GARDENING WITH KIRSTIE – GROWING HERBS FOR KIDS!
We got together with Kirstie Allsopp to bring you this fun gardening activity for kids. Growing herbs with kids allows them to get hands-on with nature and have fun getting messy!
Here you can find out how to make an outdoor herb garden for kids, as well as an indoor herb garden using recycled materials. So whether you’ve got outdoor space at home or not, your kids can join in and make their very own herb garden.
HOW TO MAKE A HERB GARDEN FOR KIDS
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
An apron for you and the kids
Large bag/bucket of clean compost
Set of children’s gardening tools
Window box – wood or metal
4 or 5 fresh herbs from the garden or potted from the supermarket
1 watering can or large jug of water
Cover your kitchen table with old newspaper to avoid mess from the compost, and you should all wear aprons as you’re bound to get mucky!
HOW TO MAKE:
Take your window box and pierce holes in the bottom. This will help water to drain out.
Let your kids fill the boxes half full with fresh compost, they love getting their hands dirty
Next, trowel through the compost to allow lots of air to flow through the soil.
Once half full, get the kids to choose some herbs from the garden, or simply remove the herbs from their pots ready to plant inside the box.
Each box should contain about 5 plants. Some of our favourites are Basil, Mint, Chives, Coriander, Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano and Sage.
Once you and your kids have chosen your herbs and arranged them in your box, allow them to fill the box up to the top and pack in the rest of the compost.
Now your herb garden is finished, find a place for it to live in your garden that has plenty of sunlight.
Finally – the fun part – grab a watering can and sprinkle your herb garden with water! Remember to water regularly.
Optional extra: Before planting your herbs, why not get the kids busy with another activity and customise your window box with paint, decoupage, or pretty ribbons?
HOW TO MAKE AN INDOOR HERB GARDEN FOR KIDS
If you haven’t got any outdoor space to put your herb garden in, then this indoor herb garden for kids is a great alternative.
YOU'LL NEED:
Large bag/bucket of clean compost
Set of children’s gardening tools
Empty yoghurt pot containers
An empty salad or fruit container
4 or 5 fresh herbs from the garden or potted from the supermarket
HOW TO ASSEMBLE:
Collect some old yoghurt pots, rinse, and then pierce four holes in the bottom of the pots to allow for water drainage.
Get your kids to decorate the pots with paints and leave to dry.
As above, half fill the pots with compost, then plant your chosen herbs.
Using a shallow plastic container, like an empty salad or fruit container, create a tray for the pots to sit in. This will collect any excess water so you don’t end up with a puddle around your herbs after watering them. Just empty the tray every now and then, and remember to choose a place for your herbs which has lots of natural sunlight.
Kids are bound to pick up stains when making their own herb garden, but don’t worry – check out our article on how to remove mud stains for advice on tackling these.
Did you have fun growing herbs with kids? We’ve got plenty more gardening activities for kids on the Persil site, why not try making a miniature greenhouse or a worm farm?