Homeschool this summer with your kids and raised garden beds

May 27, 8:00 PMMinneapolis Homeschooling ExaminerChris Oldenburg

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Chance Agrella/freerangestock.com

Plant more than seeds with your kids this spring. Plant ideas and possibilities with their own flower or vegetable gardens in easy to care for boxes. Raised bed gardens are all the rage in Minnesota and across the country lately, and kids can reap added benefits from these structures.

If you have never seen a raised bed, check out some of these to get ideas about sizes and shapes. I had so much success with my raised bed last year for tomatoes that I wanted to include the kids in my fun.

This year we went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Mankato and purchased 16 planks of shelving approximately 3 feet long and 15 inches high for a grand total of less than $12.99. With these screwed together to make 4 square boxes (without bottoms), the kids then filled them with layers of mulch, compost, and dirt.

The fun really began when I took them to the nursery to choose their seeds. The personalities of the kids showed through with their selections. My oldest has a pet rabbit, so she planted lettuce to help feed him. One son who always strives to connect with his dad planted his father’s favorite vegetable, kohlrabi. He actually began these seeds indoors weeks before outdoor planting season in order to give them the best chance of thriving. Another child who likes immediate results in life transplanted some of my multiplier onions, even though he doesn’t eat them, into his box. He also chose carrot seeds, his favorite veggie. The youngest of the crew, who is also the planner of the bunch, chose white pumpkin seeds because last year at Halloween he desperately wanted a white pumpkin and there were few to choose from at local markets.

Now all of their seeds and plants are showing signs of doing well in their own planting boxes. All of the steps involved in this activity have many values for the kids. Conversations and observations about planting, growing, farming, responsibility and harvesting are ongoing with the raised beds. The kids are watching the weather, paying attention to mulching opportunities, and talking about all of the benefits of farmers markets. While many adults like the raised beds because they allow for less stooping to weed, for my kids they are great because there is a specific, defined area that each can claim. The boxes also require less weeding than our typical garden, so the task does not get overwhelming for the younger children.

Gardens don’t have to be acres of rows in order to produce vegetables, fruits, or flowers. Try a raised garden bed with your kids this spring and see how the lessons unfold before your homeschool family.