We have an uncle who is somewhat of an expert on heirloom seeds and gardening.
No this is not a picture of him…but it’s rad huh!
He got us motivated to plant a garden full of heirloom plants this year.
Why did we choose to use heirloom?
- We don’t want to buy new seeds every year. With heirlooms you can collect seeds for the next season off the plant itself.
- We’ve been working on emergency preparedness in our home and figured these types of seeds help with that.
- There are tons of varieties to choose from and try.
- It’s fun to read about the historical origins of the specific seeds.
So we went together with Damon’s parents and we ordered some lovely old-school seeds, got some good soil and a light that they could grow under inside during the cold early spring.
The kids took part in the entire process. Take a look
video
Check Doober out at 4:39…crazy child!
When growing the plants inside We turned the light on during the day and off during the night. The kids kept the plants continually moist using a spray bottle to mist them two times a day. We put the plants out after the danger of freezing was past.
Our planter boxes are made of railroad ties we already had. Each of the kids chose a planter box to be in charge of. They have to keep it clear of weeds. We filled the boxes with some topsoil we already had and mixed in some nice dark dirt from our compost pile that’s been sitting a long time…I’ve never seen so many worms!
We’ll keep you updated on our garden and when it comes time to collect the seeds off the plants we’ll record it and show you how…or maybe how not to.
How is your garden coming this year? Do you have some ways to involve the kids more in the process?
heirloom seeds, heirloom plant, heirloom, garden, gardening, gardening with kids, starting a garden
Great post, hope your garden grows well and brings you much joy!
Starting a garden with a kids was a good idea.
My kids having fun to make their garden wonderful. They plant many flowers with a different colors very beautiful and amazing look.
This is a good project to do with your kids. Starting garden seeds can be child’s play.
I’m a big fan of kids growing fruits and vegetables. I think it adds a great deal to their life both now and for the future. But I’m a little worried about the planter made of railroad ties.
Unfortunately railroad ties are often treated with toxic chemicals that stop the ties from breaking down. These chemicals can leach into the soil and ultimately into your vegetables. I hope you will consider this with your garden.
Hi Bill! Thanks so much for your comment. We hadn’t really thought about it much. The ties were used to hold the compost pile when we bought the home and so we just used what was on hand. Thanks for your input and we’ll be looking at replacing those in the near future!
Good to hear that you will be replacing the ties. Good luck with your plants.
What a great idea! I don’t have any kids, but I’m definitely passing this on to my friends who do. And Linda, that’s such a sweet story. I remember helping my grandma water her garden when I was young and it’s one of my most cherished memories.
I watch your whole video it was pretty much good. Really it is a good way to teach the kids about the gardening. It is a very interesting blog i have bookmarked this blog and waiting for your next blog.
I’d probably learn as much as my daughter from this book! This book looks great! I love gardening with my daughter.
I am greatful for post. This is exactly what I was searching for was to learn more. I’ve been looking everywhere for this! Thanks again. green smoke