Mom’s Reflection

The gardens provided more than I originally imagined. I wanted my boys to learn about plants, to observe how the leaves of a tomato plant are different from the leaves of a bean plant. I was impressed when my boys would show others their gardens, pointing to each plant by name.  I hoped they would take the responsibility of a garden seriously by regularly watering and weeding their plot, and they did. And, I wanted them to feel proud of what they harvested, to enjoy eating the vegetables they grew, all on their own. All of this came true.

But we got a lot more out of this project than those initial goals. The boys measured and counted and took inventory of what they grew. They became aware of the signs of pests – holes in our cabbage and nibbled sections of the tomato plants – and learned how to protect their gardens. They became a lot more observant than I originally thought; they noticed what bloomed, what baby vegetables grew, and what was not growing. And, they cooked and chopped in the kitchen and took ownership of their produce at our table. And there’s more!… All in all, it was a success, and we’ll do it again!

Here’s what the boys had to say:

Rex, Age 9

1.What was your favorite part of having a garden this season?

  I learned a lot watching everything grow. My favorite was my peppermint because peppermint

is awesome.

2.What was your least favorite part of taking care of a garden?

  Finding those stupid hornworms…cuz they’re dumb.

3.What is something you learned about gardening?

  How much stuff can grow from seeds. For example, carrots. And to kill all the pests when I see holes in the plants.

4.What is something that surprised you?

  How fat those hornworms can be, and how much they can eat.

5.What will you not plant next year?

  My potatoes; they were un-grown.

6.What do you want to plant next year?

  Peppermint, tomato, chives, cucumber…

Jude, Age 7

1.What was your favorite part of having a garden this season?

  Watching it grow and the corn.

2.What was your least favorite part of taking care of a garden?

  The potatoes didn’t grow.

3.What is something you learned about gardening?

  I learned that worms help the plants by making holes in the dirt.

4.What is something that surprised you?

  That my potatoes didn’t grow. I was going to eat them and love them. I was going to make those potatoes you make me for breakfast.

5.What will you not plant next year?

 I don’t want to grow sage; we haven’t used it.

6.What do you want to plant next year?

 Corn and potatoes. And tomatoes and chives.

Morris, Age 4

1.What was your favorite part of having a garden this season?

  That you get to grow worms and you get to get a plant.

2.What was your least favorite part of taking care of a garden?

  That the cabbage was ripped up.

3.What is something you learned about gardening?

  That worms go far, far, far, far, far into the ground.

4.What is something that surprised you?

  That some of my green beans were rotten.

5.What will you not plant next year?   Spinach.

6.What do you want to plant next year?

  Cauliflower. Peppermint: I love it so much and then I spit it out.