Gardening Fun with the Kids: Pizza Garden

With the kids out of school for the summer, you're probably looking for ways to keep them busy. Keep them away from the TV and video games with this kid friendly summer landscaping project. Plant a pizza garden. If you've for an ample plot of land for gardening, this project is perfect for you and the kids. You can grow most of the ingredients you'll need to make a homemade pizza and can even make the garden look like a pizza! Pound a stake into the center of your selected plot, then tie a three foot string to the stake. Have you child walk in a circle holding the string to mark off the borders of your circular pizza garden. Next, divide the circle into six equal slices, which will each hold a different pizza ingredient. Use white garden rocks to mark off your pizza sections. To prepare the soil for planting, add one to two inches of compost to the top and water so that the soil is moist.

In the first slice, have your child scatter several basil seeds on the top of the soil, then press them in with the palm of his hand. Cover with seeds with about a quarter inch of compost.

The second slice will hold your tomato plant, the base for any good pizza sauce. It's best to use a small plant, rather than planting seeds in this case. You and your child will need to dig a soccer ball size hole for the tomato plant in the center of the second slice. Loosen the root ball a bit and place the plant in the hole. Fill in the hole with compost and have your child pat the dirt firmly around the tomato plant. If your plant needs some help staying upright, you can put a small stake next to it and tie it loosely with twine.

In the third slice, you will plant parsley. Have your child place several parsley seeds on top of the soil, three inches apart. They should germinate in about two weeks, but it is important to keep the seeds moist during that time. Once your plants are sprouting, give them a good watering once a week, and do not let the soil dry out between waterings.

In the fourth slice, you will plant your onions. Select ten to fifteen onion plants that you will transplant to your pizza garden. You and your child should dig holes six inches apart for each plant. Set onion plants into the holes and refill with compost. Give plants an inch of water each week. The tops of the plants will turn yellow when they are reaching maturity.

The fifth slice will contain your oregano. Have your child dig several one inch deep holes that are roughly three inches apart. Place one seed in each hole and cover with compost. Be careful not to over water.

The final slice will contain peppers. Purchase three green pepper plants. Cover the soil with a sprinkling of Epsom salt, which will help the peppers grow. Dig three holes fifteen inches apart and place plants in holes. Have your child fill in the holes with compost and pack the soil around the plant. Give the plants an inch of water a week and remove peppers often to encourage growth.