take some time to grow, but their height and grandeur are worth it. Some require early staking, and many require netting or another bird diversion tactic. Harvesting sunflowers is a real joy and an excellent excuse to haul a ladder into the garden. Be sure to steer children into choosing varieties that produce seeds (some are strictly ornamental) if sunflower seed snacks are what they are after.
Big kids can handle trickier tasks — like caring for carrots and sunflowers.
By finding the right plant for the right kid, you’ll show them the fun of gardening, cultivate their ability to tolerate delayed gratification, and, best of all, grow a lifelong gardener.
