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kids working in the garden


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Yes, we all put in 1/2 hour a day if it is not pouring rain. We started by age 4 or 5. For younger ones, their jobs are things like picking up the pulled weeds and dumping them into the bucket. or fetching the rake and other tools for me as needed. or even using scissors to cut the dead blooms off of a shrub (like a hydrangea).

 

My ds10 will actively do whatever I do. I've noticed that he really likes the "he man" jobs. Digging up and moving a butterfly bush with the help of levers put him into garden heaven! He asks to do a bit of the easy flat mowing with the gas mower. He doesn't like regular weeding so much but anyone can stand anything for one half hour!

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Guest Virginia Dawn

Well as soon as mine can follow daddy out to the garden they start helping with the planting, poking holes and sticking beans and onion bulbs in the ground and covering them with dirt. As they get older they are also allowed to help water and pull weeds. When they are old enough to no longer think of the garden as a magical place where they get to help out, then they are required to weed a couple of mornings a week in the summer, and they may even be asked to hoe areas that have become to weedy. :-)

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Do you mean a fruit/veg garden, flower type garden, both? We have both types on our land and the kids help with both gardens. In the fruit/veg patch, they help pick the ripened fruit & veg (especially the strawberries...would you believe almost none make it back up to the house? :D), water particular beds (if such need be done), spread dirt/mulch as needed with appropriately sized equipment, and in general help with what they can help with. In the flower garden, they help plant various plants/flowers, spread mulch, water, pick weeds (only after checking with a parental unit that what they want to pick is actually a weed :glare:), and, of course, pick flowers. My kids stairstep down from almost 7 to 19 months. Obviously, less is expected from the 19 month old than the nearly 7yo. ;) My kids really enjoy gardening.

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Although (& because?) we would keep a vegetable garden anyway, we do flower and vegetable gardening as a 4-H project. The kids get seeds from the 4-H office, and they have to be responsible for planting, watering, mulching, weeding, and generally maintaining their gardens (everything except for turning the soil in the spring). The level of difficulty of the seeds they plant varies with age. Starting at age 5 they get radish, carrot, and leaf lettuce, and by the time they are 14 they get beets, carrot, cucumber, winter squash, pie pumpkin, corn, spinach, pole bean, onion, watermelon, cauliflower, and tomato. It is a similar program for flowers. Of course, they are expected to have some age-appropriate guidance.

 

We also keep a small patch of those veges that we want to grow that aren't a part of one of their gardens. I work on this patch with the little kids (under 5), while the big kids work on theirs. If they finish first, the big kids come help. Like other posters have said, the little kids help with planting seeds, getting tools, and placing weeds in the wheelbarrow. They also help with harvesting some of the veges. (no, No, NO! DON'T pick the *green* tomatoes, only the red ones!! ;) )

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I have them help plants stuff, but once it comes up, I usually take care of it, my garden is pretty small 6X30 and I cram everything close together, so I don't take any chances. Plus I find it relaxing to work in it after they are in bed or first thing in the morning. I don't really spend much time, just pulling weeds when needed.

 

~Phlox

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some weeding (although he doesn't do it well) at 5, some shoveling (mostly where it doesn't really matter). He doesn't last more than 20 minutes, then he plays, then comes back for more...bug patrol...clean up, fetching our water etc. Really, I don't expect anything from him, just give him busy work to get him used to working with us in the garden.

 

For 8yo dd (very girly), digging, watering, planting, pruning, picking, clean up, helping with water and being the "go get this for us" girl.

 

for 10dd, 11 ds, 11ds...they wheel barrrow, dig, plant, basically whatever I need them to do.

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