Find Quality Time with Kids by Planting a Garden
Nielsen Media Research reports that the average kindergarten student has seen more than 5,000 hours of television, more time than it takes to earn a bachelor's degree. To promote greater interaction with kids and keep active minds learning through the summer, The Home Depot experts suggest creating a family garden.

“Helping kids create their first garden is a great way for families to spend more time together and it also reinforces education after school ends for the year,” said Steve Jansen, merchandising vice president, lawn and garden, for The Home Depot. “A garden can be a tool to teach children about math and science in a fun and interactive way.”

The Home Depot offers all the tools, seeds and plants families need to get their gardens off to a great start.

What kind of garden should I plan?
For younger children, ages three to five, consider planting a vegetable garden. Planting vegetables will allow children to try new foods, and will provide healthy homegrown vegetables for the entire family. Purchase cucumber seeds that can be picked and made into pickles. Consider growing key ingredients for a child's favorite meal, such as tomatoes for pizza or spaghetti.

For older kids, ages six and up, try an alphabet garden. This is just one fun idea - if there is room in your yard for 26 plants. Let the child choose from asters to zinnias, and make signs for each plant.

How do we begin?
Start small by staking out a three-by-six foot area of the yard with popsicle sticks and string. Together with your child, pull any weeds. Next, loosen the ground by digging shovels full of dirt and turning it over. The goal is to lighten the topsoil, not bring up the subsoil. Lastly, plant seeds according to packet directions. Make sure to water plants thoroughly upon completion of planting.

How long will it take to grow?
Part of the fun of planting is choosing from the many different vegetable varieties available. One important factor to consider is length of season. The Home Depot offers vegetables that are easy to grow, such as tomatoes. Work with your child to grow the perfect tomato, following these simple steps:

•	Create an area where plants will receive at least eight hours of morning sunlight in soil enriched with fertilizer.
•	Next, plant the seeds and mulch with compost to retain soil moisture and reduce weeds. Make sure even soil moisture is maintained. A drought will stress plants, and overly wet soil will cause fruit to crack or encourage blossom end rot.
•	Fertilize when the first blossoms set.
•	Continue fertilizer applications every week or two through the growing season.
•	The final fruit should be ready for your child to pick in 60 to 85 days.

What if we live in the city with no outside space for gardening?
If space doesn’t permit an outside garden area, bring the fun to your deck or balcony by planting container gardens.

Can children learn from gardening?
Gardening can be a learning tool for children, weaving in science, math and even literature. When considering a theme garden, encourage children to read classics such as “Peter Rabbit” and “The Secret Garden” that may help them determine the type of garden they would be interested in planting. Once they’ve made their decision, have them draw a plan and write a few sentences on how they envision their garden looking.

For a fun math and science lesson, once plants begin growing, challenge children to use a ruler or tape measure to chart the plants’ progress. Take time to note and discuss weekly growth rates and correlations with weather conditions, such as rainfall amounts.

How can I keep my child interested in gardening?
Keep children interested in their new hobby by having them associate with other young gardeners. As a parent, you may consider starting a young gardener group with other children in the neighborhood.