Eat your garden!

Now that it is warm outside and we find ourselves spending more time in our gardens, patios and balconies. It is also a great opportunity to teach our kids about gardening and grow some plants. There are many things that are really easy to grow in either a planter box or right in the ground. You can also try growing things from seed or just buy a little container at your local nursery. This month I will devote Sundays to gardening ideas that are great for our children.
This week I planted a little edible garden with my daughter, Lulu. She loved digging in the dirt and tossing the seeds. She also liked patting the soil around the small plants. (And covering them….)I don’t know how many of you have ever eaten flowers but some of them are actually really nice additions to a summer salad. I also like that they are safe and Lulu can eat them. If your garden/patio/balcony/window sill is buggy there are many safe products available to spray on the plants. Soapy water is always a good deterrent.

My top 4 choices for a kid friendly EDIBLE garden:
Pansy’s- they come in many colors and grow easily and abundantly. They can be used in salads and also are great for cake decorating.
Violets/Violas- These are really easy to grow and are really pretty. They have a string sweet flowery taste. They are great for desserts, salads, garnish, tea sandwiches an also look great frozen in ice cubes! Lulu liked them so much that she ate all of them off the plant in one sitting. Good thing they grow really fast! Not to be confused with African violets….
Squash- An impressive plant that can get quite big. They can spread to about 3 feet and need full sun. The blossoms can be eaten- stuffed and baked or fried is my favorite. If you chose not to eat the blossom then you will later get a squash! This is a fun process for children to watch. I remember growing them with MY father!
Tomatoes- Another really easy thing to grow. There are so many varieties available. I planted some hybrids. They are viney and require interaction to train their growth. When they are ripe your kids will love picking them.

Remember to teach your kids that not ALL flowers can be eaten. Some of them are poisonous! A couple popular flowers that are definatley NOT edible around the US are: Azaleas, Buttercups, Foxglove, Iris, Sweet Pea and Oleander. Always ask about your edible (or nonedible) plants before you buy them.....