Growing a gardener

Seeds may sometimes be taken from the seed heads of bought flowers or from your own garden. There are many good books that will tell you where the seeds on a particular flower can be found. After a few different tries you will become pretty good at working this out for yourself.

Starting seedlings

Once you've decided what to grow, the next decision is where. Whether starting outdoor plants indoors or planting a windowsill garden, being creative is half the fun. Yoghurt containers are good choices, because the lids serve as saucers. Pint-sized ice cream containers and margarine tubs work well for the same reason. In either case you need to punch drainage holes in the bottom before you begin. But don't stop there. Eggshells broken around their 'equator' and replaced in a styrofoam egg carton are a wonderful way to begin small seeds. When the seedling is ready to transplant, the shell need not be removed. Plastic milk cartons cut around their middles (use the bottoms, but save the tops) work well also. One young man I know started his seedlings in the bed of his plastic dumpster lorry. Remember that the idea is to have fun.

Choosing a garden site

Assuming that at least some of your plants are eventually going to make it off the windowsill and into the garden, where are they going to go? Again, a little creativity helps. Ideally a child's site should have good drainage and lots of sunshine. It should also be only about as wide as the child is tall. Any larger and it becomes too difficult for the child to manage.

I've found that an old, tiny, inflatable swimming pool helps here. Filling it with starter soil gives you a controlled, pristine environment. It's free from rocks, weeds and other nuisances. Or try an old washtub or a circle of old bricks filled with soil. When gardening, avoid using anything for plants that has been used for petroleum or other chemical contaminants or treated wood and old tyres.