Gardening For Kids - Herb Boxes

Tilled and prepared the garden tonight. It's that time of year once again. Plant. Weed. Reap the efforts of your labor. Nothing beats fresh veggies and herbs! In our home it's a family event and all hands get treated equally (calloused and dirty) even the little ones. With a surname of Plowman it's more than a hobby... its a tradition.

While my oldest son and I pounded out the earth beneath our feet, my wife and two youngest children created these simple yet functional herb boxes. She then set them on the sills just outside the kitchen windows where they can be easily accessed when needed.

Creating the herb boxes not only got our children's hands dirty but it also showed them the importance of recycling as well. Miss Eva our lovely soon to be 3 yr.old daughter had decided to use mommy's bread pans in the sandbox... and then... left them outside to rust. My wife was so happy with Eva's creativity that she turned shades of color I have never seen before. All is well that ends well though. We have some beautiful new functional  herb boxes from bread pans that once were destined for the scrap pile.

Directions: To create your herb boxes you will need: bread pans, stencils or lettering, spray paint (color of choice), sandpaper, potting soil and an assortment of herb plants.

Begin by sanding away any rust from pans (if necessary) and apply a light coat of paint. Place a second more heavier coat of paint and allow time to dry before lettering. Fill boxes with potting soil and herb plants. Thoroughly water and place on window sills. Water plants as needed. Enjoy fresh herbs all summer long.