Gardening for Kids will be introducing a new, exciting range - Grow Something Different. The range is designed to encourage children and parents to branch out beyond growing favourites like cress and sunflowers, and includes quirky varieties such as Brain Plant, Black Dragon Plant and Cucamelons. The new range goes alongside the successful, well established Get Growing, Wonderful Wildflowers and Grow Your Own Christmas Tree ranges.
All kits contain a peat-free coir compost disc, a colourful bamboo pot made from recycled chopsticks, top-quality seeds from UK suppliers, and full instructions. Louise explains that parents often lack confidence in gardening (“I can’t even keep grass alive!”), so these simple and reliable kits are designed to educate and empower children and their parents to learn together.
“Great quality product. Really easy to plant. My goddaughter is sending me regular picture updates. All growing well.”
“Oh WOW WOW WOW- these are fabulous and I’m giving them to my grandchildren for Easter- they will love them, Thankyou.”
“Great little present for a small girl who loves gardening! Nice packaging too. Thank you.”
“Absolutely brilliant kit and perfect for planting with children. Virtually no mess, and everything you need is included. Let’s hope I manage to grow something!”
]]>We visited the local garden centre to take a look at the tomato seeds on offer. We found 94 different types! If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to growing tomatoes with children, this can be very daunting.
For a beginner or for children, we recommend either ‘determinate/bush’ varieties, or a cascading variety. Neither will require any complicated pruning, staking or removal of side shoots. They will also grow happily in large pots, hanging baskets or ordinary garden soil. Just make sure they're in a sunny spot, and no greenhouse is needed.
There are lots of suitable tomato varieties for children. The key is to persevere and keep trying lots of different types: you will quickly find one you (and they!) will love.
We’ve got seeds for cherry tomatoes, table-top tomatoes and fabulously sweet apéritif tomatoes, to name but a few!
While you're there, have a look at the tomato SeedCells - an ingenious, plastic-free way to grow tomatoes from seed.
We'd love to know how you get on - send us your pictures of you and your children on our Facebook or Instagram page! And if you get stuck, just get in touch and one of our team will be on hand to help you.
]]>We at Gardening for Kids have put together a list of growing ideas for kids in January and February. All these seeds and growing kits are easy for kids to grow, and come with amazing instructions. The kids' seed growing kits recommended here will be a perfect accompaniment to half term and rainy days!
Strawberry seeds can be sown inside all year round, and small plants nurtured until it's time to plant them out in May-June or Sept. Strawberry seeds are tiny, so take extra care not to bury them too deeply or they will not germinate. Just cover with the tiniest sprinkling of compost. A deluge of water from a watering can may uproot strawberry seedlings, so the best way to water strawberry seedlings (which are also tiny to start with!) is to place the pot into a saucer of water and wait for the top of the soil to become damp. As soon as this happens, remove the saucer.
Sow sweet peas now for lots of gorgeous cut flowers in the summer. Sweet peas are easy to grow and have a wonderful scent. Simply soak the seeds overnight before sowing in pots of damp compost. Sow inside in January and February, keep in a warm place inside, before planting out in May. Sweet peas are climbers, so have fun building them a climbing frame too!
Check out our brand new Sweet Pea Growing Kit
Tomatoes have a long growing season, so best to sow them inside early in spring. Late January to early February is ideal. Tomatoes are a good first crop for children to try, as they germinate readily in damp compost when kept on a warm windowsill. Cherry tomato varieties need no special pruning and will grow quite happily in a pot or growbag on a sunny patio.
Not sure what type of tomato to choose? Check out our blog: What Tomato is Best for Children to Grow?
Peppers, like tomatoes, need to be sown inside in pots of damp compost in a warm place. Again, late Jan/early Feb is perfect. There are many varieties of peppers, all with their own taste and appearance, but we have picked the varieties that are easiest for kids to grow. They should give you amazing ripe fruits in the summer!
Herbs are brilliant, and can grow inside all year round, just put a few seeds in a pot on the kitchen windowsill. Really, really easy for kids to grow, and they smell amazing. Most herbs produce brilliant flowers that the bees absolutely love. You will be able to harvest a few leaves for cooking in just a few weeks. Popular varieties are parsley, chives and basil.
Grow a plant that moves! The leaves and stems of Mimosa pudica will actually fold up and collapse when touched. Its leaves fold up in the evening and wake up in the morning! This fun plant can be grown inside as a houseplant all year round.
Check out our Dancing Plant Growing Kit
Let us know how you get on!
Gardening for Kids x
]]>Venus Fly traps are intriguing plants, even if they don’t actually grow into present crunching monsters. We’ve all seen the traps snapping shut on some unfortunate victim which drops down into a soup of enzymes where it is digested! Venus Fly Traps are natives of soggy bog environments in North America. There are many varieties of carnivorous plants native to the wet peatlands of the UK too. Like all plants they photosynthesise to make the sugar glucose, but carnivorous plants obtain the minerals they need not from soil but from digesting insects. Saturated bogs are very low in oxygen, so far fewer decomposer organisms live in them. Fewer decomposers mean fewer nutrients released into the surroundings, hence plants evolved to eat insects instead!
Here at GFK we have a fantastic range of growing kits designed by us to encourage children and their families to grow plants from seed. Venus Fly Traps are intriguing, beautiful plants, so why don’t we have a Venus Fly Trap kit? Well, one of the things we take into consideration when putting a kit together is the ease of germination of the seed. They must germinate pretty reliably and quickly – imagine how different the ad would have been if the seed had not germinated at all – one very disappointed little boy who might not try again. That’s just the opposite of what we want at GFK! Unfortunately, Venus Fly traps can be slow and erratic to grow from seed. Once grown they are very fussy about what sort of soil they want and will only drink rainwater! So probably not a plant for a beginner. I’m not saying don’t grow carnivorous plants – they are wonderful, but be aware that they need careful looking after. I have a gorgeous little sundew plant on the windowsill which takes care of pesky little flies but it’s taken me months to nurse it back to health after my friend watered it with tap water when I was on holiday.
Now Christmas trees are a different thing entirely. They germinate readily from seed, often within 7-10 days and look like miniature chimney sweep brushes when they first appear. They are not in the least bit fussy about soil or water, just give them plenty of both! Yes, they grow fairly slowly for the first couple of years but after that they will romp away. You could be decorating them within about 5 years, so they are a great long-term project for children.
Just one last observation, the ‘seed’ in the John Lewis advert looked more like a hazelnut to me, and you can grow those from seed too!
]]>Well, here we are in Autumn, although the weather here at Gardening for Kids headquarters is more like summer as I write this. It seems like yesterday when we were busily sowing seeds in Spring, anticipating a summer of fabulous fruit, veg and flowers.
A couple of notable firsts in the GFK garden – I grew ‘Roma’ tomato plants in the veg beds and was rewarded with weeks of non-stop plum tomatoes, delicious in salads or made into sauce. Several jars of tomato chutney are maturing nicely too. I wonder if the hot dry climate here in East Anglia is becoming more suitable for growing crops like tomatoes and peppers outside?
My first attempt at greenhouse cucumbers was a success too, steady crops of really tasty cues. Not all of them grew straight, we had some spectacular bent ones which my grandchildren called ‘nanacumbers’ and ‘cuebananas’. Bendy cucumbers were clearly a novelty they were very keen to eat. I’m trying not to think of the slugs which devoured all my cabbages, and the pigeons that pecked the kale into oblivion. Oh well, that’s gardening life. Note to self: build a brassica cage next year and buy some nematodes.
In exciting news, we attended our very first trade show in Harrogate over the summer, and are thrilled that a number of retailers are now stockists of our own brand growing kits. This all helps us bring the gift of easy, fun gardening to as many families as possible.
If you know any gift shops, farm shops or garden centres which may be interested in stocking our kits, they can find all the details in our Faire shop below:
Halloween is fast approaching and we're eagerly awaiting pictures of your carved pumpkin. There may well be a prize in store for the best one... watch out for an email from us!
We're busy developing an exciting new range of children's growing kits, which we aim to launch in the spring. Also, keep watching this space for a brand new website and some fabulous new children's gardening gifts coming to the website before Christmas.
Lots of warm autumn vibes!
Louise and the Gardening for Kids team x
The thing is, the compost heap never seemed to get any bigger... Where had all the leaves gone?
Decomposition is an important process in the cycle of life – dead remains are broken down into their constituent molecules (parts), which are returned to the ecosystem to be used again. The organisms that carry out decomposition are not glamorous, but what they lack in cuteness they more than make up for in importance. They are the global clean-up crew. Compost heaps teem with life – bacteria, fungi, worms, woodlice, millipedes – all busy breaking down and recycling the dead stuff.
Plants love compost – it gives them the minerals they need for healthy growth.
Spreading compost onto vegetable bed or into raised beds or pots will encourage good growth and bumper crops.
Biology teacher’s note: plants make their own food by photosynthesis. This food is in the form of a sugar called glucose. However, glucose on its own is not enough. Plants need to absorb minerals from the soil in order to make important molecules like proteins, DNA and chlorophyll. That’s where compost comes in – it’s full of these essential minerals.
Home composting is not difficult or complicated, and requires minimal equipment. As well, it is a fantastic way to teach children about the concept of recycling, waste management and decomposing organisms. All the benefits of fresh air, exercise, having fun and learning about something new – what’s not to like?!
The recipe for good compost is straightforward. Choose a container of some sort, a wire mesh box is good, or you could use a large bucket with some holes drilled in.
Mix together items from the green and brown lists, add enough water to make it all damp, stir up every week or so.
Green list: weeds, grass clipping, vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea leaves and coffee grounds.
Brown list: dead leaves, sawdust or wood shavings, shredded cardboard, small twigs.
So go on, have some Autumn fun raking up the leaves and get composting! Your plants will thank you next year.
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In terms of growing, its wildflowers' time to shine. Native wildflowers are normally planted at this time of the year, as this is when the seeds are available from this year’s flowers. They also do well in the spring. Try our Wonderful Wildflowers Range, the complete children's growing kit in 5 native and easy-to-grow varieties. As well, there are fabulous wildflower mixes in the form of Seedballs or Seedboms.
(Image courtesy of Claire Coombs on Facebook of our wildflower mixes)
Some of these are ‘traditionally’ planted in the spring, but planting them now, allows them to germinate and grow while the weather is not too bad, survive the winter then flower bigger, longer and earlier the following year.
Planting bulbs in September will ensure gorgeous flowering of beloved early spring favourites such as daffodils, snowdrops, hyacinths and crocuses. Spring/summer-flowering bulbs like alliums and lilies can be planted any time until the end of October. Tulips are better planted a little later, into November.
Of course, if you don’t want to brave the weather, our indoor favourites will provide year-round growing fun and education!
Plant early flowering spring bulbs such as daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, and snowdrops.
Spring- and summer-flowering bulbs, such as alliums and lillies
Seedballs – varieties including the matchboxes, ox-eye daisy, beetle mix, hedgehog mix, artist’s meadow
Seedboms – varieties including Pollinator Bom
Tulip bulbs
Herbs - check out our Herb Garden Growing Kit
Cress - such as our easy to grow Cress Growing Kit
Let us know how you and your children get on with growing. We'd love to feature you in our upcoming Growers' Gallery.
Happy Gardening!
Try one of the activities below to keep the children entertained this autumn, and spark a life-long love of nature and the outdoors.
Lots of animals will be starting hibernate at this time of year, from mammals like hedgehogs, to insects. Clearing up the garden will mean lots of leaves, sticks and other ‘rubbish’, which will make a perfect habitat for an overwintering beastie.
All that’s required is a semi-structured pile of leftover garden waste, such as bricks, bamboo canes, pallets or offcuts of wood, old plant pots. These should be arranged in a way that allows lots of different size holes, nooks and crannies for all different sizes of insects.
Why not start off the bottom of the pile with a Hedgehog House, so as to provide a large, hedgehog-safe home for our favourite spiky friends.
Most younger children absolutely LOVE raking leaves and grass cuttings. How much of it ends up in a neat pile is questionable, but great fun for all involved! Grab some children’s gardening gloves and a children’s lawn rake and you can get the youngsters helping out with some of the garden chores.
At the end of their flowering period, most flowers will dry out and produce seeds in a pod. These can be gathered and sown immediately back into the ground. Children will love going round and collecting as many seeds as they can, perhaps even having a competition for how many different types they can find. This can also be done when out and about in the countryside – although be careful not to pick any flowers or disturb any wildlife!
Leaves have such beautiful colours in the autumn, and children have always loved savouring these leaves in nature-themed craft activities. You can dry out and save these leaves in an old fashioned flower press. Or try painting the leaves and making leaf prints.
No autumn is complete without carving a pumpkin in time for Halloween. Or even taking part in a pumpkin growing contest! Hopefully you’ll have started off growing your own pumpkins in the spring so that there’s a couple of big juicy pumpkins for harvesting in the autumn. If not, grab yourself some pumpkin seeds for next year to make the carving experience much more exciting.
Autumn can be the time to start preparing for next spring, with the majority of bulbs being planted now for their glorious emergence next spring. By preparing now, you can have fun guessing which bulb will be the first to sprout, or how many flowers will come from one bulb. This early preparation not only teaches children about the life cycles of plants, but it also teaches them the value or patience and preparation. Autumn is the perfect time to scatter wildflower seeds and you can still plant salad crops like lettuce, rocket and spring onions in a patio pot. Please read our full post entitled What to Grow with the Kids in September and October.
We'd love to see pictures of how you get on!
]]>The change of season doesn’t mean that the growing season is slowing down; actually, May and June is the best time to be planting some types of plants with children. For those of you who have been patiently caring for your plants on the windowsill and in the mini greenhouse, now the weather will be getting warm enough for them to be planted outside. For information on when to do this, see our Guide to Growing from Seeds.
If you’ve yet to start planting anything, or you’re still in the planting mood, then you may be wondering what you can still plant in May and June. But never fear - we’ve made a handy list for you!
Although it’s a little late for some veggies like tomatoes and peppers, for many others it’s prime time. Sweetcorn, butternut squash, broccoli, beans, peas, carrots, radishes, aubergines etc are all perfect to be planted from seed into June and even July.
Strawberries are great to grow at this time – they won’t produce fruits this year, but planting now ensures strong, healthy plants in time for the autumn. All varieties that we stock at Gardening for Kids are easy to grow varieties, and will please the little ones way into the summer.
The squash family contains a wide range of delicious and decorative plants – brilliant for children to grow! Try some tasty pasta or butternut squash and courgettes. For something decorative try growing a Halloween pumpkin or some gourds for autumn decorations.
Check out our squash collection.
Your children will love getting involved in sowing, growing and nurturing a real life beanstalks. Runner beans are an easy and fun crop to grow and make delicious beans in the summer. Part of the fun of growing runner beans is to build a wigwam of bamboo canes for them to climb up.
Peas are easy to grow and delicious too! Nothing beats the taste of fresh peas, straight from the pod. Peas can be planted every couple of weeks from mid-March to the end of June. A great first vegetable for children to grow.
Sow seeds of leaf salads, radishes and spring onions in a large patio pot or in the open ground for summer crops of delicious salad veg. And what better way is there to get them interested in where their food comes from and encourage them to try something new.
Flowers such as poppies, wildflowers and the beloved sunflowers are all still good to go at this time of year, and can be planted successfully from seed until mid-June. They should flower in the summer and up until the autumn sets in.
Let us know how you and your children get on with growing. We'd love to feature you in our upcoming Growers' Gallery. Happy growing!
]]>For those who grew up before the modern digital age, it’s safe to assume you spent a good portion of your childhood playing outdoors. Playing football, climbing trees, and just plain getting dirty. And even though you were probably advised not to, you may have taste-tested one of those mud pies made on a hot summer day playing make-believe.
In today’s society, we’re constantly reminded about the importance of hygiene; which is no surprise post-pandemic. And although cleanliness is not a bad thing as it helps to stop the spread of deadly diseases, it can also negatively affect our long-term ability to fight infections. In fact, many bacteria are harmless and live in the environment without causing harm to humans. Some bacteria are positively beneficial, like those in the gut which produce vitamin K for us.
Obsessive hand washing breaks down the skin’s natural protective barrier, which can make you more prone to infection and allergic reactions. So, getting a little dirty will not only not hurt you, but it’ll help you too.
Thankfully, you don’t have to live in a mess to get the benefits. Small things like starting a garden, having a pet, and eliminating or at least reducing your use of chlorine-based cleaners and antibacterial soaps will aid your microbiome health.
The following are just a few of the many health benefits associated with exposure to everyday dirt and germs.
The immune system is integral to your overall health. It protects your body from harmful viruses and bacteria. So it’s only fitting that the soldier fighting all of your internal battles against disease be in top shape. The immune system should be exposed to dirt from a young age so it can better recognize threats as they come throughout your life. To be clear, the dirt should be fresh soil and away from pet droppings and chemical contamination.
The outdoors benefits more than just the body, but the mind as well. A study surveying schools found that 92% of students experience improved overall health and well-being from spending time outside. Outdoor activities allow you to connect with nature. Those who spend time outside have reduced rates of anxiety and depression as the natural world calms the mind and eases some of the stresses of everyday life. So go get your hands dirty gardening or go for a walk through your local park – your mind will thank you for it.
These are just a few of the health benefits of increasing your and your children’s exposure to dirt and germs. There’s no need to sacrifice hygiene for better immune health. However, cleanliness is not the only way to protect yourself from harm. Let your children get out there, get digging and get dirty!
]]>It may be winter outside, but inside it’s spring time! It might be too cold for seeds outside, even in a greenhouse, but there are a few varieties that can be sown now in order for amazing flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables in the summer! We at Gardening for Kids have put together a list of growing ideas for children in January and February. All these seeds and growing kits are easy to grow, and come with full instructions.
Strawberry seeds can be sown inside all year round, and small plants nurtured until its time to plant them out in May-June or Sept. Strawberry seeds are tiny, so take extra care not to bury them too deeply or they will not germinate. Just cover with the tiniest sprinkling of compost. A deluge of water from a watering can may uproot strawberry seedlings. The best way to water strawberry seedlings (which are also tiny to start with!) is to place the pot into a saucer of water and wait for the top of the soil to become damp. As soon as this happens, remove the saucer.
Sow sweet peas now for lots of gorgeous cut flowers in the summer. Sweet peas are easy to grow and have a wonderful scent. Simply soak the seeds overnight before sowing in pots of damp compost. Sow inside in January and February, keep in a warm place inside, before planting out in May. Sweet peas are climbers, so have fun building them a climbing frame too!
Tomatoes have a long growing season, so best to sow them inside early in spring. Late January – early February is ideal. Tomatoes are a good first crop for children to try, they germinate readily in damp compost when kept on a warm windowsill. Cherry tomato varieties need no special pruning and will grow quite happily in a pot or growbag on a sunny patio.
Not sure what type of tomato to choose? Check out our blog: What Tomato is Best for Children to Grow?
Peppers, like tomatoes, need to be sown inside in pots of damp compost in a warm place. There are many varieties of peppers, all with their own taste and appearance. We have picked the varieties that are easiest for children to grow. They should give you amazing ripe fruits in the summer!
Strawberry sticks are a must-grow for little gardeners who want to be adventurous and grow something a bit different! Strawberry sticks are a flower with edible leaves and fruits that look exactly like little strawberries on sticks! Sow inside during February.
Fancy growing your own Strawberry Sticks? Click here!
Herbs are brilliant, and can grow inside all year round, just put a few seeds in a pot on the kitchen windowsill. Really, really easy for kids to grow, and they smell amazing. Most herbs produce brilliant flowers that the bees absolutely love. You will be able to harvest a few leaves for cooking in just a few weeks. Popular varieties are parsley, chives and basil.
Grow a plant that moves! The leaves and stems of Mimosa pudica will actually fold up and collapse when touched. Its leaves fold up in the evening and wake up in the morning! This fun plant can be grown inside as a houseplant all year round.
Let us know how you get on!
Gardening for Kids x
]]>Grandparents are an essential part of a child's life – givers of unconditional love, undivided attention, fun and a source of inspiration! No wonder there is a special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. Gardening is good for everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing, but especially beneficial for children. It is a unique opportunity to learn patience, kindness, where food comes from and about the many beneficial creatures which live in gardens alongside us. It is an opportunity time to be out in the fresh air being physically active (good for grandparents too!). Gardening is just one of many activities which can be enjoyed together, so if you are wondering how to get your grandchildren interested in gardening, here are some suggestions:
Take them to your garden:
This is an easy one! Children love to imitate grown-ups, so take them with you while you work in your garden. Let them see you planting and tending your patch, they’ll be desperate to join in. Chat to them and explain what you are doing.
Give your grandchildren their own special gardening tools, perhaps as a birthday or Christmas present. A set of colourful child-sized hand tools, gloves, watering can and a bucket will just encourage them to dig in even more. Children love stories, and the gift of a gardening book with likeable fictional characters will help to fire up their imaginations to do some gardening of their own.
Sometimes just sitting back and letting children do their own thing is the best way of encouraging them. Sit with them while they use their tools and do the planting just in case they need your help, but do not make them feel like they are at school. Let them enjoy learning on their own.
Children don’t like waiting, but gardeners have to be patient! If you are growing from seed, choose fast growing plants such as sunflowers, cress, pumpkins and vegetables. Seeing seedlings pop up quickly is sure to keep them motivated and interested.
So, as a grandparent, you can play an essential role in making gardening fun and exciting, with health benefits all round.
Written by Sophia Roy for Seal Beach senior in home care
]]>School is out and summer is here! Now that the days are warmer, it’s the perfect opportunity to get your kids outside and active. From den building to planting flowers, there are plenty of ways to keep your little ones interested and engaged outside (not to mention, reduce screen time!).
If you see bees buzzing around your garden, don’t shoo them away. Despite their “stinging” reputation, bees aren’t aggressive insects. They're just out and about looking for food—mainly nectar from the flowers in your garden.
Sadly, bees are becoming endangered. However, by creating a bee-friendly garden, you can help keep bees safe and watch your garden thrive!
Different species of plants flourish in different seasons. Having a variety of them keeps your garden vibrant and inviting for bees and other pollinators year-round. Bees are attracted to sweet-smelling flowers with vibrant colors like yellow and blue. Consider planting a bed of sunflowers and lavender!
Creating a habitat for bees allows them to rest and feel safe in the area, thus pollinating more! Unlike bumble bees that live in nests or honeybees that live in hives, leafcutters and other solitary bees find shelter in cavities of wood or plants. Similar to a birdhouse, you can buy or build a freestanding “bee hotel” as shelter and protection for them.
Don’t forget that bees drink water too! It helps them stay hydrated and to keep themselves cool during the summer heat.
Fountains and steep containers are a bit dangerous for bees, since they can easily drown. Instead, fill a small saucer with water and stones. You can also add sticks or corks that float, on which bees can rest.
Keep track of both the bees’ and flowers’ water needs with this helpful water tracker:
Download water tracker here!
Here are a few tips to keep in mind while gardening with our buzzing pollinators in mind:
In addition to gardening, you can teach your children all about caring for bees and the environment with fun and educational activities.
Colouring is a great activity that helps children practice their motor skills. While in the garden, you can help them become more observant of the nature and colours around them. Ask questions such as which flowers they see insects fly around and what colours stand out to them.
Images courtesy of Angi.com
Keep your little ones busy and engaged by discussing different types of flowers that best attract bees, such as wildflowers, honeysuckles, and sunflowers. Parents can show images of these flowers and encourage their children to colour them.
Download all worksheets here!
From pollination to honey production, parents can explain how bees contribute to our ecosystem. With this spelling worksheet, children can associate images with bee-related vocabulary. Later, parents can review the vocabulary words via flashcards to review, which supports their child’s cognitive development.
Gardening is one of many ways to get your children outside and teach them about caring for nature. Bees and other pollinators like birds are essential to the ecosystem. Let’s do our part to protect them!
Author bio:
Ashley Cottrell, from Siege Media, is a writer, traveler, and former preschool teacher. As a freelance content creator, she has covered a wide range of topics, from family-fun craft ideas to sustainable living tips. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her nose deep in a chess match or jogging on the beach.
Many thanks to Ashley for contributing this blog and the brilliant downloads.
]]>Snails are common critters found all over the world, easily recognised by children everywhere. There are over 80,000 species of snail and the group is incredibly varied – the smallest snail would fit through the eye of a needle, the largest would sit comfortably in the palm of an adult’s hand! Their characteristic spiral shells come in a huge variety of colours and patterns– this is because they have evolved in different habitats to camouflage the snail from predators.
Snails have complex and interesting anatomy. The head end has four feelers – the two top ones have eyes on the end! The smaller bottom two feelers have sensors which give the snail its senses of smell and touch. Snails are ‘hermaphrodite’ – this means that each snail has both male and female reproductive organs. They reproduce by laying eggs under the ground. The bottom of the body is made up of a large muscular foot, which the snail uses to move along the ground (slowly!). It glides smoothly over rough ground by producing large quantities of slime under it’s foot.
Snails are an important part of the food chain in our gardens. Birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs and ground beetles all feed on snails (and slugs) and these organisms are a vital part of the ecosystem and healthy populations of snails are essential for supporting wildlife. So, you’d think that gardeners would welcome snails into the garden…..
However, snails are herbivores and voracious feeders. They have a specialised structure called a radula which makes short work of vegetation. The radula has 14,000 hard, sharp tooth-like structures which rasp along leaves, tearing bits off and back into the snail’s mouth. They can munch their way through lettuces, sunflowers, beans, and cabbage plants overnight. The morning after a snail feast there’s often nothing left except stumpy chewed stalks, lots of slime trails and a very unhappy gardener.
To celebrate these amazing but sometimes annoying creatures, we are running a snail-themed competition this summer. To be in with a chance of winning a brilliant nature book bundle all you have to do is to study the picture and tell us how many snails are hiding. Thanks to Sefton Meadows for the fantastic snail competition picture, https://seftonmeadows.co.uk/”
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Finding activities for young children is difficult. Ideally, you’re looking for options that are inexpensive, safe, accessible, and rich in creative potential — and those qualities don’t often appear together. Check out our blog on how to create a sensory garden for kids.
But what about gardening? Could something as simple as watering plants and trimming weeds be the answer to your parenting woes? Well, to put it simply, yes. Getting your kids into gardening could be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Many hobbies need specific environments that are inaccessible to many people, but gardening isn’t one of them. Of course, large-scale cultivation is ideally suited to those with larger gardens but starting out doesn’t take much: just a sunny windowsill or balcony and a few pots with good quality compost. But even if this is not an option for you, there’s so much to be said for encouraging your children to simply observe, appreciate and look after the natural world.
Tennis, for example, is a fine hobby, but think of all the things you need to buy for it! Racquets, balls, court rental, coaching fees… not to mention expensive clothing! Gardening, on the other hand, needs very little expenditure. You’ll just need some gloves, a few pots, seeds and compost – all readily affordable with pocket money. Of course, there’s lots out there to help them as they become more proficient, but to start out they really won’t need anything more.
You can throw in some extras, of course, and there are plenty of excellent birthday or Christmas gifts for avid young gardeners. What’s nice about these things is that you can get them from sellers that contribute significantly to preservation efforts: the RSPB has a choice of binoculars perfect for aspiring birdwatchers, for instance, so you can make a purchase knowing that the money will be well spent.
Children these days have their attention pulled in countless directions: endless social media feeds bombard them with updates and make it hard for them to concentrate – it was so much easier when we were young!
Gardening is as far removed from the electronic hubbub as you can get. It’s all about taking your time, making smart decisions, and thinking ahead. After all, you can’t watch a plant grow to fruition in half an hour! When planting seeds they’ll need to care for them every day, even though the fruits of their labours will come later. This process teaches excellent lessons about patience, perseverance, and the joys of delayed gratification.
Feelings of alienation and disconnection from the natural world and local communities are big problems among our young people. Social media bubbles and computer games (not to mention lockdowns) mean that fewer children than before are getting out and about, with their shoes off and the grass between their toes.
If you’re lucky enough to have a big garden project in your area, your children can start helping out and learning to work collaboratively. They can share the experience of nurturing plant life with others their age and beyond.
Gardening is so rewarding! All the work has a clear payoff: an hour’s weeding reveals a beautiful pathway; steady watering yields spectacular plants. Working on the same pursuit over a long time will pay huge rewards, and powerfully show your children garden the value of committing to a single project. Although it won’t happen overnight, subtle changes will happen every day and provide endless small pleasures.
If you’re a keen gardener, you can get them started by inviting them to help you. They might just develop the desire to do more, and before you know it they’ll be off on their own. And when that happens, the joy will be yours too as you watch them learn grow (just like their seedlings!).
]]>With longer days and warmer temperatures, seeds can be sown outside in March and April in warmer parts of the UK. If early March is still a bit cold and stormy, it can pay to wait a couple of weeks until the weather becomes more spring-like.
Many different seeds can be started off in March and April ready for amazing flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables in the summer and autumn! We at Gardening for Kids have put together a list of growing ideas for children in March and April.
All these seeds and growing kits are easy for children to grow, and come with comprehensive instructions, though if you're new to gardening, check out our Gardening for Kids Guide to Growing from Seed. The seeds and growing kits recommended here will be perfect for growing during the Easter holidays.
Carrots come in many different forms, why not try something a bit different – round carrots or rainbow coloured carrots? Carrots can be sown at regular intervals from mid-March until June, giving a succession of delicious carrots for a long period over the summer.
Check out our carrot growing kits and seeds
Now is the time to sow fabulous flower seeds for lots of gorgeous cut flowers in the summer. As well as looking wonderful, flowers provide essential nectar for pollinating insects such as bees and moths. If you are looking for an ideal first flower to grow with children, try snapdragons. Children are intrigued by the flowers which open up when squeezed gently. Bees absolutely love the flowers too. Snapdragons come in all different bright and pastel colours, and provide lovely variety of colour.
Aside from snapdragons, there are plenty of beautiful (and beneficial) wildflowers that can be grown too for a sea of colour all summer long.
Savour the flavour of Italy, India or Mexico with these brilliant growing kits. Everything you need to grow classic flavours of these amazing cuisines.
Your children will love getting involved in sowing, growing and nurturing these fabulously easy-to-grow varieties of peppers, herbs and chillies. And what better way is there to get them interested in where their food comes from and foods from around the world.
(Psst - you never know, they might even feel brave enough to taste something different!)
Peas are easy to grow and delicious too! Nothing beats the taste of fresh peas, straight from the pod. Peas can be planted every couple of weeks from mid-March to the end of June. A great first vegetable for children to try.
Broccoli is a firm favourite with children and has beautiful yellow flowers if you leave it. Sow in March-April outside for crops in late summer.
Check out our Peas and Broccoli!
Let us know how you get on!
Gardening for Kids x
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We are so excited to have launched our very own range of growing kits this week and we’re so pleased that you like them! Featuring a biodegradable bamboo plant pot and peat-free compost, they’ve been flying off the shelves and we can’t make them up fast enough.
Packaged in a recyclable cardboard sleeve, inside you’ll find a colourful bamboo pot (made from recycled bamboo fibre), peat-free coir compost disc and a sachet of seeds. There are full instructions on the back of the sleeve, and we’re always here to help you if you get stuck or need any advice.
These fabulous children’s growing kits come in eight fantastic varieties:
We’ve got a few ideas up our sleeves for some more varieties – watch this space! As always, if any of you has any more feedback or suggestions for us to improve them, or new varieties you’d like to see, then please do get in touch.
While we’re here, we also want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of our lovely product testers for giving us your thoughts on these cute little growing kits.
Louise, Sarah, Alice and Mark x
]]>Traditional learning at schools is essential, but it does not mean that it is the only learning that children should experience. Learning life skills and lessons is just as important. Playing outdoors is one way to get children off the mobiles and television, but there is so much more that children can learn from being outside.
This is where gardening comes in. Gardening with children is a great way to learn about and respect nature, and to hone motor skills and patience in a fun way. The benefits of gardening for children are endless, but is there a way to ensure that kids have the best success when gardening? We provide 6 helpful tips you can help them implement. Let's dive in.
Gardening as a beginner can seem complicated or daunting, especially if you have a large garden. However, this does not mean that you have to start big! This may overwhelm children and cause them to give up on learning. So, start them off with just a single simple plant or children’s growing kit that they can look after themselves. They can slowly learn about what the plant needs to grow and gradually learn the basics of growing from seed. Once they get used to this, you can introduce them to more adventurous children’s plants, or their own small bed or patch, allowing them to excel.
Another great way to get children interested in gardening is to grow edible plants that they can eat. With older children helping them to cook with the herbs or vegetables that they’ve grown themselves can give them a real sense of achievement. For example, incorporating tomatoes, they have grown into a pizza or strawberries into ice cream. This will keep kids constantly motivated to grow their own food, but also enhance their understanding and appreciation of where their food comes from. Plus, home-grown vegetables taste amazing!
Check out our children’s fruit and vegetable growing kits.
Parents and teachers often select easy-to-grow plants like sunflowers or nasturtiums, to almost guarantee growing success. While this approach is perfect for beginners, some children may have grown these before and be ‘bored’ growing the same old thing. For avid growers, there are a huge range of interesting plants that are easy to grow and perfect for children, but are ‘outside the box’. Growing interesting or different plants will help capture and maintain their interest, as well as educate them about the amazing world of plants!
We have developed our own Grow Something Different range, including several amazing and adventurous plants, which are all easy to grow.
Every gardener has their own tools, and it is vital to ease and success. This is no different for children! Many people make the mistake of providing children with gardening tools that are sized for adults and too big. Therefore, providing them with their own set of children’s gardening gloves that fit their hands, or a brightly coloured children’s toolset is vital to their success and enthusiasm.
Reading children's nature books or books about gardening is a great way to introduce new concepts to children. Reading such books when the weather is bad or it’s dark outside can also keep them interested and give them a way of learning about gardening when they’re inside.
Check out our range of gardening and nature books for children of all ages, including those you can plant!
Gardening comes hand in hand with wildlife, and children should be encouraged to appreciate wildlife in all its forms. Children are naturally curious, and by planting for wildlife and pollinators, you can cultivate that curiosity by encouraging wildlife into your garden. Get the bug spotting book out, or a pair of children’s binoculars to have a look at the birds. By doing this, you can hone identification skills and inspire passion in saving our much declining British wildlife.
Do you have any tips or tricks about encouraging children to get into the garden? We’d love to hear them! Give us an email at hello@gardeningforkids.co.uk
Gardening for Kids x]]>
We are all familiar with the wonderful spring displays of daffodils, tulips and crocuses which brighten gardens in the spring, heralding the start of longer days and warmer weather. Many spring-flowering bulbs also provide much-needed nectar for early bees, such as those bee-friendly bulbs designed by us.
Although bulbs are now associated with The Netherlands, which is a major grower and exporter, neither daffodils nor tulips originated there. Tulips are native to Turkey, and the name ‘tulip’ is derived from the Turkish word for ‘turban’. Tulips were brought to The Netherlands in the 16th century and their popularity grew, particularly those with speckled petals. ‘Tulipmania’, between 1636 and 1637, saw prices for single bulbs of these prized varieties change hands for the equivalent of thousands of pounds in today’s money. The speckling was later found to the result of viral infections of the bulbs. Daffodils originated in Spain and Portugal and were introduced into Britain by the Romans who mistakenly believed they had medicinal properties.
How many of us have ever stopped to think about the bulbs that give rise to such flowers? Bulbs are amazing miniature packages containing a miniature plant, all ready to burst out when weather conditions are right.
Bulbs consist of a papery outer layer, which protects the softer, fleshy scales underneath. The soft scales are stores of energy to sustain the growing plant until it has green leaves of its own to photosynthesise. In the centre of the bulb, underneath the scales, is the tiny plant consisting of the miniature flower and leaf buds. At the base of the bulb is the basal stem, from which the roots grow.
Picture from journeynorth.org
After flowering, the leaves of flowering bulbs should be allowed to die back naturally. Sugar made in the leaves during photosynthesis is transported to the bulbs and stored as starch, an energy source to nourish next year’s flowers. Bulbs remain dormant over the cold winter months until warmer spring temperatures trigger biochemical process in the bulb which initiate growth. Bulbs intended for indoor flowering still need this period of chilling for several weeks.
October half term can be a little tricky to plan in terms of growing, as it's completely out of season for sowing most 'traditional' plants. However, some bulbs need a cold spell to germinate, meaning the early spring bulbs will need to be planted in the autumn. So, alongside wildflowers, they make an excellent half-term activity. Flowering in the early spring, they teach children about patience, seasons and life cycles.
As well, most bulbs are larger than seeds, meaning that they're easy for small hands to pick up and place. There's also the fun factor: digging is required!
Most importantly, they're easy to grow, meaning that there's unlikely to be any failed attempts, which may cause disappointment. No gardening expertise required! Just pop them in the ground and wait.
Check out our Bee-Friendly Spring Bulbs for 40 spring-flowering bulbs that the bees will love.
]]>Fungi are amazing organisms! Most people are aware of mushrooms and toadstools as everyday examples of fungi, but the fungal kingdom is much more diverse, with an estimated 1.5 million species on earth.
Ever since Linnaeus started a systematic classification system in 1735, fungi have posed a dilemma for classification. For many years they were classified alongside plants. However, since they are not green and do not photosynthesise (convert light to energy) that now seems an odd place to put them. In 1969 they were awarded a kingdom of their own.
Fungi have interesting structure. Some fungi are single-celled organisms; yeast is a good example. Mushrooms and toadstools are the obvious visible parts of a fungal body, but most of the fungal network is hidden under ground in the form of a network of threads called a mycelium. Fungi make numerous connections with other organisms in nature. Scientists have discovered that trees in a woodland interact with each other via fungal mycelium – the so called Wood Wide Web. Plants have complex associations with fungal hyphae (threads of mycelium) growing around their roots – it seems that fungi benefit by absorbing sugars made by the plant in photosynthesis and the plants benefit from absorbing mineral ions from fungal hyphae.
Human interactions with fungi have been going on for millennia. The earliest reference to using yeast to ferment beer dates from the late 1600s, and using yeast to make bread rise was carried out by the Egyptians some 5000 years ago! Many species of mushrooms contain compounds which induce hallucinations. Many ancient cultures idolised such ‘magic’ mushrooms and worshipping them became a central part of their culture.
Fungi have been the source of medicines, particularly antibiotics, such as penicillin. Fungi produce antibiotics in order to protect themselves from bacterial infections; humans have harnessed this natural process. Other medicines, such as statins, which lower cholesterol, are also derived from fungi.
Fungi are tough organisms, they can survive harsh conditions and have been discovered living in the most inhospitable environments. One species has even been discovered living inside the fuel tanks of aircraft, and they have survived living in space on the International Space Station! They are one of the first types of organism to colonise new land after volcanic eruptions or other natural disasters.
Looking to the future, fungi have the potential to solve many of the problems the planet currently faces. A species of fungus has been found living in a landfill site that is able to digest plastic; research is underway to harness this ability. Fungal mycelium can be farmed in large quantities to turn into fungal, polystyrene-like packaging, hopefully reducing plastic waste.
I think you’ll agree that fungi are fantastic, diverse organisms that have the potential to save the world!
If you’re interested in learning more about fungi, and growing your own, take a look at our children’s edible mushroom growing kit – the perfect gift for children curious about learning more about fascinating fungi!
]]>Gardening is a great activity to do with your kids — they can learn about their environment, stay active, and have fun. Here, Rebecca McCalla, Director at the kids' outdoor brand, Little Adventure Shop, shows you how to build a sensory garden for your youngsters.
Gardening is a wonderful way to get your children exploring their environment, and it's also an important educational tool. The benefits of gardening for childhood development has been studied by Michigan University, who found in their research that even small gardening tasks can help your child practice body management and locomotor skills.
Creating a sensory space in your garden is a valuable way of helping your kids practice all their hand-eye coordination, as well as a good way of keeping them engaged and excited about getting outside. By dedicating an area in your garden to edible plants, scents, and textures, you can encourage your little ones to delve into the great outdoors.
One of the joys of spending time in nature is the array of different scents that you can experience. Including scented plants in your garden allows your child to interact with the garden on another level, and decide what smells they like best.
Many herbs such as lavender are very popular for their smell, but flowers loved solely for their scent include honeysuckle, sweet peas, roses, and jasmine. These easy-to-maintain plants will also look beautiful in your garden, and are loved by pollinators. Sweet peas are especially good, as they’re really easy to grow from seed, produce stunning looking and smelling flowers, and take up very little room in a pot on the patio.
Another great sense for your kids to have fun with in the garden is their sense of taste. By planting things that your little ones can eat, you can get them learning about the uses of different plants too, and show them where their food comes from.
Great choices for easy-to-grow herb plants are different kinds of basil, coriander, parsley and chives. You can also use these herbs in your cooking, and get your children involved with picking them while you make dinner. These herbs are also safe to eat raw, so your kids can try them fresh out of the garden.
It's important to remember that when you're crafting your sensory garden space, you should make sure it's as child-safe as possible. So, avoid plants that can cause irritation to the skin, or anything with thorns or spikes. Keep stinging nettles and teasels to out-of-reach areas, and if you buy roses, choose thornless varieties that will bring the flowers without the spikes.
Personalise your garden to your child's needs — if they have any allergies, or have sensitive skin, avoid things that might cause a reaction. This way, you can be sure that your would-be gardener is free to explore without any safety concerns.
Learning about wildlife is one of the best ways to engage children with nature, and it's as easy as welcoming birds, insects, and animals into your garden. Try installing a small shallow pond, or providing a bird bath, so that birds can drink and bathe. This will also encourage frogs, toads, or even newts to move into the garden. There are also lots of amazing wildlife plants to plant with children that will encourage pollinators, bats, hedgehogs and insects to the garden.
Bird feeders are also a classic offering to wildlife, and butterfly or bee houses can add a habitat for these insects so you and your child can admire them during the summer months. Butterfly and bee houses are typically made out of wood, and contain lots of holes for the insects to crawl into and lay eggs. You can buy a variety of homes for wildlife at Gardening for Kids, or make it into an activity by crafting your own with your little one.
Lastly, some extra features can really give your garden that last interesting touch. If you have room, add a winding path through the plants that your child can follow. Ornaments such as wind chimes or a trickling water fountain can bring some fun sounds to the garden, and you can decorate your space with painted stepping stones or funky children’s plant pots.
Cute animal ornaments can give your kids something else to play with, so try placing a rabbit ornament in between your scented plants, or a Peppa Pig ornament by your herb section. This is a good moment to add a personal touch to your sensory garden, and you can get your child involved in choosing features and trinkets that they will enjoy playing with.
Now you've got your pumpkin seedlings. Congratulations! It's now time to plant them in the ground outside.
In late May you need to ‘harden them off’. This just means getting them used to being outside.
For experienced gardeners, children's seed varieties can sometimes seem repetitive and unadventurous. But we can help! There are endless extaordinary plants that are both easy to grow and fascinating to watch, and we've chosen 3 of our favourites.
For the ultra-adventurous, check out our 'Grow Something Different' collection, featuring fascinating plants from around the world.
Check out our top 3 amazing plants:
Scorpiurus muricatus produces small, yellow flowers followed by strange, curled hairy seedpods which look just like hairy caterpillars! Grow Caterpillar plant now!
Cucamelons originate from Mexico where they are known as 'little mouse watermelons' and have a taste which is like cucumber and lime! Grow Cucamelons now!
Grow a plant that moves! Mimosa pudica is known as the 'sensitive plant'; the slightest touch will temporarily make the leaves fold up and stems collapse! At night too, the leaves and stems droop and make the plant look like it's gone to sleep.
For more incredible plants, check out the Grow Something Different collection. Let us know how you get on!
Gardening for Kids x
We've all been getting out on a lot more walks this year. So, why not try to make your outdoor adventures as entertaining and educational as possible for your little ones? Here, Rachel Clinkard from the shoe retailer Charles Clinkard shares her top tips for doing this.
Due to the coronavirus putting a stop to a lot of other activities this year, most of us will have gone for a lot more walks than usual. And, if you have kids, it's likely this will have become a family affair. But, after a while, the local walks you're used to going on might have become slightly repetitive.
Fortunately, there are some ways you can ensure your outdoor adventures continue to be entertaining and educational for your little ones. Here, I'm going to share my top tips for turning your regular family walks into a learning experience for your kids.
Next time you're planning a walk with your family, why not set up a scavenger hunt that will get them excited and also teach them a thing or two?
The easiest way to do this is to create a list of things you would like your children to find on your walk. You could mention certain types of plants, birds, trees, and anything else you tend to see out on your adventures. Whoever ticks these off the quickest (and can show you where they found the items on your list) can then be awarded a prize for their efforts. Not sure what to include on the list? Why not try the RSPB kids nature books and activity kits for some amazing and imaginative ideas.
If you would like to set up more of a treasure hunt, you could go to a quiet park that's local to you and hide some little treats in certain places. You can then put together some clues that will lead your kids to the treasure you've hidden for them. This will get their brains working and, because there'll be several prizes available, everyone should be a winner.
If you see a lot of wildlife on your family walks, why not try to teach your kids about the different species you spot? You might even learn with them.
The National Trust has a great guide to spotting wildlife while you're out and about, which will help to ensure you get the most out of your walks. It stresses the importance of being quiet to avoid disturbing local animals, recommends taking binoculars with you so you can spot creatures from afar, and encourages you to learn about the most common British wildlife before you set off.
You could also use your smartphone to help you learn more about the animals and plants in the local area. There are apps, such as iNaturalist, that can help you to identify different species. You'll even be able to share your findings with a community of nature lovers and scientists so they can learn more about your area, too. If a traditional book is more your type, try these amazing wildlife books that cater for kids of all ages.
If you and your kids like to get creative, why not plan some nature-inspired craft projects?
While you're out and about, you could all pick up some pretty stones that you can take home and paint insects or animals on. If it's the right time of year, you could pick flowers to make floral headpieces, or you could collect some foliage to make a wreath with.
You could even create some beautiful nature rubbings using dry leaves that you find on your walks. This will teach your kids a lot about the different shapes that exist, and which of those belong to certain trees. Simply place your leaves under a piece of paper and colour over them with pencils. The shape and texture of them will soon be revealed. Our Instant Flower Press will immortalise those beautiful leaves forever, too!
If you want your kids to enjoy coming on walks with you and learning about the local wildlife, you need to ensure they're kept warm and comfortable. As a result, you'll want to kit them out with weather-appropriate clothing and footwear.
With the British weather being so temperamental, some boots or wellies will work very well for the autumn and winter months. Layers and a warm coat that has a waterproof hood will complete their walking attire. In the summer months, some light trainers or even sturdy sandals would be ideal. Shorts and a T-shirt (with a light jacket in case the weather turns) should help to keep them happy, too.
Make sure you also have your own walking kit, so you get just as much enjoyment out of your family walks as your kids do. It's all about being prepared!
If you're running out of ideas for ways to make your family walks more exciting, turning them into an educational experience for your kids can help to keep things interesting. Take these tips on board and your whole family will soon know a lot more about the local wildlife and their habitats.
]]>Magnifying glasses often provide the first glimpse into the miniature world. They are simple to use and need no focusing, so even very young children and toddlers will be able to use one. Take a look at the colourful Mini Mag – with its colourful insect styling and small size for small hands, a Mini Mag would make a perfect gift for your young child or toddler.
For a slightly older child, they will love the one-piece kids’ magnifying glass with its x3 and x6 lenses. And for the real enthusiast there is our Giant Magnifying Glass (seen above)!
The next step up from a kids’ magnifying glass is the simple hand-held Pocket Microscope for kids, capable of up to x30 magnification.
We’ve even got a Microscope Telescope that doubles up as a fantastic telescope as well! Easy to focus and small enough to fit into a pocket to take out exploring, these are ideal for your young adventurer who is always on the go.
We’ve got a beautiful kids’ Microscope Kit that would be the perfect gift for your inquisitive 6–10 year old: it comes with a handy x30 pocket microscope and slides and cover slips, so that budding biologists can even make their own mounts, just like real scientists do! But don’t worry – the microscope kit contains ready-made slides to teach children how to focus the microscope (a useful skill for school!) before they get going on their own.
Microscopes – brilliant though they are – have one annoying disadvantage: only one person can look down them at once! The Phonescope Microscope is an ingenious invention that overcomes this problem. It is a phone microscope that clips on to your phone or tablet camera to brilliantly magnify whatever the camera is pointing at, so that everyone can see!
You won’t believe the clarity of the images; the first time we trialled them we were amazed! Not only is the Phonescope Microscope a fun and educational microscope for kids to play with, it can also be used to help with their artistic projects or school work. What’s not to like!
As always, if you have any questions about which microscope to choose for your child, please do get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.
]]>Here at Gardening for Kids, we are passionate about getting children into gardening and looking after wildlife. One way of helping the declining numbers of insects in the UK is to grow UK native wildflowers. However, we know that for children to get hooked on seed growing they have to sow the seeds themselves and see results very quickly. Now that’s a bit tricky when it comes to wildflowers, for a number of reasons. Most wildflower seeds are very small, so are easy to lose or sow too deeply; a recipe for disaster! When sown correctly wildflower seeds often take much longer to germinate than other seeds like cress or sunflowers that children may have already grown successfully. It’s easy to lose interest in something you can’t see.
So when we saw the amazing Seedballs concept we knew that they would be perfect for helping children to succeed when sowing wildflowers.
We have had lots of really positive feedback from our customers, so we know Seedballs are a hit with little gardeners. The ones below were the Bee Mix and Butterfly Mix, grown by Katie with her 2-year-old son Stanley. Don’t they look amazing!
With a whole range of varieties to suit lots of different gardens, shop from our Seedballs range and help a little gardener plant something special to help endangered UK insects and mammals.
As a small independent family business, Gardening for Kids always strives to support other independent businesses which share our values. We have been so happy to work with Seedballs for the last 4 years.
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There are lots of ways animals prepare to survive the cold winter months. Many birds fly south to warmer countries and won’t return until the spring. Others will brave the cold and rely heavily on our bird feeders for sustenance. With bird feeding comes bird watching – it doesn’t take long for you to learn your regular visitors, such as robins and house sparrows. Your excitement of seeing a brambling or a black cap on your feeder will rival that of a child’s on Christmas morning! It’s also an incredible activity to encourage children to learn about nature and the creatures that surround them. These bird books are a great accompaniment to any budding bird watching!
For other animals, hibernation helps them survive when food is scarce. Hibernation is not the same as sleep. In hibernation the animal’s heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature all decrease, and chemical reactions inside them slow right down too. All these measures help the animal save energy. Occasionally they will wake up to find food or go to the toilet.
When temperatures warm up again in spring the animals will come out of hibernation for another year. The only British mammals that hibernate are hedgehogs, bats and dormice.
The best way to help these animals is to provide a safe place to hibernate, such as a semi-structured pile of bricks and logs, as seen on the National Trust. For a simpler and less cold solution, we have a range of beautiful, conservationist-designed hibernation houses, like the beloved ladybird lodge. For our insects, we have lots of amazing bug hotels to shelter our over-wintering insects.
The best way to help our British animals is to provide habitat, and lots of it. A safe place is easy to provide, and makes such a difference. Take a look at all our Hibernation Habitats.
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Plant Pots for Pollinators is campaign is backed by the Butterfly Conservation charity and celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh. He was explaining only a few days ago why it is so important to save our butterflies and moths, and simple ways that you and your family can help. This cinnabar moth appeared in our own garden a few days ago:
Quite apart from their astonishing beauty, butterflies and moths are vital for the environment. Areas with lots of butterflies and moths also have many other insects: these are vital for pollinating plants, and provide food for many other creatures.
Sadly, three-quarters of Britain’s butterfly species are in decline, and over 60 moths became extinct last century. Most of this is due to climate change and destruction of their habitats. The loss of these creatures is alarming: the state of butterfly and moth populations is a sensitive indicator of the overall health of the environment. If butterflies are struggling, so may be everything else.
Thankfully, butterfly and moth populations can bounce back to health, if given the right conditions. That’s where you come in! Alan Titchmarsh says that “one carefully planted, well-positioned pot or container can make a huge difference to butterflies, moths, bees and pollinating insects that need nectar to fuel their work”. With a bit of planning, you and your children can have fun creating a rich habitat for butterflies and moths, no matter how big your garden.
There are so many plants to choose from: cosmos, cranesbill, catmint, lamb’s ears, wild marjoram, to name only a few! You can learn more about growing (and recognising!) butterfly-attracting plants by visiting the Plots for Pollinators campaign, and by downloading their free planting guide. For a bit of extra colour, why not plant them up in some of our Colour Critter Planters, with butterfly mix wildflowers or Seedballs.
To read more tips for making your garden extra friendly for butterflies and moths, why not take a look at the Butterfly Conservation website, which has a whole lot of advice and information about why we should look after butterflies, how to attract them to your garden, and other ways of conserving these fascinating creatures.
]]>We hope you enjoy it.
Did you know that during the Second World War, food was in very short supply. We – then, as now – imported much of our food from overseas, and during the war many of the supply ships from America and Canada were blocked from entering the country.
To save the people from starvation, the Department of Agriculture launched the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign, and encouraged people to transform every spare bit of land they had into allotments to grow their own vegetables.
No land was spared: private gardens, public parks and golf clubs were turned into vegetable patches as part of Dig for Victory. Even the lawn outside the Tower of London became large allotments! This picture shows two people farming an allotment in Kensington Gardens.
Dig for Victory was one of the most successful propaganda campaigns in British history. In 1943, there were over 3.5 million allotments around the country, that grew over a million tonnes of vegetables. Not only did this supplement people's food rations and avoid mass starvation, but it freed up space on ships that could then be dedicated to the war effort.
]]>Step 2: Place your seeds carefully on the surface of the compost and sprinkle some more compost over them to cover them. Don’t bury them too deep, especially for tiny seeds like strawberries, just cover them with a very thin layer.
Step 3: If you kit comes with a lid, put the lid over the tray. If your kit does not have a lid, put a plastic bag over the pot and secure it with an elastic band. The lid or bag helps to keep warmth and moisture in.
Step 4: Put your seeds in a warm place, such as a sunny windowsill.
Step 5: Check your seeds every day. Make sure the compost is damp but not soggy. Seeds take different lengths of time to germinate. Large seeds like sunflowers or pumpkins may only take a few days. Other such as strawberries, peppers, nasturtiums, tomatoes or carrots may take much longer. Be patient!
Step 6: Eventually your seeds will germinate. You will see tiny shoots with two leaves emerge from the soil. These first leaves are called ‘seed leaves’. You can now take the lid off the tray or remove the plastic bag.
Step 7: Keep your plants in a light place, turning them round regularly to keep them growing straight up and not bending to one side to face the light. Water them only when the compost seems dry.
Step 8: Eventually, the plants will get too big for the small pot or tray and are ready to be moved to bigger pots to carry on growing. You know the time is right when roots start sticking out of the bottom of the pot.
Step 9: Fill up a larger pot with compost. Very gently tease the young plants out of the tray or small pot. Hold them by their leaves only, not the stem and try not to damage too many roots. Now plant each one by itself in a larger pot. If you're looking for pots, try our Rainbow set of eco-friendly bamboo pots.
Step 10: Keep them in a warm, light place. In late May, put them outside during the day, but bring them back in at night, to get them used to being outside.