Make REALC gardening fun KIDwok ESTATE CENTREi i L 22 Ontario St. S., Milton, ON 878-7777 for kids ______________ Planting a garden is a great way to teach your children how to take care of their worl They will also learn to be patient, responsible, and open to eating new A.A ner unersuyrsTo Priority access to hot new listings that match your buying aitmnia Become a VIP Buyer TODAYI Visit www.YourHouseSold.net '- 0 'e '"oTom Snew Rt/MAX Real EtRe Cetre or., Brerkerage 22 OmadoSt S. Mlteri ON L9T2M6 lnfo@haitonareahomes.ca 0I ilU 1nmW mm roimbAIlE Tiffany Park home with 9' ceiling and open concept living. New hardwood tlooring on main tloor, upgraded eat-in kitchen, gas tire place and patio in the rear yard. Protessionally finished basement and inside access to garage. This home wil 1flot disappoint. Convenientto schools, Leisure Centre, shopping and transit. This home has it ail!! LisIed ai $459,900. MIS 2027525. Henws how to get startexiL 1. Invest in kid-sized gardening tools. Some adult-sized tools like rakes can be dangerous for littie ones to carry. By giving them their own mini-set of tools, they can copy wbat you are doing. 2. Let your children decide wbat to plant. They will be more interesteit in their crops if they are con- sulted in thse decision-making process. Be sure to add somte quick-gowing plants into the mix like sunflow- ers, radîshes, snow peas, pumpkin, and lettuce to atis- fy low attention spants. 3. Give your cbildren their own garden beds. Tbey will take ownership of their own space and nur- ture their crops more carefully. Pick plots in areas with thse best soil and light. The children can decorate their spaces wîth rocks, sticks, or other outdoor items they flnd. 4. Educate while you watt. Teach your children about thse importance of gardens for familles ail over thse world. Tbrougb Christian Children's Fund of Canada, an international children's cbarity, you and your child can provide a vegetable seed kit to a family in a developmng country while growing the samne items here. As cbildren check on their own plants, they will wonder bow the other familys vegetables are doing too. Visit www.ccfcanada.ca and seareh the gift cata- logue for garden-growing items. 5. Reward bard work with praise.. Be sure to encourage your cbildren on their wcll-maintained gar- dem plots and crop successes. Ask if you can use their carrot crop to enake a salad or carve their amaîl pump- kin together so thcy can take pride in their efforts. Be cntbusiastic and let your children get dirty and explore. Thcy will bave positive memories of their gar- dem and will want to do it again next year. wwwnewscanadaLcon lips for a garden of delicious vegetables When it comes to eating -,or co fuelling our body in thse Most nutritious way - there may be notbing more pleasurable or atis- fying than growing our own food. lndeed, growing vegetables represents quality time with thse family for planting, nurturing, and barvesting thse yield - and it's true tbat nothing beats thse taste of fresh-picked vegetables straigbt- from tbe garden. If you'd like some refresher tipa, or if this la tbe year to plant your firat garden, take a look at this Iselpful littie cbecklist from Miracle-Gro, a leading name in plant food: a Plan: Cboose a spot that gets at lest six Isours of full sunlight daily and with a water source nearby. Drainage is key so, consider a raiscd bcd. In limited spaces, terrace pots for vegetables are a pleasant alternative. 0 Prepare: Clear your spot by remnoving grases, rocks, or other debris. Add 5 to 8 centimetres of ncw soil, like Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Garden Soil, or Organic Choice Garden Soit. Botb soils contain slow-rclcase flutrients; improve drainage; support strong root growth; and promote beneficial micro-organismi activity for an abundant barvest. a Plant: Cold-wcather vegetables like Broccoli, carrots, lettuce, pes, and spinach rigbt aftcr thc final front of spring. Warm-weather vegetables like corn, tomstoes, cucumbera, and peppers sbould be plantcd in late-May, after the ground bas warmied-up, more. * Prevent Wccds: Put a layer of mulch around thse plants. An attractive, colour-rich brand la Scotts Nature Scapes MulcI. * Fccd and Watcr: At thse seedling stage, your plants should be kept moist. Whcn watermng, aim, at thse base of the plant. Vegetables use up nutrients from the soil as they grow. Replemsb these nutrients with regular feedinga of a quality fertilizer, sucb as MiracleGro Watcr Soluble Plant Food, or Organic Choice Multi-Purpose Organic Plant Food. 0 Nurture and Care: You msy be surprlsed Isow quickly vegetables devel- op. Most grow from a tiny transplant to a full barvest in 30 to 90 days. More information is available online at www.GroForGood.ca - and this spring, tbe Miracle-Gmo Gardening Guide will be distributed in ncighbourhood garden centres. wwwnewscaoada.com