Gardening is a great activity that many children love in the Spring. They love getting their hands dirty, and growing and planting are great ways to engage them in the world around them. Spring gardening for small hands should focus on easy to grow, colourful flowers, and we’ve got some tips to help you and your little one get started!

 

 

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers for young children. There are also different varieties of sunflower, most are yellow but there are other colours as well. Different varieties will grow to different heights, so check what height your seed should grow to.

Sunflowers should be planted in pots from the beginning of April. Use one seed per pot, and plant the seed about a centimetre and a half into the soil. Always make sure you use peat free multi-purpose compost. Cover the pots with a plastic covering and leave them in a warm bright place until they begin to sprout! Checking for those first sprouts and their progress is one of the most exciting parts about this process, watching with your little one for first signs of growth!

You can then plant the sunflowers out in the garden from around June. They need fertile ground, and a sunny spot. If you don’t have a garden, they can be grown in a larger pot indoors, but make sure that there’s plenty of sunlight.

 

Poppies

Poppies are available in a wide range of colours, from bright red, to vibrant orange. They can also attract bees and butterflies to the garden, which is very exciting for curious young minds. They can be planted directly outside, or you can plant them in pots and let them grow into seedlings before planting them outside. They flower around July.

They’re easy for little ones to plant. Just scatter some seeds on top of the compost or soils, and then cover them with a light layer of compost. Poppies like a spot with good drainage, and a lot of sunlight.

 

Poached Egg Plant

Poached egg plants are pretty flowers that look like a poached egg. They’re also great for attracting insects to the garden. They’re planted between March and June, and will flower between June and September.

Poached Egg plants can be planted straight into the ground, but you need to make sure that the ground is completely weed-free. You can get your little ones involved – just give them a trowel and let them dig out any weeds. You’ll need to help make drills for the seeds. They should be 10 centimetres apart, and 3 millimetres wide.

Sprinkle the seeds into the drill, and cover lightly with soil. They’ll need to be watered gently, and as they grow, you might need to thin them out if they’re getting overcrowded.

 

Pansy

Pansies come in a huge variety of colours, so let your little one choose which colours to plant. They can be planted outside, but they also do very well in pots and can live indoors. They’re easy for smaller gardeners to grow. If you’re growing them inside, they can pretty much be planted any time of the year.

Your child can use their thumb to make a hole, which is roughly the right depth for pansy seeds. Sprinkle the seeds and cover with soil. They need to be watered gently.