• Home
  • Mama’s Bio
  • Mama’s Homestead
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Mama’s Homestead

~Our Simple Life~

  • Homesteading
  • Homegrown
  • Homemade
  • Homekeeping
  • Beekeeping
  • Classes On My Homestead
    • Homesteading Classes
    • Beekeeping Classes
    • Homemaking Classes
    • Exploring the Outdoors Classes
Gardening with Kids, Kidsteading

Gardening with Kids: Let Kids Help Prepare the Garden Location

January 27, 2011

Prepare Garden Location Spreading Compost

Prepare Garden Location-Spreading CompostShow your kids how to prepare their garden for planting.

The best way to prepare a garden for planting is to improve the soil.  When you improve the soil, it will be easier to dig and turn, have more nutrients for your plants, and hold moisture better. What kinds of nutrients do plants need? How do they use them differently than people? The same?This is a great time to research with your kids and teach them these things.

Start a composting bin or pile.  Teach your kids about the benefits of composting and how to use it and other natural additions to best prepare the garden soil. This is a perfect time to teach your kids about microorganisms and how they affect the soil. 

Use soil test kit to see what your soil needs. Nutrients such as; nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, plus the pH, NPK levels, and soil consistency can all be improved by adding worms and organic material to the garden.

Gardening Activity for Kids: Start a ‘worm box’ and harvest the castings for starting plants. What a fun project to help study soil and how the creatures in it make a huge difference in soil quality. This book is an awesome resource for beginners: Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting System by Mary Appelhof.

Help them get the garden ready for the plants, arrange the plants, plant the plants, fertilize the plants (if needed), water the plants, and pull weeds.  Show them how to use mulch to control weeds and hold in moisture.

Gardening Activity for Kids: Start a compost bin and show your kids the stages of decay when you add your kitchen waste to it. Make compost tea together and talk about organic fertilizers verses synthetic fertilizers. 

After the garden is done for the year, plan the seasonal care with them.

Next…Show Your Kids You Love Gardening

composting garden soil gardening gardening with kids homesteading with kids vegetable garden
by Nelle 
1 Comment

About Nelle

I am Nelle. I grew up in rural, small town, Ohio. When I was young, I learned a lot about homesteading from my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, 4-H, FFA, and others around me. Now, I’m all grown up, have 6 children of my own, and plan to teach them everything I know. Here on Mama’s Homestead, we talk and write about homesteading, homeschooling, and kidsteading (homesteading with kids). We teach our kids about survival, self-sufficiency, gardening (vegetable, herb, flower), orchard, beekeeping, home keeping, soap making, harvesting, cooking, food preservation, livestock, nature, crafts, homesteading tools and wares, and more… Welcome to my homestead…come and learn with us!

View all posts by Nelle

Related Posts

  • How to Make Dandelion Tea from Leaves and Flowers
  • Dandelion Root CoffeeHow to Make Dandelion Root Coffee
  • DandelionsLearn About Dandelions
  • Planting Potatoes in Trash CanHow to Grow Potatoes in a Trash Can
previous article: Gardening with Kids: Let Your Kids Help Plan the Garden
next article: What We Plant in Our Vegetable Garden

Leave Your Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to my homestead!

Hello, I'm Nelle Weaver!
I grew up on a small farm in Ohio and experienced various aspects of homesteading. I learned many skills from my grandparents and parents and from being involved in 4-H and FFA.  
My husband and I write about our simple life here on Mama's Homestead and teach classes on our homestead in central Ohio, where we raise goats, chickens, and rabbits, have an orchard, garden, keep bees, and much more. Read More…

Search Mama’s Homestead:

Connect With Me!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Shop Amazon…

Recent Posts:

  • Mango Fruit Leather
    Mango Fruit Leather

    Mango fruit leather has turned out to be one of my kids' favorites. The sugar is totally optional, but it makes it much sweeter and cuts the tartness. Read more →

  • Lemon Lime Soda Jelly
    Lemon Lime Soda Jelly

    This Lemon Lime Soda Jelly is delicious. I added a fresh lemon and a fresh l fresh lime to the mix to give it a rich, tangy flavor. It will make you pucker, a little. Read more →

  • Cream Soda Jelly
    Cream Soda Jelly

    Cream soda...do you like yours red or amber colored? I chose the amber colored version for my cream soda jelly. I like the flavor better. Plus, I added a teaspoon of vanilla, just for added vanilla goodness. Read more →

  • Homestead Beef Jerky
    Homestead Beef Jerky

    This beef jerky recipe has been used in our family for many years. I love the flavor. It tastes like it was dried over a wood fire. We have also used this recipe for venison. Read more →

  • Grape Soda Jelly
    Grape Soda Jelly

    Up next, Grape Soda Jelly. I think this would probably be my sister's favorite soda. She loves all things purple. This soda jelly, surprisingly tastes a lot like regular grape jelly you would buy at the grocery store. Read more →

  • Orange Soda Jelly
    Orange Soda Jelly

    I remember growing up, this was one of my favorite flavors of soda, plus orange was my favorite color. I added orange juice to my orange soda jelly recipe to give it a tiny bit of healthfulness and add to the orange flavor. Read more →

  • Homemade Noodles
    Homemade Noodles

    When I was growing up, my mom made homemade noodles and cook them in homemade chicken broth. This was such a tasty treat. The store bought kind do not even come close. Read more →

Mama’s Homestead Posts

  • Mango Fruit Leather December 2, 2014
  • Lemon Lime Soda Jelly November 18, 2014
  • Cream Soda Jelly November 17, 2014
  • Homestead Beef Jerky November 17, 2014
  • Grape Soda Jelly November 12, 2014
  • Orange Soda Jelly November 12, 2014
  • Homemade Noodles November 12, 2014

Mama’s Homestead Archives

Unable to communicate with Instagram.

Follow Me @mamashomestead

Copyright © 2023 · Prima Donna theme by Georgia Lou Studios