Gardening can be a great activity to get your kids outside, help them develop patience, and give them the opportunity to grow their own food; a truly wonderful reward for hard work. Gardening can be a difficult chore for kids and parents alike, but there are many delicious crops and pretty plants you can grow in your home garden with little to no hassle. Let’s explore some of the plants you and your kids can grow in a low-maintenance garden and get some tips for making the whole process as fun and educational as possible.
What to Plant in Your Low Maintenance Garden in Leawood, Kansas
Leawood, Kansas, is part of what’s known as hardiness zone 6, meaning certain crops and plants can grow there based on an area’s weather patterns and average temperatures. Here are eight low-maintenance plants and crops you can grow in your Leawood garden:
Growing low-maintenance flowers is a fantastic way to boost your outdoor space and make it all the more lively for the kids, friends, and family to spend quality time in when the weather is right. Peonies are a good addition to any low-maintenance zone 6 garden because they bloom beautifully and have a delectable fragrance. And while the kids won’t be able to eat these flowers, it can be a good experience to grow something just for the sake of giving something life, taking care of it, and making the house look pretty.
This perennial flower comes in many beautiful colors, including white, pink, purple, and blue, and blooms throughout the spring and summer. These geraniums are low-maintenance because you just have to use a well-draining soil that is kept damp, but not soaked, to keep the flowers healthy.
What makes radishes so great is that they grow really fast, meaning the kids will love watching them pop up from the soil as they grow and get ready for harvesting. That’s great for keeping your kids’ interest in what they’re growing and make sure they don’t think their hard work is in vain. Plus, these yummy little veggies are nutritious and versatile, meaning once they’re grown, they’ll make a great addition to a salad, stew, or other delicious dish.
Peas are a cold-weather crop that can be planted as early as March in zone 6 and are really easy to take care of. They don’t need a lot of water, so you just need to keep an eye on the soil to make sure that it doesn’t get too wet. Also, they need some sturdy support, so you and your children can collect thin tree branches from the yard and install them near the pea plants to help them grow tall.
Lettuce is another one of the fast-growing crops that will allow your kids to see the progress of their hard work so they can stay focused on the goal. In fact, some types of lettuce can grow within a month. These super-fast growing plants can be good for particularly impatient and excited kiddos, especially the really young ones. So, consider planting lettuce types like loose-leaf and arugula.
Tomatoes are one of those vegetables (well, fruits) that your kids easily recognize, and watching them grow can be such a fun experience. From seeds, these plants grow relatively slow since you need to start growing them inside during the mid-winter in order for them to sprout juicy red bulbs by the spring and summer. But, you can also opt for a mature or near-mature tomato plant that just needs a few weeks to grow tomatoes on the vine.
Growing herbs is a great way to help kids develop more refined palates and experience new, exciting flavors. Chives are a great low-maintenance herb to grow either inside or outside in the garden so you have fresh herbs to add to any meal. This herb has a grass-like color and texture, which may be a bit confusing for the kiddos at first. But once they get a taste of the onion-y flavor, they’ll love growing fresh chives they can sprinkle on all sorts of dishes.
Oregano is a perennial herb, meaning it will keep growing again and again after its first peak harvest time. There are two different types of oregano that you can grow: Mediterranean and Mexican. Both have delicious flavor that complements many Greek, Italian, and Latino recipes. And this herb is very low maintenance because it doesn’t require much work to keep them alive.
Tips for Maintaining Your Low Maintenance Garden With the Kids
Use the following quick tips to get your kids more accustomed to and interested in helping in the garden as well as making your gardening adventure that much more low maintenance and easy:
- Plant at least one quickly germinating plant. Help your children stick to the habit of gardening by planting at least one plant that will only take weeks to start showing progress or be grown enough to harvest. This can better keep your children’s interest by giving them the satisfaction of harvesting something they grew as soon as possible. Once they get used to that feeling, it should get easier for them to handle longer germination timelines.
- Dedicate 15 minutes a day to tending the garden. Spending at least 15 minutes per day in the garden can ensure you and your children keep up the habit of checking in on the plants’ progress, removing weeds and debris, finding any issues, and keeping them watered.
- Use mulch. If you’re growing flowers, one of the best ways to keep away weeds and reduce the time having to deal with them is to put down mulch.
- Make a garden calendar. Whether you’re growing one or 20 different plants and crops, having a garden calendar can help keep you and the kids accountable for taking care of your plants and even give you a way to document progress and possible harvest dates, something the kids will look forward to.
So there you have it, some handy tips for making the most of planting a garden with the kids and a list of what you can plant that’s so easy that even the non-greenest of thumbs can grow these crops. At Crème de la Crème of Leawood, we know how important it is for your child to learn responsibility, develop patience, and feel accomplished. That’s why our whole-child curriculum employs classroom rotation so your kids can experience new things and build important skills. Contact us to learn more about how our school can help your child thrive.