How to Encourage Youngsters to Enjoy Gardening

Your garden and your children can often compete for demands on your time, so why not get them interested in the world of plants and flowers?

Not only will it give them an exciting new hobby, but the shared interest will also allow you to spend some quality time with them, and they could even help you out with some chores.

Madingley Mulch, who are based near Cambridge, can deliver soil conditioners and compost in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk as well as Cambridgeshire. Here are our top tips for making sure that green fingers need not be confined to the older generation.

Let Them Have Their Own Space

Children usually enjoy something they can call their own. So think about letting them have a small area within your garden where they can grow what they like. This need not be too big an area; it could just be a few pots rather than a whole bed. It could also be a space within your own allotment.

You can usually buy a range of smaller garden tools which are suitable for children. The important thing is to encourage them to do as much as possible; so try not to interfere more than you need to, although if something dies you might need to explain why.

One way of avoiding this is to help prepare the ground for them. Children will have a much greater chance of success if their patch of garden has been well prepared. We are suppliers of a wide range of soil conditioners and bags of compost in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and the surrounding counties, including Denise’s Delight. This blend of well-rotted horse manure, Black Fen soil, wood shavings and plant nutrients is exclusive to Madingley Mulch and is ideal if your child wants to grow something in a raised bed.

Grow Something Quickly

Children also enjoy seeing the results of their work, and preferably the quicker the better. There are a number of plants which are easy to grow, such as primroses, pansies or lavender. If they want something to eat after all their work, and particularly if you have your own allotment, vegetables such as lettuces, radishes and carrots should be ready in a few weeks. Eating something they have grown themselves will give them a great sense of achievement.

Let Their Interest Grow Naturally

The first seeds of interest need not be sown at home. Children could enjoy visits to large public gardens too. Many organisations, such as the Royal Horticultural Society or the National Trust, offer family memberships or reduced admission prices for children, as well as special activities to keep the younger generation interested.  You could use these trips to point out to them all the different plants they have which you don’t have in your own garden.

Sow the Seeds at School

Teachers can also help foster a love for gardening, and not just through lessons. Many schools have their own gardens which can give children a chance to put into practice what they are learning in the classroom. If the school doesn’t have a garden, the RHS can help teachers to set one up via its Campaign for School Gardening. The society also runs range of competitions and activities which ensures that pupils’ interest continues through the school year.

Madingley Mulch sell a range of products which will help improve your garden for both you and your children, including tools and bulk deliveries of composts and conditioners. We also provide school garden and allotment supplies. We deliver to towns and villages across the Cambridge area, including Saffron Walden, Royston and Cambourne. Follow the link to check out our range of products and prices.

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