There are a number of very cool crafty projects that you can put together for your garden. And what child doesn’t like doing crafts? I know that my two would rather do crafts of any kind over just about anything else. Add gardening to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for an afternoon of excited and happy kids. And happy gardeners!
The first project I wanted to tackle is the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter. They sell these gadgets on those infomercials for over twenty bucks a piece (and that’s only if you buy two of them!). Even though I resisted the whole idea of the upside down tomato, I did have the opportunity to give the topsy turvy a try and it’s actually OK. I don’t care much for the price, and was pleased to find instructions on how to make my own.
The bottom line is that tomatoes love the sun, and even planting them upside down will not deter them from searching out the light.
It takes a couple of hours to put this together and – if your planter is white – why not have your kids or grandkids decorate it with some bright colored Sharpie pens? You’re going to need a sturdy bucket, preferably one with a cover, a drill with a 2” hole saw, electrical tape, sphagnum moss, tomato plants (smaller ones), potting soil and compost.
I’ve seen these done a couple different ways. One is to plant only one plant per bucket, right out of the bottom. I don't care for that version; what if you have to take down the planter and set it down? The other is to use three, from the sides of the bucket. I prefer the three from the side version, so those are the instructions I’m using here.
Moving on…Thoroughly clean out your bucket and cut three holes, equally spaced, about two inches from the bottom of your bucket. Wrap the edges of the holes with electrical tape to avoid sharp edges. You could sand them as well, if you wish. Put moss in the bucket all around the holes to keep the tomato plant from falling out when you first hang the bucket.
Thread the upper two to three inches of your tomato seedling through the holes but keep the root ball inside the bucket. Then you and your kidlet can loosely pack soil around the stem and root ball. Add enough soil to cover the roots by about two inches. Add a layer of compost and then another couple inches of soil. You will want to fill your bucket so that the soil is just a few inches below the rim. Hang the bucket by its handle in a sunny location, perhaps on the edge of your patio, and water it thoroughly, until water starts running out of the holes. Water your topsy turvy regularly and add soil and compost when levels inside the bucket fall. Keeping a cover on the bucket will help retain moisture. As the plants grow, the leaves will search out the sun until fruit forms to weigh them down.
Many of us are seeing crowds of winged visitors in our yards right about now. This little bird feeder is quick to make, fun for the kidlets and uses recycled materials. You’re going to need a 1-liter soda bottle, a craft knife, two wooden spoons, a small eye-screw and a length of twine or wire for hanging. Start by drawing a ½ inch asterisk on the side of a clean 1-liter pop bottle about 4 inches from the bottom. Turn the bottle 90 degrees and draw another asterisk about 2 inches from the bottom of the bottle. Draw a 1 inch wide circle on the opposite side of each asterisk. Using your craft knife slit the asterisk lines and cut out the circle (that’s a grown-up job!). Insert the wooden spoon handle first through the hole and then through the asterisk to hold it in place. Turn the spoon so that the depression will catch the seeds as they come out of the feeder and push it far enough in so that the base of the spoon is just inside that hole you cut. The handle on the other side serves as a perch. Take off the cap of the bottle and twist the small eye screw in to the top for hanging. Finally, fill your feeder with birdseed, recap it and use your length of twine or wire and hang if from a tree or your patio. Remember, though, that hanging a feeder on your patio or deck can get messy after that feeder becomes popular with your feathered visitors.
These are both projects that you can do with the kidlets in your life, or projects that you can make and give away. Wouldn’t grandma really grin over a topsy turvy tomato planter? And who doesn’t love bird feeders? Make some for your own yard and garden and make some for gifts. Don’t forget Father’s Day is coming up and Dad’s and Grandpa’s garden, too!
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