Seeds and Gardening
When I was little, my grandma always kept our garden in the backyard full of delicious vegetables. Every spring and summer, she would tend to the cucumber, tomato, winter melon and pepper plants. She spent a lot of time in the garden, mostly to guard it against those pesky squirrels. Unfortunately, I haven’t planted anything myself since owning a home.
A few weeks ago, my daughter asked if we could buy some flower bulbs we saw at the store. We bought and planted peonies and ranunculus bulbs, flowers I had in my wedding bouquet.
There are many benefits of gardening for children. They learn to be responsible by caring for the plants. They also learn to appreciate nature. Most importantly, they learn to be patient. My daughter has been asking me every day whether or not our flowers have grown. Each time I take her outside to see and tell her that just like her, the flowers are growing but very slowly.
Want to learn more about seeds and gardening? Learn how to save seeds in the city with the Toronto Seed Library at the North York Central Library. In this all-ages information session, we’ll be reviewing the basics of seed libraries and seed saving plus have free seeds on hand for everyone. There will also be a children’s planting workshop. Bring any gardening questions you may have and staff from the Toronto Seed Library will be more than happy to answer them.
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What: Seeds & Gardening
Where: North York Central Library, in the Auditorium
When: Saturday, May 30 from 2 – 4 PM
Registration: Call (416) 395-5649 (Science & Technology department) or (416) 395-5630 (Children’s department)
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In the meantime, here are some books on seed saving:
The library also has e-books you can access on an e-reader, mobile device, tablet or desktop on seed saving:
There are also books about gardening:
E-books on gardening:
Get gardening ideas from e-magazines that you can access on your mobile device, tablet or desktop:
Want books about gardening for kids? The library has books for that, too:
4 thoughts on “Seeds and Gardening”
Be aware that many seeds in packets and already growing plants distributed through non-organic companies are coated with harmful chemicals to deter insects, especially noenicotenoids – nicoteine derived or synthetic pesticide:
http://www.ontariobee.com/issues-and-advocacy/ongoing-issues-and-actions/spring-2012-bee-poisonings
Are you happy that fewer bees and wasps are bothering your picnic? Not good news for our fruits and vegetables.
Hi Chloe,
Thank you for the information and the warning. I did not know this! Definitely not good news for anyone. Thanks again.
How cute, I love peonies and so does my girlie. We started our garden in a similar way. Dawn asked if we could plant some flower in the backyard “to make it beautiful”. And since then, every year we enlarge the number of the plans: first were the flowers, after that – vegetables, and this year we made a cute herb garden. Greets!
Isn’t it amazing how kids can change us? I’ve never gardened before but now I am trying really hard to make our garden beautiful for her. Unfortunately, my peonies and ranunculus haven’t grown. I plucked some out thinking they were weeds (oops!). I’ll just have to try again next year. Thanks for your comment!