The sun is starting to make an appearance and it’s now time to start thinking about getting the garden ‘Summer ready’.
Now if you’re anything like me you probably wouldn’t have done any gardening over the winter months so now is a good time to start tackling the jungle before everything starts growing out of hand in the summer months.
This doesn’t have to be a chore, make it fun and get the kids involved too.
*Cutting the grass. This isn’t one the kids can help with however for less than £10 you can pick up a toy lawnmower which they can use at the same time as you.
*Pruning trees. Again not something the kids can directly do themselves – however with their own wheelbarrow or even a large cardboard box they can pick up the leaves and branches which you have cut down. Emmy loves this. She fills her wheelbarrow and then empties it into the garden waste bin.
*Getting the soil ready for planting. Kids love this one. Time to pull weeds from the flower beds and rake/fork over the soil. With their own gardening tools (even plastic ones) they can have fun helping. A spade will work too.
*Let them grow their own flowers. Decorate flower pots together, paint them, glue them or even fill old welly boots with soil as these make wonderful planters (make sure you add a few drainage holes in the bottom).
*Plant vegetables together. It’s easy for kids to get involved in this one and they will enjoy looking after the veggies, watering them and then hopefully eating them too. We have just sown our Beetroot, Carrot and Lettuce seeds.
Don’t be afraid to let them get involved, you’ll all enjoy it and if they get messy don’t panic…it’s only mud and it will wash off.
Some fantastic tips from Clare there – we will definitely be getting out in the garden once we move house and planting some summer seeds. Do your children enjoy helping out in the garden?