I’ve recently decided to fully embrace my “Abuela Era”, and have really started to get into gardening. While I was researching and planning for a garden that I wanted to create in the backyard, I ended up discovering that May is “Gifts from the Garden” Month.
Now April is technically National Gardening Month, but I really love the idea of waiting till May to celebrate “garden-y” things. For most of the country, May means rising temperatures, less rain, and spring blooms tend to still be around while early summer blooms are already peaking through!
A Gift Without a Bow
Gardening is a “gift” that you can also share with your kids, and even though it is already May, it’s not too late to get started. Gardening offers kids a hands-on way to connect with nature while developing important life skills. Through planting, watering, and harvesting, children learn patience, responsibility, and the basics of how food grows. It encourages healthy eating habits, sparks curiosity about science and the environment, and even supports emotional well-being by reducing stress and boosting confidence. Plus, it’s a fun, screen-free activity that gets them moving and outdoors!
Not sure if gardening is going to be your family’s thing? Think about starting with seeds, instead of live plants, because it’s a more economical way to figure out if your kids will enjoy participating in this hobby with you.
Nasturtium: A Perfect Seed to Start
Have you ever heard of Nasturtium before? They’re a colorful, fragrant flower that has been known to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Nasturtiums are a good option to grow from seeds because they will germinate and grow quickly (older kids can even measure and track their growth).
- They grow well in containers (being “in charge” of a certain pot or planter can help encourage a sense of ownership).
- Nasturtiums come in many different colors (the whole family can help decide which colors to buy).
- The seeds aren’t *too* tiny, which means kids of all ages can help plant them (even tiny fingers can make the seed holes in the soil).
- The seeds can be sown (put) directly into the soil (older kids can help read the instructions on the seed packets and figure out how deep and how far apart to plant the seeds).
- Nasturtiums love sunlight, and their general bloom period is from midsummer to fall.
- The flowers are edible (they have a peppery, almost mustard-like taste).
Once your Nasturtiums start to bloom, check out Childsplayabc for some fun ideas on how you can incorporate the flowers into sensory play, arts and crafts, and even recipes
Be sure to tag @LatinaMomCollective in your social stories as you garden your way though summer and your abuela era!
