| Gardening has been a major source of food for ages; | | | | By choosing against the use pesticides on your garden |
| however due to the increased population of humans | | | | individuals can have an organic garden without the |
| and the expansion of cities into farmlands, many of the | | | | worry of additives. Without of the use of pesticides |
| farm lands in the United States has greatly decreased. | | | | gardeners must keep a constant watch on the crops |
| Much of the products consumers purchase at the | | | | to ensure worms, bugs or other creatures are not |
| grocery store are grown in other countries and have | | | | feasting on the fruits of your labor. There are many |
| to be imported into the country, traveling extensive | | | | alternative measures gardeners can use to keep a |
| distances. Upon moving to a community with more | | | | lush garden rather than the use of commercial |
| land space I have noticed people at the local home | | | | pesticides. One method to deter some insects from |
| improvement stores gathering materials for gardening | | | | attacking the crops is the use of marigold flowers |
| at their home. Soon I became curious about the | | | | around the garden. The strong smell of the flowers is |
| process of gardening and about the product that I | | | | an immediate deterrent for many insects. I planted both |
| could create as well as with the turn out. | | | | yellow and orange marigolds in the garden however; |
| After purchasing a new home I recently I decided to | | | | the yellow marigolds have done especially well in the |
| take up vegetable gardening. I have always been | | | | garden we created. Of the gardeners who have |
| interested in gardening, maybe it is the small town | | | | decided against the use of pesticides some may state |
| Indiana upbringing, however I never had the opportunity | | | | that the taste of produce is much sweeter than store |
| to start my own garden as I grew older. Through | | | | bought produce. |
| conversations, classes offered at the local extension | | | | Some families may even choose to sell their fresh |
| office and frequent visits to gardening stores I have | | | | produce at a local farmer's market or vegetable stand. |
| also noticed other individuals in my area with similar | | | | My neighbor is one such individual who decided to |
| interests. Gardening in the form of fruits, vegetables | | | | have a vegetable stand outside her house. Her |
| and flowers can have many added benefits. | | | | seven-year-old son primarily helps with the vegetable |
| There are two important options to consider when | | | | stand; yet the four-year-old son tries to help in some |
| starting a vegetable garden, whether to start from | | | | aspects. The children have been helpful in the |
| seeds or from plants. Both of the options can have | | | | implementation and daily upkeep of the garden. The |
| positive and negative aspects. Some things to consider | | | | boys were able to help choose desired plants they |
| when choosing to use seeds are that seeds require | | | | would like in the garden from various local stores, help |
| more time, more patience, are less expensive and | | | | water the garden daily and sell the fresh produce to |
| offer a science experiment for young children to | | | | individuals in the neighborhood. The children, especially |
| witness and take part in. Purchasing starter plants can | | | | the older son benefits from the process and |
| be more expensive, require less time and patience, and | | | | contributes daily with the garden. |
| can produce a faster product. I decided to start my | | | | Gardens can also promote and encourage many |
| garden using seeds because this is my first | | | | educational learning opportunities for children. My |
| experience starting my own garden. I used many | | | | neighbor is fostering new and continued education |
| different types of seeds and quickly learned that some | | | | during the summer through math and science |
| require more attention than others. Planting a garden | | | | concepts. The math concepts that are promoted |
| from seeds or plants can produce positive results; | | | | include money, addition and subtraction. Therefore, by |
| however it is an individual preference. | | | | selling the produce for a quarter a piece the child is |
| Another one of the first and most important steps in | | | | learning the value of money, along with adding and |
| gardening is choosing a location of thegarden. Of | | | | subtracting money. He then is able to make valuable |
| course individuals cannot change the location of their | | | | choices about the profit he made from the garden. He |
| home to make it more suitable for a lush garden; | | | | is also able to learn about immediate gratification and |
| however there a few simple adjustments to make a | | | | delayed gratification, through gardening and the ability |
| desirable location for produce to grow. One negative | | | | to save the money he earned for a large item or |
| aspect that I quickly learned about starting a garden in | | | | spend it quickly on a small item. Gardening also |
| Missouri is the lack of suitable soil. I discovered that the | | | | promotes science objectives such as earth systems, |
| soil we have in our back yard is very sparse and | | | | plants and animals, and ecology. These objectives are |
| under that thin layer of soil was a blend of clay and | | | | being promoted through learning about the life cycle of |
| rocks. This combination led me to try out an above | | | | a plant, the local weather, and the food chain. By |
| ground garden. My husband went to the local home | | | | starting a garden from seeds children can witness and |
| improvement store and bought untreated wood | | | | be active participants in the process of life science. |
| measuring 6x12 feet. Using an electric drill my husband | | | | Young children can observe, discuss the process of |
| attached braches on the four corners of the garden | | | | gardening and state their observations. Older children |
| box to ensure the security. After assembling the box | | | | are able to make a hypothesis prior to planting the |
| we then lined the bottom with a black mesh lining to | | | | seeds or conducting this experiment. During the |
| prevent unwanted growth of weeds and grass in the | | | | gardening process and at the end of the season |
| garden. Another method that also works and is less | | | | children may write their observations and the |
| expensive is lining the bottom newspaper instead of | | | | conclusion to the experiment. At this time a discussion |
| the black mesh lining. We then filled the box with a | | | | between children and adults may occur to decide any |
| mixture of top soil, sand, pet moss, and potting soil and | | | | changes for next year's garden. |
| used tools to ensure an even distribution of the | | | | As I am midway through the first year of gardening I |
| naturally occurring materials. This added combination | | | | have noticed some changes I will likely implement next |
| seemed to create a pleasant environment for plant life, | | | | year. This first noticeable change I would make in my |
| as many plants grew plentiful immediately. | | | | garden for next year would be the placement and the |
| Of course one of the main benefits to having your | | | | spacing of crops that can yield large produce and the |
| own garden is being able to eat fresh produce right | | | | crops that are especially large. Next year I will not plant |
| out of your own yard without having to travel to the | | | | as many zucchini, yellow squash or cantaloupe as |
| store where much of the produce is shipped from | | | | these crops grow to be very large and vine across |
| hundreds of miles away. Along with the rising food | | | | the garden and into the yard. Another change that I will |
| costs in America, having your own garden can also | | | | make for next season is the time and method of |
| cut down on the cost families are spending at the | | | | planting seeds I will use. If I choose to start my garden |
| grocery store. However, the 6x12 feet garden we | | | | from seeds again next year, I have decided that I will |
| created is not large enough as the only means of | | | | also start the seeds in the individual starter pods again; |
| produce for our family for an entire year. For those | | | | however next year I will start the seeds in early April. I |
| individuals who desire to become less reliant on | | | | will then transplant the plants into individual pots inside |
| grocery stores they should consider creating a larger | | | | the house before planting into the garden box. The |
| garden. If your garden is large enough and yields | | | | reason for this is because of the late frost that can |
| enough produce, families may also choose to freeze | | | | occur in the month of May and also to allow the plants |
| or can the fresh produce for use later in the year. | | | | to have more room to grow. |
| Individuals can purchase items for freezing and canning | | | | Thus far I have enjoyed my first garden and I have |
| produce at many stores at many stores for a | | | | found many added benefits to having my own garden. |
| relatively low cost. | | | | The gardening process takes little time once the |
| Another added benefit to having your own garden the | | | | process has begun and can even be relaxing to some |
| added knowledge of knowing what is in your garden. | | | | individuals. |