Firstly, welcome to the first blog that we have ever written on KDG. Having never written a ‘blog’ before, we are giving it a go. In part it is because I want to share with you some of the things that we are up to here at KDG as we go through this amazing journey of getting kids growing. It is something that we are very passionate about and we hope, that over time, we will make a difference to many peoples lives. Like many things in life, it is going to take time, but hopefully worth it in the end.
Here goes!
I don’t know about anyone else, but this year has been really slow in getting off the ground. I think in part it has been the weather….wet! Looking back over last years photos, we had spent so much more time outside, clearing beds, building beds and just general faffing about in the garden. Although this year, it just seems to have been wet the whole time!
Finding time in the garden
Like the majority of parents, we are working parents too. This does cause some problems when trying to get outside as the window of opportunity is only two days! Now don’t get me wrong, you can get a lot done in the two days but then you are at work and can’t really enjoy the garden until later in the year when it is at least daylight when you get home. I long for these days, although they are mostly spent watering.
This can lead you into the trap of not starting anything in the garden until this wonderful daylight exists – and not to mention the warmth!! However, for some, the vegetables and plants that I like to grow, it can be a little late to be sowing them – even though they always come good in the end.
What we are up to
So, at the moment, I am still planning away for the 2020 plants. I’ve managed to sow a number of them but no where near what I should have done by now. And that is despite having pots on every windowsill in the house!
Clearly we have all the standard plants ready to go such as the sweat peas and the potatoes as these are great for my little helper to get on board with. It’s certainly not too late to get your potatoes going and if you haven’t grown them before, here are some guides below that can help get you started:
What type of potatoes should I grow?
Growing potatoes in containers – Super easy
Potatoes really are a great way to get started in the garden and also great if you are trying to grow them in a small area because you are short on space. We started when the little helper was 3 and he quickly got the hang of it! Last year we actually ended up with 12 bags of potatoes and also some in the ground as well – got a little carried away! There were way too many potatoes but it was nice to give some away.
This year we are doing a full set of potatoes – first earlies, second earlies and main. We like potatoes! Our early ones are in and still have to get the rest in over the coming weeks. Many garden centres still have seed potatoes in store but if you are not fortunate enough to be able to get out at the moment, you can get them delivered.
We get all of our seed potatoes from Thompson & Morgan but you can also find them on Amazon if you have an account there.
And also, don’t forget to get your potato grow bags too. If you want to add a bit of colour into the garden, these ones are great and you can find them on Amazon. These ones do come at a premium price. However, if you are looking for a standard bag check out these ones that are also on Amazon.
New beds
Because last year we got quite involved in the whole growing thing – and somewhat depressed about the space that we had to grow things (not enough of it), we’ve decided to build another one. Whilst it is only one bed, it will provide some extra space for us to get some extra bits out there.
We are keen to grow pumpkins this year and want to take full advantage of them in the halloween period. Not only will this be a little bit of patience testing but also to help recognise the seasons.
Big Plans
So, with providing you guys some extra material, it is going to require me to grow a little more than what I thought I was going to but I want to make sure that we give you all the inspiration you need to get going this year – no matter how big or small!
One things that I am planning at the moment is our sunflower den! Oh Yes, we are going all out with this one. Sunflowers for me have always been the absolute staple of kids gardening and I am going to show how this can be done – I really can’t wait to share this with you on the blog.
Other jobs
So, other than the above, we are also starting to sow a number of different seeds that we are going to get out in the garden in April. Sweet peas are my next job to get outside and, like last year, I really want to make sure that I make a spectacle of this one. Last year the smell of these was just fantastic – if you have time, do get on board with this one – you won’t regret it, i promise.
Now, one thing that I really want to get going is a wild flower garden. Time is against me on this one but I am determined. Watch this space.
Exciting activities
With the current way that the world is, we are going to be working hard to get as many activities on our site as physically possible. Here’s one that is coming very soon. I wonder if you can guess what it is……
Since starting this…..
Since starting to write this blog post, the world has change dramatically. We’ve been self isolating and protecting our loved ones from social distancing. These are extremely difficult times and our thoughts go out to everyone.
However, with us spending more time at home as a family, it also offers a great opportunity to get out into the garden and get growing. You don’t need a huge space to do this and a patio will do just fine – for fruit and vegetables. The important part in all of it, is that kids can really get involved in growing their gardens for the year. That power is in your hands right now at the start of the growing season. It really is a year to make a difference and gives us time to do things that we wouldn’t normally do.
In our next update, we will share some other wonderful gardening tasks that we have been up to. Safe to say, there is a lot going on right now – in the world and in the garden!
If you haven’t already, do join our community so that we can provide you with updates of what we are up to and also what you should be getting up to in the garden. You should see a pop up box on the site. Its quick and easy to do!
Take care!
KDG
