Gardening for Growth: Cultivating Plants and Life Lessons

Stephen McHugh
This post was last updated on
August 9, 2023
Category :

Summer can be an ideal time for getting outdoors, and enjoying any warm weather and longer days. It is also a time when people go on holidays. Having said that, there are worthwhile activities that can be done around the boundaries of our homes. Below are some ideas for getting children involved in gardening activities

Garden maintenance

Children can carry out gardening activities with adult supervision. Summer is known to be the height of the growing season. I remember mowing the lawn on occasions before the age of 10. So yes, it can offer opportunities to get some exercise and out into the fresh air.  

Being given the opportunity to water and care for plants can highlight the fact that water, along with sunlight, is essential for growth and life to thrive.

Growing own vegetables

Two of my grandparents would grow potatoes and vegetables in their gardens, and helped on occasions with digging them up. This can give an insight into how one can be more environmentally friendly. Some people are known to grow their own vegetables in allotments.

When you’re buying potatoes, vegetables and fruits at shops, they’ve likely travelled some distances, contributing more to what’s known as the greenhouse effect.

Composting

Any food waste can be thrown into a compost bin. By composting food waste, nitrogen and phosphorus may be present and will help to give the soil nutrients which plants need to grow. This saves compost from going to landfill sites, which are an important source of methane, another greenhouse gas along with carbon dioxide. 

Lawn and hedge clippings, twigs, and leaves can also be added to a compost heap too. As these rot, humus will eventually form, which can be useful for growing plants. You can read my post about reducing our carbon footprint .

And finally

Are you a parent of any autistic child and getting them involved in gardening activities? Do you have any ideas for activities to share than aren't mentioned here?


Expand your Horizons:

Welcome to my 'Explore Your Horizons' section! Here, you'll find a random selection of posts from right across my blog, ideal for those of you looking to broaden your perspective, explore different topics, and learn or discover something new. 

Sometimes, the best discoveries may come from venturing into the unexpected. Click and see what may pique your curiosity. Happy reading!
December 5, 2024
Ways to Create an Autism-Friendly Workplace

Workplaces are evolving, with neurodiversity and inclusion becoming more central to success. My latest podcast episode explores autism in professional settings, highlighting how neurodivergent individuals bring unique strengths that enhance workplace dynamics. Drawing from my personal experiences on the autism spectrum, I share how challenges like interpreting social cues or handling unpredictable tasks can be […]

Read More
January 25, 2023
What have I been up to since my last post?

Hello again, I know it’s been a while since my last post, partly due to the Christmas and New Year celebrations. I hope you had a good and safe time over the festive period. In addition, I have been devoting more time to other tasks and creative things, including planning a podcast in relation to […]

Read More
June 23, 2023
My Favourite Quotes

This post will be to do with famous quotes. Quotations are a new interest to me now, especially as I now have an improved understanding of language. What I will be doing here is talking about some famous quotes from various people, past and present. I’ll be choosing some quotes that I feel mean something […]

Read More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

envelope linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram