My Articles | About Us | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Search   
 
News, Tips & Offers delivered to your inbox

ABOUT US | VIEW ALL FEATURED ARTICLES | VIEW ALL TOPICS | VIEW ALL REGIONS | DM MOBILE | DM BLOG

Growing a Family Garden Maryland

What makes gardening the perfect family activity? "Dirt!" shouts a gleeful Ely, 4, who always manages to find an excuse to dig when it's his turn to water the marigolds.

Local Companies

Cash Travel Network
410-218-7977
305 Old Nuttal Avenue
Edgewood, MD
Rising Star Home Child Care
(410) 590-4502
361 Clover ct.
Glen burnie, MD
Children of Destiny Christian Early Learning Center
443-406-7655
236 Patriots Way
Elkton, MD
Children of Destiny Christian Early Learning Center
443-406-7655
236 Patriots Way
Elkton, MD
The Toy Room Child Care
410-760-1755
210 D STREET SW
GLEN BURNIE, MD
Cultural Care Au Pair
240-393-7081
10007 Brunett Ave
Silver Spring, MD
Five Star Nannies
301-300-2661
927 Hillside Lake Terrace #201
North Potomac, MD
Olney Family Daycare
301-906-8946
3713 Dellabrook Street
Olney, MD
nana's daycare
301-570-1047
3405 saint theresa court
olney, MD
Tasia's Hair braiding
301-780-3289
12426 Persimmon rd
Upper Marlboro, MD

By Pamela Stock

What makes gardening the perfect family activity? "Dirt!" shouts a gleeful Ely, 4, who always manages to find an excuse to dig when it's his turn to water the marigolds. His grandmother, Susan, is more philosophical: "It's exciting to watch something you've planted flourish under your care."

Cultivating a family garden -- be it vegetables, flowers or an arrangement of potted plants on the patio -- has something for everyone. Adults get the satisfaction of beautifying their surroundings, and young kids get to play in the dirt. Everyone gets to enjoy the thrill of success, watching the flowers bloom or the vegetables ripen. Plus, it's an excuse for the whole family to be outside together, without having to jump in the car.

Here are some tips on starting a family garden.

  • Look up, look down
    Determining what to plant depends both on how much sunlight you get and what type of soil (rich or sandy, for instance) you have. Read the plant cards and discuss what will grow best for you with the staff at your local garden supply store.

  • Everyone gets a plant
    Let each family member choose a plant or to call his own -- and to care for. Note: Some parents panic if a child's special plant isn't faring well and will even replace a dying one. Others talk to kids first about the possibilities that plants don't always grow, and say that the kids aren't as disappointed as parents fear. Remember too, while there are a few special plants, the whole garden is shared.

  • Assign age-appropriate jobs and tools
    Young kids can hold the hose or watering can, older kids can tie vines to stakes and EVERYONE gets to hunt for ripe tomatoes and strawberries. Gardening shovels can be sharp, but small children can dig with plastic shovels.

  • Dressing up is part of the fun
    My son wears his rain boots and plastic construction hat every time he heads outside with a watering can, which adds to the festivity. Wear sun hats.

  • Add art
    Your kids can decorate the garden with found stones (painted, if you like) or pieces of broken flower pots to make the garden their own. Similarly, you can make your own garden stakes by painting wooden dowels or gluing pieces of rock to them.

  • Keep it simple
    If the kids burn out on some of the maintenance the green thumb in the family insists on, let them play in other parts of the yard. Gardening should be fun, not a chore.

    To learn more visit Real Families Real Fun

    • Featured Local Company

    Cash Travel Network

    410-218-7977
    305 Old Nuttal Avenue
    Edgewood, MD
    Read more about Growing a Family Garden

    Regional Articles
    - Growing a Family Garden Annapolis MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Baltimore MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Bel Air MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Beltsville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Bethesda MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Bowie MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Brooklyn MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Capitol Heights MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Catonsville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Chevy Chase MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Clinton MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Cockeysville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden College Park MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Columbia MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Crofton MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Cumberland MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Derwood MD
    - Growing a Family Garden District Heights MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Dundalk MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Edgewood MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Elkridge MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Elkton MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Ellicott City MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Essex MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Forest Hill MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Fort Washington MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Frederick MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Frostburg MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Gaithersburg MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Germantown MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Glen Burnie MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Greenbelt MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Gwynn Oak MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Hagerstown MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Halethorpe MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Havre De Grace MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Hyattsville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Jessup MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Joppa MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Kensington MD
    - Growing a Family Garden La Plata MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Lanham MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Laurel MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Lexington Park MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Lusby MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Lutherville Timonium MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Middle River MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Millersville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Montgomery Village MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Mount Airy MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Nottingham MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Odenton MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Olney MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Owings Mills MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Oxon Hill MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Parkville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Pasadena MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Pikesville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Potomac MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Randallstown MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Reisterstown MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Rockville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Rosedale MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Salisbury MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Severn MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Severna Park MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Silver Spring MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Suitland MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Sykesville MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Takoma Park MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Temple Hills MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Towson MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Upper Marlboro MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Waldorf MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Westminster MD
    - Growing a Family Garden Windsor Mill MD
    Related Articles
    - Techniques on Apartment Gardening Maryland
    Apartment gardening can be as easy as one pleases even for first time gardeners. Here are some easy and useful techniques to create your gardening tour de force regardless of how little or big a space you have in your apartment.
    - Investigating Genealogy and Family History Maryland
    - How To Get Along With Relatives Maryland
    - Make Dinosaurs in a Dish Garden Maryland
    - Sunburst Muffins Maryland
    - An Alternative Way of Gardening Maryland
    - Father's Day Gift Ideas Maryland
    - Gardening Interests for Kids Maryland
    - Nurturing Your Child's Creativity Maryland
    - How To Treat Crib Bedding Maryland
    Related Local Events
    Baby Boomer & Senior Expo
    Dates: 10/7/2009 - 10/8/2009
    Location: Maryland State Fairgrounds
    Lutherville Timonium, MD
    View Details
    MAFP 2009 Annual Assembly and Trade Show
    Dates: 6/17/2009 - 6/19/2009
    Location: Clarion Resort
    Ocean City, MD
    View Details
    Rss   Delicious   Digg   Add To My Yahoo   Add To My Google   Bookmark   Search Plugin
    Topics:
    Advertising Family Home Services Real Estate Resources
    Business Services Fashion Industrial Goods & Services Retail & Consumer Services
    Career Financial Services Insurance Software
    Cars Food & Beverage Internet Technology
    Computer Hardware Franchise Legal Telecommunications
    Construction Health Miscellaneous Trade Shows
    Education Holidays Nightlife Travel
    Entertainment Home Appliances Online Database Weddings
    Environmental Home Electronics Pets World History
    Articles.DirectoryM.com | Search | About Us | Contact Us | Mobile | Blog | En Español
    Copyright © BET Information Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.