Planting a Garden

My mom has enlisted Oliver's help in growing a garden.  I absolutely love the idea!  It's exactly the type of project a two-and-a-half year old can help with, and it helps teach kids where food comes from.

A few weeks ago, they planted peas together.  Every time we go to my parents house, Oliver gets really excited about watering the peas.  We probably make half a dozen trips with the watering can each time we're there.

My mom decided to grow more fruits and vegetables, since Oliver loved it so much.  Today, she was ready with pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, and carrot seeds in addition to a cucumber plant, strawberry plants, and pepper plants.  Oliver was skeptical at first, but when my mom gave him the hose to moisten the dirt, he quickly got into things.

Here he is, getting the soil moistened for planting:

He and Grandma are planting watermelon seeds.  She poked holes into the mound of dirt, and Oliver dropped the seeds in:

Next up: Watering!  Oliver normally loves the watering can, but, today, he was all about the hose.

He was very precise until the end, when he just started shaking the packet of seeds everywhere.  My mom is going to have fruits and vegetables popping up all over her yard!

I told Joanna she might be able to help a little next year.  She was content to hang out in the grass.

After planting the watermelon and pumpkin seeds, I took Oliver over to his peas for watering.  They're looking good!

While we watered peas, Grandma Judy planted her strawberry plants.  Oliver had to come water those, too.  There's no slacking at Grandma Judy's house.  Even toddlers need to do their fair share!

Oliver liked planting the carrot seeds, but they were much smaller than the pumpkin and watermelon seeds.  He dropped the seeds by the handful, and then soaked them in water.  We'll have to see if they sprout!