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The Citizen, 2005-05-05, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2005. PAGE 21. Get down and dirty by gardening with the kids What do you get when you mix a pile of soil, some seeds or fledgling plants, and a couple of children eager to spend hours digging and playing in the mud? You have an afternoon of fun you would have never expected! And your kids can develop a lifelong love of gardening in the process. With an array of materials for digging and pouring, like peat, soil, and sand, combined with the sense of accomplishment and excitement little ones can receive when they see their plants grow and flourish, gardening is one of those activities tailor-made for little hands and imaginations. Gardening can also foster skills like responsibility, patience, and perseverance, as children become solely responsible for the survival of a living thing. GETTING STARTED Before you introduce gardening to youngsters and give them free reign in the backyard, it may be wise to start out on a smaller scale. Keep in mind their age and ability level. For example, don’t expect wonders from a toddler or kindergartner. They may be content just by picking dandelions, chasing toads or worms in the soil, or planting seeds from apples or watermelons. Try this simple activity for little ones: • Take a clear-plastic eight-ounce drinking cup. • Fill about three-fourths of the cup with moistened cotton balls. • Sprinkle grass seeds on top of the cotton balls. • Cover seeds with more moistened cotton balls. • Place the cup in a sunny window. • Have your child keep the cotton moist, but not sopping. After a few days, the grass seeds should start to sprout. Your child can delight in seeing the root system form and be clearLy visible through the clear­ plastic cup, as well as the grass that starts to grow tall over the rim of the cup. You may also want to start your children out with other potted plants. Empty egg cartons make great separated “planters” for little green thumbs to experiment with. When heading out to the garden centre, pick hardy seeds that germinate quickly so your child will be able to see results relatively quickly. MOVING OUTDOORS You don’t want your prized roses to be demolished by a rambunctious youngster, so set boundaries for outdoor gardening. Create a spot for “kids only” that’s separate from the “adult” gardening area. You can add Control the weeds fun accents like windcatchers, garden accessories, and stepping stones. Install edging around the garden so soil and plants will be well contained. Keep in mind that youngsters will need to be supervised around garden tools and gardening chemicals (fertilizers, weed products, etc.). Encourage your children to recognize the good and bad bugs of a garden. Worms, ladybugs, and butterflies are beneficial to Howers and plants. However, certain beetles, caterpillars, and other insects may not be. Spend a day reading up on the bugs your child may find in the garden, and look over pictures of these crawly creatures together. FIELD TRIPS Don’t spend all of your time cooped up in the house or in the yard. Explore gardens of all shapes and’sizes with your children. Visit your local botanical garden and spend a day wandering through the exhibits. Many of these places of wonder show the different garden habitats, like deserts and rainforests, as well as offer an up-close look at plants that can spark the imagination and learning potential of young minds. Not near a botanical garden? Substitute a trip to your local nursery. in an Visa, MC,4 Home Card, r Interac J I Home Hardware Main St., Seaforth 527-1620 See cci fan oCC a/ Plumbing & Heating Electrical • Beautitone Paints for interior & exterior • Rustcoat Paints l • Woodshield & Weathershield Stains Ik • Glass & Screen Repairs ill • Sump Pumps & Generators • BBQs & Bicycles Pick up your FREE HOME HARDWARE CATALOGUE environment-friendly way (MS) - Getting rid of dandelions and weeds without using chemicals is a more environmentally-friendly way of maintaining your lawn, but it can be challenging. Oftentimes, one has no choice but to get down on his hands and knees tonpull up weeds or dig them out with some sort of tool. It can be a tough, time-consuming task. But it doesn’t have to be if you use the proper tools and follow these simple techniques. PULL WEEDS RIGHT Identify the weeds in your garden and learn about their life cycles. Annuals spread by seed, so you need to pull them, before their seeds set. To eliminate perennials, dig out the entire root. COVER BARE SOIL Add two to four inches of organic mulch to cover bare soil. It will help prevent weed seeds from germinating. KEEP WEED SEEDS BURIED Soil can contain as many as 80,000 weed seeds per square yard. When you dig down and turn soil, those seeds are exposed to sunlight and rain, causing them to sprout and grow. That’s why you should cover your garden with an inch of “clean” compost, which is free of weed seeds, after turning soil. And remember, don’t water the weeds. Even weeds can’t grow without water.'HEADQUARTERS ________________ ' J I . .. •*. li See ua fat alt y&ui: © Aluminum Soffit & Fascia © Asphalt Shingles © Room Additions © Prefinished Siding Kitchen Cabinets © Sico Paints © Steel Entrance Systems © Supervision Windows © Flooring - Vinyl, Wood or Ceramic © Power Tools © JM Insulation © Soil & Fertilizer COMPLETE THREE STEP FERTILIZER PROGRAM 100% Natural 100% Organic A natural alternative to chemical based lawn care products An Environmentally Friendly Choice • Made from all natural organic* ingredients • Does not contain chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals or sewage sludge • Safe for children & pets to play on your lawn right after application • Slow release nutrients have less risk of run off, preventing contamina tion of our ground water * listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic production FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT DAUPHIN RON/ The How-To People Seaforth Rental Centre 198 Main St. S. 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