THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503100113
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G9 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: WEEDER'S DIGEST
SOURCE: BY ROBERT STIFFLER, GARDENING COLUMNIST
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
CHILDREN AND DIRT go hand in hand, so this spring when your your children go out to play, teach them how to make soil shakes instead of mud pies.
A key factor in growing beautiful garden flowers or healthy vegetables is the dirt. More accurately, it's a combination of fertilizer and well-drained soil. Soil shakes are a great way to determine soil types.
To make soil shakes, have your children do the following:
Collect soil samples from different planting areas in your yard. For each sample, fill a one-quart jar halfway with soil.
Add water until the jar is almost full, cover tightly and shake.
Let the jar stand for 24 hours and compare to the accompanying diagrams.
All soils are a mixture of sand, silt and clay in varying proportions. Well-balanced garden soil is made up of a series of fairly equal proportions of the different particles. Loamy soil breaks up easily, encourages organic activity and holds moisture well, yet also drains to allow aeration.
If soil samples from the yard are not ideal, add compost, peat moss or other organic matter to amend the soil and make it more crumbly. Spread the organic matter on top of your garden and mix it.
Once you've determined soil type and corrected it to meet good growing conditions, here are some plants children enjoy. VEGETABLES
Radishes - The seed is large, so it's easy for children to distribute it. It also grows fast; impatient children need fast results.
Onions - They offer the same benefits as radishes.
Pumpkins - All children like pumpkins for carving jack-o'-lanterns, but allow plenty of space for the vine to ramble. FLOWERS
Snapdragons - Children can see their blooms ``snap.'' Start with young plants, so there is no waiting for seed to come up.
Chrysanthemums - Buy a few with blooms or buds for immediate results.
Portulaca - Children love to see the flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon.
Sweet alyssum - This, or some other fragrant plant, lets children enjoy the magic of smelling the perfume from a flower.
There are many vegetables and flowers children love to grow and pick. Teach them this spring to appreciate the joys gardening brings. ILLUSTRATION: Drawing
Children can gather samples to identify soil types in your yard.
by CNB