A lot of children enjoy the responsibility of managing their own garden. At first attempt it is preferable to restrict the overall size and complexity. Early success and positive reinforcement can be easily achieved by keeping things manageable. The necessary equipment need be no more sophisticated than a hand trowel, a sturdy pair of boots, some reinforced gardening gloves, sunhat, fertile seeds, scissors, string, and a decent watering can.

Salad gardens are a great choice for children who appreciate routine and enjoy contributing in their own way to family meals. Salad greens are particularly easy to grow organically and are equally suitable for outdoor plots, container gardens, and window boxes. They are visually decorative and a combination of varieties will provide a nice range of leaves with distinct colours, shapes, and textures. Salad greens can be purchased in punnets or as ready mixed seed packets. Alternatively described as lettuce, saladini, mescalin, or endive combinations, many of these also contain small amounts of rocket, chicory, kale, chard, and lambs lettuce.

The ready mixed salad combinations are sown in spring or early autumn and the seedlings usually emerge within a week or two then develop quickly enough to please eager youngsters. The maturing plants prefer partial shade and require soils with good moisture retention. If necessary, this can be improved after the seedlings have emerged, by spreading small quantities of finely shredded coconut fibre as surface mulch. Daily watering is required, with a preference for early morning or later, towards evening.

Often, it is an excellent idea to grow these plants near a doorway or gate used regularly by children. A visual reminder of their salad garden will reinforce their commitment to properly maintain it. Weeding should be undertaken on a weekly basis. Nimble fingered children can remove these before they establish a proper root structure, similarly slugs and snails can be controlled by periodic physical removal. Mature plants can be harvested any time by removing small quantities of leaves with a pair of scissors. This approach enables the plants to regenerate and will provide a healthy supply of organic greens throughout the growing season.

An organic herb garden is an option for children who are unlikely to establish a regular maintenance routine. Herbs are often favoured by creative types, particularly older children involved in cookery and other practical hobbies. Another interesting perspective is to consider herb gardening for children with an awareness of history. Many of the commonest garden herbs have traditional uses which can be traced back across Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Arabic, and European civilisations.

Select an area with lean, well drained soil and concentrate on growing a few hardy and prolific types. These will assist the garden through adverse weather conditions or periods of temporary neglect. Lemon balm, mint, nasturtium, and oregano are extremely versatile and flourish with minimal effort. Because the seedlings can take a long while to establish themselves, these herbs are usually introduced to a children’s garden as healthy cuttings in spring or autumn.

While the emphasis should be on easy care maintenance, there is no need to abandon neatness or decoration. The children’s herb garden can be protected and defined by small hedges of dry soil species like lavender, thyme, or rosemary. Chives are also suitable as border plantings. Within these enclosures, install a few stepping stones and develop a simple planting scheme with markings of coloured sand.

A mixed organic garden is suitable for those children prepared to research the individual requirements of each species. By encapsulating diversity, the mixed garden provides a good base for understanding organic principles as they relate to practical applications. With minimal planning, the mixed garden can contain several varieties of flower, fruit, herbs, and vegetables. Why not include the salad greens described above? Within reason, encourage children to pursue their own intuitive combinations of texture, colour, and taste, as they choose individual plant varieties.

Sunflowers are a big, easy growing favourite for many children and adults alike. Aside from their energetic brightness, they attract beneficial pollinators and provide late seed to attract over wintering birds into the garden. Organic wildflower mixes guarantee an attractive, low maintenance display of colour. They can be left to seed each autumn, and will be returned as new stock the following spring. Daffodils and buttercups are strongly associated with straightforward gardening and their simple beauty appeals to many children.

Because they require planning, patience, and considerable technical knowledge, raising fruit trees is too complex for many children. Allowing them to adopt an established fruit tree can be a good compromise for enthusiastic kids. This way they can take some responsibility and practice pruning and shaping under appropriate supervision.

Modern cane fruit can be challenging although the traditional raspberry and blackberry bushes are low maintenance and particularly suited to organic conditions. Organic strawberries are a fantastic source of essential vitamins and minerals. They require well drained soils containing plenty of organic materials like compost, dry manure and leaf mould. Mulching is good for encouraging water retention and preventing weeds. Whether grown in the ground or in containers, they should be covered with wire mesh to discourage hungry birds and mice. They are very susceptible to viral infections and should only be purchased from organically certified nurseries or plant wholesalers.

The spectrum between easy care and high maintenance is fully encompassed with the wide selection of vegetable varieties available today. Do the kids a favour by encouraging them to choose among the easier ones. Climbing peas and beans grow quickly with very few problems. Young children still love hearing the tale of Jack and the beanstalk. Courgettes are easy to grow and children love them raw in salads. Their vines require a trellis or fence for support. The old fashioned carrot varieties have been a longstanding favourite with children, and should remain popular on account of their refreshingly sweet flavour. Make it fun and interesting and you’ll be amazed at how quickly children will  take to gardening

In today’s world, a thoughtfully designed organic garden is one of the safest and most productive environments for children to engage and develop the full range of their physical and mental abilities. Without question, this depends upon an adequate level of adult supervision and an awareness of each child’s tendency to absorb both safe and unsafe practices through their capacity for close observation and imitation. Like most learning situations, garden safety requires constant instruction and practical application from individuals who elicit the respect and trust of their charges. By consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to garden and outdoor safety, parents and supervising adults can gradually promote a similar response in the children under their care.

The emphasis on safety should be directed toward preventative strategies, based on an evaluation of potential consequences for a range of adverse events. When the consequences are sufficiently serious the risk needs to be addressed. This focus upon potential consequence alleviates the difficulty of evaluating the precise level of risk. 

Research in psychology has repeatedly demonstrated that an accurate evaluation of negative risk is constantly undermined and distorted by a complex mix of emotion, personal experience, and unrealistic or irrational fear. The recommended approach for promoting safety also depends on developing some sensible precautions which are easy to follow and do not interfere unduly with the basic activity, which in this case is gardening and working outdoors.

The initial step in making a garden safe for children is to take a careful inventory of every situation, or item which involves some potential for risk of injury. Starting with the physical property itself, attempt to identify all of the obvious hazards. Make a list with a brief description of each area inside a bound notebook. Is the land flat or sloping? Does it adjoin a roadway containing traffic? Are there any bodies of water inside the garden or within close proximity? Is the garden securely fenced? Are the retaining walls and outbuildings structurally safe? Are there any unsound trees, particularly those with overhanging limbs? Do the pathways become slippery when wet or iced? Does the garden contain sharp rocks or gravel? Are there any unfilled holes or logs lying about? Try to locate areas of poor visibility. Are there any buried cables or gas pipes within the garden?

Once the list is compiled wait a few days then try to locate any additional sources of potential hazard. It can even be helpful to consult a relative or friend who may uncover dangerous situations which were originally concealed or considered irrelevant. The next step is to take the list and to give each of the hazardous situations a rating to describe the possible consequences. A rating of five is applied to any situation with life threatening consequences. For example, a deep unfenced pond must be rated as five whenever there are toddlers or young children visiting, playing or working in the garden. A rating of four is given to describe any situation which is likely to cause severe injury, a three rating for serious injury, two for moderate injury, and a rating of one for minor injury. Of course, this classification is somewhat arbitrary and can only estimate the approximate consequences of each hazard. The main aim is to identify those situations which are life threatening or capable of causing serious injury. These areas need to be secured and made safe as a priority and definitely before children are encouraged to access the garden.

Once the physical surroundings are clear, proceed with an inventory of outdoor materials, tools, and other equipment. All gardening tools should be carefully stored in an enclosed area which is secured to prevent unsupervised access. It is worthwhile creating a system which draws attention to missing tools. Some gardeners prefer to consult a written checklist but a convenient visual method is to paint a silhouette of each tool on the wall. At the end of a gardening session, older children can be encouraged to inspect the tools for signs of wear or damage. Learning to respect and care for gardening equipment is an important aspect of garden safety. Fortunately, an organic approach eliminates the extremely toxic and dangerous chemicals widely used in conventional gardens. Several of the natural substances used in organic gardening are, however, sufficiently toxic to require secure storage. Young children should be closely supervised in the presence of these materials while older children can be introduced to the necessary safety precautions and taught to apply them with appropriate supervision.

After eliminating garden hazards, safety awareness should be reinforced by encouraging children to adopt a sensible approach to their garden activities. Focus on establishing the basic precautions which apply to their situation. When confronted with these, many children will attempt to understand their underlying logic, so be prepared to provide sufficient explanation. For example, it is important for children to wash their hands after contact with potting mixtures, compost, and similar organic materials. Explain the presence of bacteria which are essential in the garden yet potentially harmful when allowed to multiply on the surface of hands. Washing eliminates bacteria from hands. This is consistent with the fact that garden produce must also be washed carefully before consumption.

Children love to explore and investigate hidden corners of the garden. To ensure their safety, they must wear protective clothing and be capable of identifying and avoiding potentially dangerous creatures such as snakes, spiders, and scorpions. Children should also be aware of poisonous plants. Some of these will sting or irritate the skin on contact and many common plants are toxic when ingested. There are commonsense safety precautions which should be experienced from an early age. Learning to bend from the knees when lifting a heavy object, wearing protective eyewear while trimming branches, the use of garden gloves for weeding, the importance of applying sunscreens and drinking plenty of water while undertaking physical activities. Supervise children from a distance but encourage them to take responsibility for their own safety. This approach helps to create a harmonious and productive atmosphere in the garden.

From a young age, children benefit from gathering the knowledge and skills necessary to raise plants and develop an organic garden. In earlier times, a significant percentage of people depended on their own abilities to provide sufficient food for their families. While subsistence agriculture is still a factor in many regions of poor and developing nations, the emphasis has now shifted toward large scale commercial plantations. Such enterprises are dominated by limited numbers of high demand crops which are largely processed with the assistance of mechanised technologies.

For the last century, sociologists have explained the importance of guardianship in relation to food, development, and sustainability. By establishing guardianship over any resource, each assigned individual is obliged to assume responsibility for the positive and negative consequences of their actions. Unlike most paid work, subsistence farming encourages a continuous engagement with the natural environment.

Across many cultures, this level of engagement is defined by the practice of ritual and celebration. Ritual determines the boundaries of connection between individual and environment while celebration enables these boundaries to be upheld in the social domain. In the poorest communities of the world, the majority of children participate substantially, along with their relatives in the timeless rituals associated with subsistence agriculture. These include all the variations of weather watching, planning, sowing, maintenance, and harvesting of food and fibre crops. Their ongoing participation is recognised through their inclusion in the preparation and delivery of important social celebrations such as harvest feasts, seasonal festivals, religious events, weddings, storytelling, and funerals.

For a variety of reasons, children raised within economically prosperous nations are often provided with few opportunities to assist them in developing the levels of responsibility which are assumed and taken for granted in adulthood. The social impact of this oversight can be grasped through media reports which describe an increased dependence and lack of genuine autonomy for young adults today.

Over recent decades the average age for leaving the family home and establishing regular income has continued to increase. Many parents are confronted with the prospect of supporting their adult children despite approaching or entering their own retirement years. This situation contrasts with the measured progression of social learning and responsibility which occurs naturally for many children raised in economically poor and developing nations.

While aspects of this can and should be viewed positively, there is no advantage in seeking out romantic representations of subsistence living, since this is most typically harsh and unforgiving. A significant proportion of the learning and development opportunities gained through participation in subsistence agricultures are inextricably linked to complex problems and human suffering.

Would it be possible for our own children to undertake some of these learning opportunities without experiencing the problems and suffering which occur throughout the developing world? Despite the privileged security of material wealth and prosperity, developed nations have consistently neglected to provide innovative opportunities for developing responsibility and community awareness at an early age. Due to its status as a practical and philosophical pursuit, organic gardening represents an ideal framework for developing these essential skills.

From an early age, children are naturally inquisitive and enjoy participating in simple gardening activities. Their interest can be encouraged by allowing them to safely explore the various shapes, colours, and events which surround them. Because most toddlers have short attention spans and tire easily, it is a good idea to restrict the length of each session and to focus on activities which can be readily understood and easily incorporated into their everyday experience of the world.

One of the most appealing activities for young children is harvesting brightly coloured fruits and vegetables. With the widespread dominance of supermarkets and packaged foods, it is a privilege for children to experience the original source of fresh produce. Their awareness and appreciation of real food can be continued by extending this activity to the kitchen where the produce is washed and prepared as a salad or some other dish which the child will enjoy. By contextualising their garden activities in this manner, the initial foundation is established for an appreciation of important values such as physical work, nutrition, hygiene, and sharing.

Other garden activities suitable for toddlers include watering plants, picking flowers, planting young trees, and gathering leaves. It is always important to verbally discuss these activities with young children and to carefully answer any questions or concerns which may arise. Visiting a good bookseller or searching the internet will help to locate published resources which explore concepts of gardening from a child’s perspective.

A place to learn

Throughout their primary years, children develop and extend their capacity for logic and abstract reasoning. With an emerging ability to manipulate complex ideas and concepts, it is typical for them to demonstrate a sustained interest in the complexities of human culture, machinery, natural science, and design. Primary aged children also require plenty of outdoor recreation and physical exercise to develop their coordination and to establish the metabolism and activity levels which contribute to physical strength and wellbeing throughout adulthood. Given the appropriate support and encouragement, most children will participate in the various tasks and challenges of gardening. An excellent introduction to organic principles can be initiated through explanation and discovery of the life cycles for plants, soil types and insects in the garden. Try to focus on the important relationships between healthy soil, plants, and wholesome produce.

At some point in their development, it is essential for children to gain practical experience in complex decision making. A garden is one of the best environments to experiment with basic planning and resource allocation. In addition to growing the things they enjoy, older children should be encouraged to consider factors such as climate, soil quality, and the amount of work involved. Because these aspects of the garden are often dynamic and subject to change, intelligent children may develop the ability to adapt their planning to accommodate changing inputs. This flexibility is required in many contemporary occupations, particularly those established within political, administrative, and business organisations.

Of course, some children are more interested in gardening as an outlet for creativity or pure enjoyment. Compared with the traditional vegetable patch, a rambling wilderness garden packed with daisies, herbs, and sunflowers can provide more colour, texture, and mysterious fragrances for the imaginative or unconventional child. A loosely structured garden can also be therapeutically relaxing for emotional and highly strung children. Parents may discover that time spent gardening with their children helps to provide deeper insights to their individual personality and abilities. Gardening can also provide positive links between children and elderly neighbours or relatives. These opportunities are increasingly important to counteract the influence of negative stereotypes and the false barriers of self focused consumerism.

A place to form ideas

As children develop and mature through high school, they become increasingly interested in defining themselves through expressions of creativity, taste, fashion, sport and social relationships. Gardening itself is rarely a pursuit or priority for older children and teenagers. On the other hand, many teenagers are desperately concerned about the condition of their planet. This should not surprise since many have grown up in countries which refuse to intervene on key issues like global warming, habitat destruction, extinction of numerous plant and animal species, overpopulation, pollution, urban decay, and the despoliation of rivers and oceans. Learning about the organic movement will help some teenagers overcome their sense of despair and may increase their commitment to develop strategies and solutions within their own spheres of influence.