Garden | Hip Moms Go Green

Earth Day~Plant a Garden With Your Kids

Monday, April 5th, 2010

My younger son and I just planted our garden for the year. Honestly, this has to be the best way to teach your kids about how important it is to be mindful of what we’re putting into the Earth as well as our bodies. We use organic soil, organic seeds, and organic fertilizers in our efforts of going green. We haven’t had a problem with pest control—my husband and the baby are very happy to hand pick bugs off the plants—but if we did, there are many organic, safe pest remedies available at your local nursery, and many can be mixed at home with common household items. I let the baby pick which seeds to plant this year and he chose all the things he loves: carrots, Swiss chard, tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkins (extremely giant!), and lettuce. Broccoli will go in later. We don’t have a ton of space, so the selection had to be limited, but the most important thing is to let your kids be really involved in the creation of their garden. It’s a great time to teach them about Earth Day issues like pollution and water scarcity as well as nutrition. (The reason my older son isn’t involved in this project is that he’s in school all day, and he only willingly eats carrots!)
You can start your seeds in store bought seed starters, (Burpee has an organic one where everything can be composted or recycled when you’re through.) but a really fun thing to do, and one that’s also great for the planet, is to start your seeds in egg shells. When you crack eggs to use in recipes, try to crack them towards the top so that you leave a majority of the egg shell whole. Rinse them out and save them until you have enough to start your plants. We keep ours in the carton (you can also just use the carton—separate the egg sections and bury them straight in the ground once your seedlings are ready to go outside—so that they’re easier to work with. Fill the shell with soil, drop a seed in, and add water. Keep your “pots” in a window with lots of sun, watering when the tops are dry. You can plant the egg shells directly into your garden. I like to crack them a bit so the roots don’t have to work so hard to reach the new soil. You don’t need a lot of space for your garden. We use an old bookcase that my husband built turned on its side and filled with garden soil. We put our watermelon and pumpkins in large pots and just let them go wild in the side yard. Be creative and try to reuse containers where you can.
Every day, we go out and the baby waters with his watering can. He really loves his garden and shows everyone when they come over. There’s nothing better than seeing the excitement on his face when he gets to pick vegetables that he grew from seeds. I hope this really instills a love of vegetables and healthy eating for life, but since I do have a twelve year old that did the same activity starting when he was two and now only eats healthy food under duress, I know that could be wishful thinking!
Have fun and GET DIRTY!

Kelly Polston
Contributing Author and Chef

How to Start an Urban Herb Garden

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Your Urban Herb Garden

A cityscape is a great backdrop for an urban herb garden. You don’t need a nearby country lane to reap the benefits of home grown organic herbs. Herbs are hearty and forgiving plants that will tolerate even poor soil and still produce a bumper crop of tasty leaves if you keep a few things in mind.

Purchase the Right Herbs

Make sure that you purchase herb plants that are certified organic. If you start from seed there are several companies that produce organic. Buying organic seed helps to support organic farms and ensures that there are no GMOs or chemicals added to the seeds.

Herbs Need Loose Soil

Although many herbs are famous for flourishing in nutrient poor soils, they almost all require good water drainage. Amendments that lighten the soil, like sand and peat, as well as some organic enrichment from organic potting mix or compost, will give herb seedlings a better start in life.

Most Herbs are Sun Worshippers

Herbs, like oregano, thyme, chives, and sage, need lots of light. If you have problems with shade from tall buildings, consider growing herbs indoors near a sunny window or using a hydroponic setup. Hydroponics, or soilless gardening, uses synthetic sunlight from special bulbs to furnish plants with adequate light, and the presence of instantly available nutrients in the water makes it possible to keep more plants in less space. An indoor hydroponic herb garden can be a tasty alternative in locations where no ground space is available or your garden can’t provide six hours of light daily.

Give Herbs Enough Water

Herbs, like mint, parsley, basil and dill need regular watering. If you can’t rely on nature to always do the honors, try using a drip irrigation system, or check out the feasibility of harvesting rainfall in a rain barrel. Some rain barrels have a bypass valve that will only start accumulating water after the first rains have washed the pollution out of the air.

Herbs smell great and have many uses, both in the kitchen and in your medicine cabinet. Once you have your own urban herb garden, you’ll be snipping chives for your potatoes and making pesto in no time.

Going Green with Hip Moms Go Green is fun and attainable. We're dedicated to empowering you to simultaneously effect a healthful difference in the lives of your children and planet. Whether you're looking for tips on how to make your existing home green, want to identify creative ways to share environmental and social responsibility with your little ones, or incorporate nutrient-dense foods into your family's diet in a delicious way, HipMomsGoGreen is your ultimate resource. We bring all of your favorite eco-topics and products to the table to make going green part of your everyday life.