August 4, 2022 – Nutmegz Education

Yay! We say “see ya” to chilly and windy winter days and “hello” to the sunny and warm days of Spring. Now is a wonderful time to get children out in the garden to start preparing for the arrival of this wonderful new season. Often our children, staff and families are disconnected to our seasons and sometimes forget to celebrate and focus on the arrival of a new season and all the magic it comes with.

So how can we get ready for Spring?

Each garden task we need to undertake while preparing for Spring gardens can be made into wonderful learning activities and sessions.

Prepare Your Soil

Throughout Winter, your plants have been “feeding” on all the abundant nutrients in your soil. Now is the time to replenish your soil and give it a bit of a freshen up.

Prepare your soil by digging in compost and animal poop (manure). These items will ensure your new plants have the nutrients they need throughout Spring. Also, make sure the soil is well watered. Applying a 5cm layer of mulch over your new soil is also a great idea. Mulch stops weeds, retains water and keeps your plant roots cool as the weather warms up. Try this DIY Mulch recipe with your children. This recipe uses items that can often be found around your centre and ticks that important “sustainability” box.

What To Plant with Children

When it comes to gardening with children, you want to plant things that grow relatively quickly and things that are quite interesting and colorful. For example Rainbow Silverbeet grows quickly, is oh so colorful and can be continuously picked. On the other hand, onions take up to 8 months to grow and most of the growing happens underground (not that exciting for little green thumbs). Planting the “right” items in your gardens is the key to an interesting and effective gardening program.

Below are some great ideas for small and large spaces: