Gardening is a wonderful way to connect kids to nature. You don’t even need a yard. Your child can grow flowers, vegetables or herbs in large pots.
Sam had a wonderful time tending to his vegetable patch this summer…
…along with many of the flowers he had grown from seed…
His Sunflowers were a favorite, bright oranges and yellows, standing tall.
Samuel checking on his Sunflowers.
The garden also cultivates a sense of wonder in children
Sam is fascinated by the insects that visit his sunflowers.
Now is the time to harvest
Last weekend Sam started harvesting the seeds for next Spring. He has left a few Sunflowers standing in the garden for the birds to feast upon.
Sunflowers provide nutrition, one sunflower head can contain 1,000 seeds or more.
Each seed produces another plant.
Sam rubbed the dried seed heads with his bare hands to loosen all the seeds.
Time to dry the seeds in a warm, dry storage area. Sam will mix and turn the seeds throughout the storing period.
Then the seeds will be ready to share with friends. Keeping some for a few gorilla gardening adventures.
For children, the quiet time in the garden can be an antidote to all the noise and busyness of today’s culture. If children have these experiences early on in their childhood-it will have a lasting impression.
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Well done Sam!
Looks as though some insects enjoy eating the petals of your sunflowers.
The statement above picture 7 should be :- Each seed has the potential to become another plant. Not all seeds are successful as many of us seed sowers have discovered.
But isn’t it amazing that the tiny seed could become such a huge plant. What potential there is packed inside them !
Good to know you are providing for other creatures too as you work with Nature in your garden.