Making Home Gardening Fun For The Kids

Dirt has always been one of the kids’ best toys, so home gardening could just be one fun activity for your children. Excite them by allowing them to pick whichever plant they want to grow. Here are some tips to help you make your little ones become enthusiastic about home gardening.

Choose the right plants When Gardening With Kids

Kids will more likely choose plants and flowers with bright colors, so have a load of varieties of plants. Examples of bright flowers are zinnias and cosmos; these will keep your children fascinated. Don’t forget the sunflowers. Anything that is tall and fuzzy will potentially overwhelm a child. Pay special attention to allergies; you don’t want plants that will cause allergic reactions in your kid.

Starting Seeds to A Kids’ Home Garden

Give your children the freedom to help you with the starting seeds. Some seeds might be too small for the tiny fingers, but their digits can be of help in covering them with dirt.

Create a Home Gardening Memoir

To last the kids’ enthusiasm until the plants grow, make them create a home gardening journal.

This activity will allow them to use their imagination to sketch what the plants will be like and write down when they placed the seeds in the ground and when they first witnessed a sprout pushing up.

It’s a great activity for those cold end-of-winter months when you’re starting seed indoors and for the early spring days.

Make Their Home Garden Visible

Make sure that the garden is somewhere very visible for the kids. Before you start home gardening, pick a spot where the kids often play or walk by. Every time they see and pass by their garden, the more they will see sight changes.

Dirt playing Their Way Through Home Gardening

Always remember that children are fond of playing with dirt or mud. They can help you prepare the soil, even if they are only stomping on the clumps.

To make home gardening with the kids more fun, you can provide them with kid-sized tools to make home gardening very engaging for them.

Let Your kids own the garden

A picture of each plant will enable the children to foresee what the flowers will look like. You can also put your child’s name on a placard so everyone can see that it’s their garden.

Playing with the water

Playing with water is right up there with playing with dirt. Look for a small watering can that they can use to water their garden. You can show them how to let the water go right to the roots of the plants. Hoses want only trouble. They are simply formidable for little hands to control.

Let The Kids Make mistakes

Adults, too, are sometimes impatient. Give the kids full control of their garden. If they create a mess, let it be, it’s their mess. Allow them to get pleasure from it and take dignity in their own piece of territory. Just don’t forget to tell them how to clean up that mess.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to get your kids into gardening?

Shop Gardening Tools

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While there are endless possibilities for tools and gardening, I always go back to the basics: my tote with my tools, a kneeling pad, and very good gloves.

New post 8 Tips To Get Your Kids Enjoy Home Gardening on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas

Selecting, Organizing, And Caring Tips For Your Gardening Tools

Essential Tools & Tips To For Your Gardening Tools

It can be difficult for first-time or even seasoned gardeners to decide which garden tools to invest in. Even when you’ve narrowed down which tools you really want, it can still be difficult to determine exactly what to look for in each tool.

If you’ve purchased quality tools, you’re off to a great start. But, properly caring for your tools is what will really make them last.

If you, like many others, are unsure of which garden tools to buy, what to look for in those tools, and how to care for them, then I have exactly the tools for gardening list for you.

Read on to learn what to look for in the basic gardening tools and how to maintain them.

If you’ve selected the best tools and become knowledgeable about how to care for them but still find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the prospects of at-home gardening, then my Garden Planner, available in both digital and print, can help. 

As an experienced personal organizer, I know that the key to starting and maintaining a hobby like gardening is proper organization. With over 40 organizational forms, my Garden Planner can help you become the green thumb of your dreams.

1 – Large Garden Shovel

A large shovel is the most basic and important tool in any gardening kit. Shovels are primarily used for cutting through the soil to form plant beds. In addition, your shovel can help you weed, clear debris, and break up tough soil.

What to look for: The best shovels have a sturdy metal head that does not bend or break and is firmly secured to the handle. Make sure that the top of the shovel allows you to put your weight on it to help you dig into the earth.

Shovel care: Shovels shouldn’t require too much care. If the metal begins to rust, scrub with steel wool or a hard wire brush. Wooden shovel handles can occasionally be soaked in linseed oil to preserve their quality.

2 – Comfortable Gardening Gloves

For many gardeners, gloves are a must-have to prevent things like splinters, rocks, and bugs from harming your hands. Although you won’t get to feel the soil between your fingers, gloves can really help protect your hands.

What to look for: Your gloves should fit snugly at the wrist and not have extra material at the ends of the fingers. If your gloves are too loose, dirt will find its way in. You can spend a little more money and get water-resistant gloves.

Glove care: Clean off excess dirt with warm water. Some gloves are machine washable but check the label first. Also, make sure to replace your gloves if they become worn down.

3 – Gardening Hoe

Gardening hoes are a great multi-use garden tool. Garden hoes can be used for soil clearing, weeding, harvesting, and more.

What to look for: Look for a garden hoe that fits comfortably in your hand. Make sure the metal hoe part is heavy enough to dig into tough soil.

Hoe care: Store hoes and other tools with rubber/plastic handles in a cool, dry place. Leaving them out in the sun can cause the handles to deteriorate and crack.

4 – Pick Mattock

Pick mattocks are perfect for those who live in areas with soil that contains lots of clay or stones. By having one side as a pickaxe and the other side as a hoe-style shape, pick mattocks are a great heavy-duty digger.

What to look for: The most important thing for a pick mattock is length. Some mattocks can be up to 4 feet long, while others are more handheld. Choose one that has a sturdy and heavy head.

Pick Mattock care: To prevent rust, store your pick mattock in a dry place and scrub it with steel wool or a wire brush if rust appears.

5 – Trowel/Small Spade

A handheld trowel or a small spade is a must for digging small holes or other situations where a large shovel is too cumbersome. 

What to look for: Make sure that your selected trowel is very comfortable to hold. Cheap spades have a thin metal head that can bend. Make sure yours won’t flex under pressure.

Spade care: Do not store your trowel in the sun. If your trowel gets wet, make sure to dry it off before storing it to prevent rust from forming. 

6 – Small Handheld Pruners

Having a small pair of hand pruners is very helpful for trimming off leaves and harvesting vegetables like tomatoes. They also come in handy for snipping tough stems.

What to look for: You will probably use your pruners for tough, woody stems, so make sure that they snap shut forcefully and have a strong blade. Choose pruners that lock shut to maximize safety.

Pruner care: Pruners’ blades need to be kept very sharp. Once a year, use a whetstone or kitchen knife sharpener to sharpen the blades of your handheld pruners.

7 – General use Rake

Large rakes are great for two reasons: raking leaves and smoothing soil. Wide rakes can save hours on debris cleanup during windy days. In addition, they are great for giving your soil a smooth top-coat.

What to look for: Make sure your rake has tines that aren’t flimsy yet bend and flex. Try to choose a rake with a protective coating over the tines to prevent rust.

Rake care: Never store rakes with wooden handles outside. After each use, make sure to pick any debris from the tines to avoid buildup over time.

8 – Wheelbarrow

Wheelbarrows are a seriously underrated part of a gardener’s toolkit.

Wheelbarrows are obviously great for carrying loads of soil around the garden, but they also function as the perfect portable container to toss weeds, harvested vegetables, or waste in while gardening.

What to look for: Choose a wheelbarrow that is easy to steer and has enough capacity to carry a large load.

Wheelbarrow care: Clean the inside of your wheelbarrow after each use to prevent buildup. If you use a hose, dry the inside of your wheelbarrow well to prevent rust.

9 – Long Loppers

Long loppers look like handheld pruners on steroids. These are perfect for chopping through woody stems and tough plants. Their length makes them great for hard-to-reach places and thorny plants.

What to look for: Choose loppers that aren’t too heavy, as you’ll need to be able to maneuver them into hard-to-reach spots. 

Lopper care: Many loppers have rubber surroundings on the edge of their handles, which need to be kept in a cool, dry place to prevent cracking. Once a year, sharpen your lopper’s blades with a whetstone or kitchen knife sharpener.

10 – Hand Cultivator

Having a hand cultivator is great for those in areas with tough soil. These tools loosen soil for perfect plant bed formation.

What to look for: Choose a cultivator that isn’t too heavy or bulky. Make sure that the tines are thick enough to break up tough soil properly.
Cultivator care: Hand cultivators are prone to rust, so make sure to dry them off before storing them away. Wooden handles can be rubbed with linseed oil to prevent cracking.

So, this is my list of the top 10 garden tools. Did I miss something? Do you have a tool you love? Share it with us in the comments below!

As an experienced personal organizer, I know that the key to starting and maintaining a hobby like gardening is proper organization. With over 40 organizational forms, my Garden Planner can help you become the green thumb of your dreams.

Shop Gardening Tools

---

While there are endless possibilities for tools and gardening, I always go back to the basics: my tote with my tools, a kneeling pad, and very good gloves.

New post How To Care For Your Gardening Tools For Years To Come on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas

Starting a garden at home can be an incredibly rewarding experience for a family. Your family can enjoy fresh produce and vegetables while growing closer and bonding over your shared plants. 

However, many people find the gardening season overwhelming, especially if they’ve never had their own garden before. Luckily, there are many tasks that you can cross off of your list before springtime gardening season has begun.

Doing these things in fall or summer will ensure that your garden can thrive without you feeling overwhelmed. 

Here are a few gardening tips for how to prepare for the gardening season, including soil preparation, perennial planning, learning your hardiness zone, composting, and hardy bulb planting.

If you need help keeping track of all these dates and tasks, consider purchasing my digital Garden Planner. It will help you keep on top of year-round tasks for your garden and includes helpful forms like seed inventories, plant logs, and veggie calendars.

Things to do in the Fall – Before Gardening Season has Begun

In order to ensure a stress-free gardening experience, there are a number of tasks that are best completed well before the gardening season has begun.

Fall is usually the best time to begin these tasks, but don’t worry if you don’t get started until just before the planting season. 

When you really need to do these tips generally depends on how harsh your climate is. If you live somewhere with cold and snowy winters, make sure to take full advantage of fall to accomplish certain tasks before everything freezes over for the winter.

If you live somewhere where the weather is relatively warm year-round, you have much more leeway when you complete these tasks.

Soil Preparation in Advance

The best time to prepare the soil and plant beds for springtime planting is fall. This can be done in the spring just before you plant, but we find that accomplishing proper soil preparation early is the key to a stress-free garden.

Start by clearing the planting area of any rocks, weeds, sticks, or other debris that might get in the way.

To begin preparing your beds, decide exactly where you want to plant and use a spade to dig up the soil to around 1 foot deep.

You want to do this to make this soil extra healthy for your plants. Incorporate manure or compost as needed in this soil. Make sure the soil stays loose for the best planting.

Learn Your Hardiness Zone

One thing that you must do before spring planting season has begun is learning your hardiness zone.

Your hardiness zone refers to what plants can actually thrive and survive in your region. Not all plants are happy with cold or hot temperatures.

Before committing to any plants, it is vital to figure out how well they will do in your area.

Learning your hardiness zone is also great for figuring out how long your planting season will last.

Depending on your local climate, you may get more or fewer days before your last frost date in spring. This will directly affect when you can plant certain vegetables and flowers.

Start Composting Early

If you would like your garden to be more self-sustaining, then make sure to prepare compost and manure well before the planting season has begun. 

If you have excess manure lying around, there are two things you need to keep in mind. 

First, only manure from certain animals can be used to help plants grow. For instance, horse manure is great for gardening.

However, pig or dog manure has bacteria and toxins that can make humans very sick. As a rule of thumb, if the animal eats meat, its manure shouldn’t be used for planting. 

Second, any manure that you plan on using cannot be fresh. Even the finest horse manure has too much nitrogen and bacteria when it is fresh. So the manure must be ‘rotted’ for six months prior to use.

If you live in an area full of horses, keep in mind that many barns will happily give away old horse manure for low prices.

If you plan on using compost instead of manure, you should also begin to prepare it well before the spring planting season starts.

Things like vegetable peels, coffee grinds, and plant/grass clippings can act as perfect sources of fertilizer. But, this process takes time.

Make sure that your compost is mature enough by the time you plan to use it.

Properly Prepare for Perennials

This tip is especially for anyone who plans on having perennials and annuals in their garden.

Remember that it can take three years to reach maturity! If you want to have perennials but live somewhere with a harsh winter, make sure that they will actually survive your climate. 

Because perennials can stay in the ground seemingly dormant for a while, it’s all too easy to forget about them and accidentally dig them up or trample them.

Make sure that any perennial-type plants that will be spending the winter outside are clearly marked.

Here are two perennial newbie mistakes that I had to deal with later:

• I underestimated their growth and purchased too many of them not taking into account how full they’d grow later. That forced me to replan the garden and move some of them around to give them breathing room and create white space in the garden bed.
• I got didn’t take into account their blooming times and purchased plants that would bloom too close or together. To always have something blooming in your garden, research “blooming by month + your state”.

Plant Hardy Bulbs in Fall

If you live somewhere where the ground freezes over each winter, it is best to plant certain hardy bulbs in fall before this occurs.

Tulips, ornamental alliums, crocuses, and others all fall into this category. Most of these only require one planting and will continue to come up year after year. After our long, artic cold winters, my tulips are the joy of the house when they finally bloom in mid-May.

Bulbs are great if you want little upkeep and like a one-and-done type of plant.

For these hardy bulbs, place them in a hole in the soil bed. The hole should be two to three times the depth of the bulb.

Like with perennials, make sure that you mark these bulbs clearly during winter so that they are not stepped on or dug up. 

Conclusion

If you can complete all of these tasks before the spring planting season begins, you will be well on your way to a successful and stress-free garden.

Of course, this list is by no means all-encompassing. Some people plan their gardens much less thoroughly than others but still achieve good results.

At the end of the day, preparing for gardening comes down to how much time and energy you can devote to your garden before planting in spring.

If you need more help staying organized, my Garden Planner is just the tool for you.

New post How to Prepare for Gardening Season: What to do, When, and What Not to Miss on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas