Published at 11:06, Thursday, 05 April 2012

APPARENTLY March was the warmest on record for 50 years; well let’s hope April is just as warm, as traditionally this is the month that the garden starts demanding lots of work.

Nasturtiums: The perfect plant for young gardeners

Like many gardeners, I took advantage of the dry weather to get the fabric of the garden sorted.

One job I managed to complete was the preparation, then application of wood preservative to my garden fence.

This year I decided to use a spray rather than the traditional brush, and the job was done in half the time. It also meant that where I have a few bushes growing along the fence I could point the spray between the branches.

The only downside was the amount applied by a spray, which meant that I needed to apply the wood preservative on three occasions. Normally when I have applied by brush two coats has been sufficient.

Another job I also completed was the power washing of the paths and patio – a slow and time-consuming job, but it’s worth completing when you see the results and power washing certainly freshens the hard surface areas. It’s always surprising how dirty they become.

It’s always nice to see the grandkids and regular readers will recall that Hayden and I sowed some sunflower seeds a few weeks ago. These are making strong growth, and to keep Hayden’s interest we are measuring the growth, and it won’t be too long before they are taller than him!

Gardening for children can be challenging because of the interest span and how quickly they become bored, so it’s best to select plants which are easy to grow and reliable to germinate and grow at a fast rate.

With this in mind, over the weekend I helped Hayden to sow nasturtium seeds, which are large seeds that he could handle and place into small pots which he had also filled with compost. However, things did get a little mucky and he needed to be cleaned down and bathed, though he really enjoyed himself during the process!

When the seeds have germinated and are ready for planting, Hayden will plant then in some raised planters. Interestingly nasturtiums have been developed by breeders to produce some striking forms – you might recall that nasturtiums grow at a tremendous rate, producing a leafy plant with few flowers. However Hayden and I have sown seeds of a variegated and copper-leaved form and both will grow to just 18 inches with masses of flowers.

You can also get double flowering forms of nasturtiums – it’s well worth having a look to see what varieties are available today.

Other flower seeds which are good for children to grow are calendulas (pot marigold), cosmo and pansy. Children will also enjoy growing vegetables, and again there are quite a few easy vegetable seeds which children can sow, such as peas and beans, radishes, lettuce, cress and carrots.

Generally large seeds and/or fast germination are the key to keep children interested and don’t be over helpful, let them make a mess and fill the pots/trays and water the seeds.

Have a good gardening Easter weekend – and remember traditionally Good Friday is the day for planting your potatoes!

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk