Not sure where to start with gardening with children? You are in the right place! Whether you are looking for the perfect gardening gift, wondering what seeds are easiest for little hands to grow, or keen to encourage your children to spend more time outdoors, we have answered some of the questions we are asked most often.
At Gardening for Kids we believe gardening should be fun, rewarding and accessible to everyone. So grab a little trowel and let's get growing!
How do I get started with children’s gardening?
Not sure where to start or worried that you ‘can’t even keep grass alive’ ? We hear this a lot at our face to face events and it was one of the key drivers of our mission to get everyone confident with growing! To help you get started and answer questions we get asked all the time, we put together this list of FAQs.
Do I need a garden to grow plants with children?
No, you do not need a garden to grow successfully with children. You can grow cress and microgreens on a windowsill all year round. You can grow interesting house plants from seed like the intriguing Dancing Plant Mimosa pudica. You can grow edible crops like cherry tomatoes, peas and carrots in a large patio pot on a balcony or any small outdoor space.
What age can children start gardening?
Children can start at a very young age with a little adult help. Toddlers will love joining in with watering, filling pots with compost and planting large seeds. Older children ages 4-9 years can do more planting, watering, transplanting and harvesting crops by themselves.
What are the easiest plants for children to grow?
For complete beginners we would recommend growing cress or microgreens. The seeds are large enough for young children to handle and germinate quickly and easily with minimal aftercare. Children should see shoots emerging within a few days. They grow indoors all year round, take up minimal space on a windowsill and introduce children to tasty, nutritious edible crops.
A great first spring/summer growing project is mini sunflowers – nice big seeds, easy and quick to germinate and unlike their giant cousins, young children can see the flowers (and the bees who love them!) up close as the plants are toddler sized too. Other nice easy projects, with nice big seeds are easy aftercare are peas, cucumbers, courgettes and cucamelons
What plants can children grow indoors?
There are lots of plants children can grow inside all year round, even if they have no garden or balcony. Cress, Basil or Microgreens grow all year round on a windowsill and take up minimal space. We have kits to grow interesting and unusual house plants - Dancing Plant, Black Dragon Plant and Polka Dot Plant are great introductions to growing indoors.
In early spring plants like cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, sunflowers, pumpkins are sown and grown indoors for a few weeks before being transplanted outside into pots or the garden.
What equipment do children need to start gardening?
Children don't need lots of expensive equipment to get started with gardening, but having their own child-sized gardening equipment makes them feel special! A few essentials include child-sized hand tools, such as trowels and forks, small watering cans that are easy to carry and pour, gardening gloves to keep little hands clean and protected, and handy tool bags to keep everything together.
What is included in your children’s growing kits?
Our kits vary depending on which kit you choose, as each one is designed around a different growing experience. They are all assembled in the UK and contain UK sourced seeds in plastic-free packaging; biodegradable and recycled bamboo or coir plant pots, and coir growing medium. All packaging is plastic-free and made in the UK. You will find the contents of each kit on the individual product page so you can see exactly what’s included.
Are your kits peat free?
Yes, all our kits contain peat free soil. Why is it important to use peat free compost? It is important because peat bogs are rare and precious wildlife habitats and store carbon. We use coir discs as a growing medium, created using waste from the coconut industry.
Are your kits easy to use and suitable for beginners?
Yes, we have designed our kits to be very easy for beginners, even if you have never grown anything before. The kits are complete, there is no need to go out and buy lots of individual components. There is no waste – just the right amount of compost and seeds for the job. Full step by step instructions are included. We only include seeds which are reliable and germinate easily and quickly.
How long does it take for seeds to germinate?
Germination times vary depending on the seed variety and environmental factors like temperature and moisture. We have very carefully chosen seeds for all our kits which germinate quickly, none of them should take longer that 10-14 days. We know children are impatient and want to see results quickly, but gardening is a great way to teach the value of patience!
Which vegetables are the easiest for children to grow?
Most vegetable are easy to grow and very rewarding for children. We have complete kits for peas, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, courgettes and sweet peppers. Our Garden Gift Boxes are complete starter kits for growing a range of vegetables, salad crops and herbs. Just start the seeds off indoors in spring in the biodegradable pots and transplant outside later.
When is the best time of year for children to start growing seeds?
Children can grow seeds at any time of year. To guide you through 12 months of gardening ideas and activities, check out our ‘Children’s Gardening Year’ blog post.
Our ‘Shop By Planting Month’ guide also makes choosing the perfect growing project easy. From growing Christmas Trees in the depths of winter to planning a summer vegetable patch or vibrant summer Wildlife Garden there is something there for every little gardener.
What flowers can children grow to attract wildlife to the garden?
We would recommend growing flowers such as starflower (borage), snapdragons, wildflowers, cornflowers, poppies, oxeye daisies or forget me nots to encourage insects to the garden. Our Bee and Butterfly gift box kit will grow a ready-made pollinator friendly garden. Our Moon Garden kit is a very special growing kit designed together with the Royal Entomological Society. The pale coloured scented flowers will glow in the moonlight and attract moths night time pollinators – a great way to introduce children to wildlife that is active at night!
Do you deliver children’s gardening kits in the UK?
Yes, we deliver to all areas of the UK.
How long does delivery take?
Orders placed Mon-Fri and shipped within 24 hours. Our standard service is Royal Mail Tracked 48 which should arrive in 2 days. Our express service is Royal Mail Tracked 24. For larger orders over 3kg we use DPD next day delivery.
Can I send a gardening gift directly to someone?
Yes, you send a gift directly to someone else. Just fill in their name and address on the checkout page
Can I buy gardening kits for a school or charity group?
Yes, we supply bespoke gardening equipment and supplies to schools and charities across the country. Please contact us on hello@gardeningforkids.co.uk to discuss your specific needs
Do you offer discounts when buying multiple growing kits?
Yes, we offer a 10% discount for purchases of more than 30 kits. Please contact us to discuss your requirements