Gardening for Dummies

[OrionGrad]

My boys really want to plant a garden this spring, and I have no idea where to begin. Can anyone recommend a really straightforward/basic book, or even a website with step-by-step instructions? We are absolute beginners.

[scrub-jay]

What do they want to grow?

[Thirteen]

My boys really want to plant a garden this spring, and I have no idea where to begin. Can anyone recommend a really straightforward/basic book, or even a website with step-by-step instructions? We are absolute beginners.

Raised beds (think kiddie plastic round swimming pools) are a good cheap starter option for basic herbs. other things that are harder for children to kill — onions, tomatoes, peppers.


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[alotofyarn]

I think the square foot garden is a good resource, but I honestly never read much because I always called my dad with questions. He built me a 4x8' (I think) raised garden when we were in Houston, and I put cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, and green beans, and most of it grew pretty well with very little effort from me. The tomatoes and peppers need cages, and the cucumbers need either a cage or a trellis or something to grow up, but otherwise it's all pretty easy.

[OrionGrad]

What do they want to grow?

Just some vegetables, I think? They haven’t asked for anything specific, so I was thinking tomatoes and bell peppers. I really have no idea what’s easiest to grow!

[OrionGrad]

I think the square foot garden is a good resource, but I honestly never read much because I always called my dad with questions. He built me a 4x8' (I think) raised garden when we were in Houston, and I put cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, and green beans, and most of it grew pretty well with very little effort from me. The tomatoes and peppers need cages, and the cucumbers need either a cage or a trellis or something to grow up, but otherwise it's all pretty easy.

Thanks for the rec. It looks like there’s also a Square Foot Gardening with Kids book, so I’m going to show that to DH. He told the boys he’d make them a garden box, so that’s one less step for me at least.

[scrub-jay]

My kids started with carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and strawberries. My DH built a raised bed here and we’ve enjoyed our garden. We have a wine-barrel (with drainage holes) that we use for herbs. Tomatoes would need to be trellised, but they sell “tomato rings” and you just put it around the tomato plant for support. I’ll help you harvest this summer though! 😉

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

We love gardening. I’m so excited to get to our new location! Our kids loved tomatoes, herbs, peppers, squash and lettuce. We never got much inside bc they ate it right off the plants but that was ok with me.


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[OrionGrad]

My kids started with carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and strawberries. My DH built a raised bed here and we’ve enjoyed our garden. We have a wine-barrel (with drainage holes) that we use for herbs. Tomatoes would need to be trellised, but they sell “tomato rings” and you just put it around the tomato plant for support. I’ll help you harvest this summer though! 

Haha, I'll take you up on that! ��