Think it’s too late to start a garden? That your kids don’t want be involved? Think again. We all know how much kids love to be outside at this time of year, so it’s a perfect opportunity to show them the rewards of planting and nurturing a garden. Your first stop should be at the Green Thumb in Westborough, where you can pick out your plants while your kids play.

The Green Thumb just opened their new complex this spring. The old building and greenhouses were knocked down and they moved everything into their upper greenhouses and built a huge new main facility that resembles a barn. The aisles of flowers seem never-ending, so it can be fun for the little ones to look around at the possibilities of plants and pick out their choices. If that doesn’t sound like your kid, mom can browse aisle after aisle in the greenhouses while dad keeps the kids happy and busy… or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, there’s something to do for the whole family.

When you first pull into the parking lot you notice a huge swing set and grassy area. It advertises for the company that builds them, so you would think that you can’t play on it, but that is what it is meant for! Parents can sit and relax and watch their little ones burn off some steam. Be careful as you walk from here to the barn – the first thing the kids will notice is the windows for ice cream. You can order it at the window and sit outside or you can go inside, where they also have candy and popcorn. The seating area inside has a train that goes around the ceiling of the first floor and lots of flower gifts that you can buy, so it has a nice ambiance. The registers are also located here, so you can check out what other people are buying as they walk by. In the barn is a loft on the second floor, which provides for more exploring by the kids. Finish the afternoon in the petting zoo with the goats. Hand sanitizer is provided.

Now you may be thinking, what kind of plants do I buy? It depends on what kind of garden you want to make. When working with kids, try to keep it simple; you can always make the garden bigger next year, and the year after that, and the year after that… oh, wait a minute, that’s my yard! If you don’t have a yard you can still plant in pots on any balcony or deck you may have. First, choose the type of garden you want, vegetable or flower. Throughout the day watch the area where you plan on planting the garden and write down the hours of sunlight it gets. You’ll need this information when buying your plants or seeds. If you still aren’t sure when you get to the nursery/store, someone is sure to help you.

If you plan on buying seeds and have a young child that is helping you, you may want to buy a plant that has bigger seeds; they’ll be easier to manage with their little hands. Let your child help choose the plants that are going into the garden. If they choose something that won’t fit in well (for example, a plant that needs more sun than it would get in that spot), take a moment to explain why it won’t work, then remind them of the types of plants you are looking for. You may even want to indulge them and buy something that wasn’t in your master plan. Keep reminding yourself to be a little lenient – your idea of a garden may not be the same as theirs, but they will be more involved in the process if you let them have a little artistic license.

Some ideas for vegetable gardens: sunflowers, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and pumpkins. Easy to manage flower ideas: sunflowers, impatiens, petunias, morning glories, zinnias, and geraniums.

A few safety measures to keep in mind:

• Use tools that are the right size for children; it’ll be easier for them to hold a tool that fits in their hand, not yours
• Leave the pesticides and chemicals in the shed/garage and out of your child’s reach
• Watch out for poisonous or toxic plants. You may already have some in your yard! One great resource I found is linked here
• Test the soil for lead, especially if your house was built before the 1970s
• Check for ticks

Gardening teaches many great virtues, the first and foremost being patience. It takes time to plant everything, water it, weed it, and feed it. It can be frustrating at times, but imagine the look of joy on your child’s face when he/she picks their first flower or vegetable that they grew. The best part about gardening: no batteries required! This is a great time to get outdoors and work together as a family, so leave the iPods on their docking stations.

Mom Says: If the garden doesn’t quite hold their attention, try incorporating some bird feeders into your yard and buy a bird book for your child to identify the birds they found. This may help pass the time as you are waiting for those seeds to sprout…

Green Thumb
185 Turnpike Rd. (Route 9)
Westborough, MA 01581
Phone: 508-366-7478

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 2:16 am and is filed under Places to Go, Sites. If you use RSS, you can subscribe to the RSS feed , or if you would rather receive an e-mail, please subscribe to the e-mail in the lower right hand corner of this page. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.