Things could get a little messy here. Not that your son or daughter will care, and maybe neither will you when you realize how much fun you share. For the vested gardener in cold weather climates, the impending spring has one’s nose pressed to the window, gazing like a caged animal desperate to get out into the dirt. As the snow melts away, you’ll have a first good look at the soil. And pervasive April showers won’t keep us from getting our hands in the mud. But while it pours outdoors, there is much fun to have inside—both in planting, and planning. In fact, it’s some of the most fun you can have while you await the warmer spring and summer days when your kids can actually get outside, dig, and plant to their hearts’ content. So throw down a drop cloth, sheet or plastic, and grab your drawing board. Here’s how you can bring a bit of Mother Nature indoors while spending some quality time with your family.

Growing an Herb Garden
Your child will most likely arrive home with an emptied milk carton now full of dirt and seeded grass from school. This is a sure sign from the teacher that spring is here. Now it’s your turn to enjoy some quality time creating an inexpensive, but utile herb garden for your window sill or other well lit area.

You have several decisions to make before you get your fingers in the dirt. In fact, the dirt is one of them. You should select a vitamin or enriched soil for your herbs. Next, you should decide whether you want to plant from seed, or transplant young herbs from a local nursery. What will your garden grow? Here are our top picks for planting:

If you’ve never planted herbs indoors before, a couple of pluses—Lavender and Basil have wonderful aromas. No matter what you decide upon, there is a delightful advantage for children who opt to plant from seed.
“Herbs germinate quickly, and your children will love watching their herbs sprout, so planting from seed can be really fun,” says Amy Rist, of Grossman’s Country Nursery in Penfield.
Next, decide whether you want to use a window box for several varieties, or give each herb its own home in a pot of its own. Once you’ve planted the seeds, keep them well-lit, and the soil moist—to the consistency of a paper towel that has been wrung out.
Rist notes that there are other kid-friendly advantages to planting herbs from seed.
“Most seeds have different planting instructions. Have your child read, or help them read the back of the packet too.”
After you’ve planted your seeds, make sure to label or use markers on pop-sickle sticks to identify what’s waiting to crop up, or what’s already there. Then let the light shine in, keep them watered, and watch as your garden grows. You won’t just have a wonderful display of greenery that you made together, but you will also have a fresh resource for livening up a dinner dish as well!

Planning a Vegetable Garden
While you wait for your herbs to sprout, April is a great time to sit down and plan out a fun summer vegetable garden. The first thing to decide is where you will plant your garden. If you don’t own your home, or live in an apartment, you may want to plan on planting in pots or large planters. Make sure you’ve got a spot that gets a good bit of sunshine. If you are going to dig in and plant your garden, you’ll need to decide where and what size the garden will be. You should find a spot that gets plenty of sunshine throughout the day. When you think about size, think about how many vegetable you are planting and your space restrictions. If you only have a four by three foot area, you may only want one or two plants. A four by eight foot space can acommodate a bit more depending upon your choices, and is a nice space for you and the young gardener to tend to. For mom or dad, digging out grass and prepping the area is some work too, so bear that in mind as you design your space. Plan on turning the soil and mulching with vitamin enriched topsoil and/or pete moss to create a healthy bed.

What to Plant?
As you pull out the paper and pencil, remember: Vegetables are greedy. You can plant a handful of pumpkin seeds, and watch as something far beyond a scene from Jack and the Bean Stalk emerges in your yard. Sunflowers, corn, and most gourds can overwhelm your garden very easily, so consider that when you look at the size of your garden bed and how many veggie varieties you want to work with. And remember, just like the herb garden, your child will delight in watching as the beginnings of a dinner side dish crop up.

Pest Control
No matter how healthy your soil, how perfectly placed your seeds are, or how well you water, one of the greatest challenges you will face in planting an outdoor vegetable garden will be pest control—from common veggie-loving bugs to the pesky squirrel. Vegetables can be attacked by various types of insects and diseases. Visit your local garden shop now to find out what’s right for the vegetables you have selected. Later, you’ll be checking your garden regularly for insects and disease. If you see problems, always use environmentally friendly fungicides and insecticides. The Cornell Cooperative Extension is also a great resource. And while there are many home remedies that gardeners employ to keep critters away and leaves green, talking to a professional is imperative when your children are involved in the project.
“No matter what, read the label first. If any sort of pest control is going to work, it has to be done appropriately and safely,” says Wayne Brockman, of Wambach’s Garden Centers and Rochester Lawn Care.
“Most garden centers will have the product you need and the expert advice to go with it,” adds Brockman.

Tasty Rewards
You may start some vegetable seeds indoors late this spring, and transplant them according to the package directions. When you finally do plant your outdoor garden, enjoy watching it grow, nurture its contents, and look forward to a colorful display much like you would find at your local grocer of farmer’s market. The joy is that you and your child have taken the time early on, to plan out an edible treasure trove from which you will reap delicious rewards.