The Great Outdoors Are Still Great
The outdoors are quite a mystery to a lot of kids growing up these days. The zombifying screens of smart phones, computers, and iPads seem to be the only thing that can hold their attention. Time to get the kids off the couch and out into the sunshine! Mother nature is still just as awe-inspiring and magical as she ever was, and the back yard is still the best playground.
As gardeners, we know the great satisfaction that comes from communing with soil, sun, water and air, and let’s face it, digging around in the dirt makes us feel like kids again! And it’s a blast to share that love of gardening and spending time outdoors with the people we love.
Beanpole Tipi
- Our teepee was made with hardwood garden stakes that can be purchased in packs. They are 4’ long and about 1/2” wide.
- We used 11 stakes for each side, spaced about 6” apart. Small nails were used to fasten each stake to a cross board on the top (opposite from the pointed ends) and one cross board about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom.
- We constructed two identical panels, then bound the two panels together with wire, forming the teepee. The teepee was then positioned in the yard by forcing the pointed ends into the ground a few inches to hold it in place.
- We then planted scarlet runner beans at the base of each pole so as they grew, they could wind up the poles and fill in the sides. Other types of fast-growing vines can also be used.
Tip: Rabbits like to eat young shoots of pole beans. We had to stake chicken wire around our teepee to keep the rabbits away. After the beans were large enough to vine up the sides, we removed the wire.
Kid-Friendly Raised Bed Planters
It’s one thing to let the kids hang out while you’re tending to your grown up raised beds, but it’s a world of fun to give kids a planter of their own to take care of! It’s a great way to teach them about watering, planting, and being responsible for a little garden all their own.
If you don’t have time to build one, you can get these cool raised bed kits from www.gardeners.com.
