Have you ever wanted to grow a garden, but you live in the city or an apartment with no yard to use?
No problem, you can have your very own secret garden. This kid's activity will not only help you save money on fruit and veggies, but it will also help you teach your children about how plants grow.
Things You'll Need:
- Gardening Box and/or pots
- Recycled items to be used for seed starters (egg cartons, cardboard milk cartons and plastic milk jugs, newspaper, toilet paper and paper towel rolls)
- Seeds
- Rocks
- Permanent markers or paint
If you start your seeds on your own, you will save money. It also helps to use the things you already have.
For gardening container boxes there are a few options, but here we will just cover these container ideas!
If you start your seeds on your own, you will save money. It also helps to use the things you already have.
Collect These Items:
- toilet paper & paper towel rolls
- egg cartons and shells
- newspaper
Paper Roll Seed Starters
- Set out some newspaper on your porch.
- Get the soil.
- Cut the toilet paper rolls in half (or the paper towel rolls in fourths).
- Set them in a plastic container.
- Fill the rolls with soil.
- Stick 1-2 seeds in each roll, making sure you follow the planting directions on the seed packets.
Egg Cartons and/or Shells
- Fill the egg carton holes with soil. (You can also use old egg shells.)
- Plant 1-2 seeds in each spot (or in each egg shell).
Newspaper Containers
- Gather up several sheets of newspaper.
- Cut a full sheet of newspaper into four square pieces.
- Fold each of the cut squares into thirds so it forms a long strip.
- Take a small juice cup and roll the folded paper around it. (Roll it until at least an inch overlaps the bottom of the glass.)
- Use a small piece of masking tape so it doesn't unroll.
- Tip the cup over (So, the bottom of the cup is facing you) and fold the extra newspaper down to the bottom and then tape it.
- Turn it over to flatten the bottom against the table.
- Remove the juice cup.
- Line a container with your handmade newspaper growing containers.
For gardening container boxes there are a few options, but here we will just cover these container ideas!
Rubbermaid Containers & Pots
- Lay out plastic on your porch.
- Poke holes into the bottom of the container.
- Set the container on its lid.
- Cover the bottom of the container with rocks as it will help with water drainage.
- Start planting. Follow the planting directions on the seed package.
The same steps also work for planting in terracotta pots.
Decorative Stones
Having decorations in or near your garden brings more of a getaway feel to your urban porch garden.
Stone Plant Name Markers
- Take some rounder smooth stones.
- Take some colorful permanent markers of your choice.
- Now, this is where you can be creative. You can either color it and write the veggie on it, or draw it.
- Decorate your porch garden with these cute stones.
Here are how some bloggers decorated theirs:
There are so many exciting and creative ways to make your own porch garden a secret escape from the busyness of city life. Besides who doesn't love fresh food straight from the garden? A porch garden will add to your life in more ways than you may think.