Getting Ready For Spring As A Busy Mom - Gardening Edition

Gardening is my favourite way to decorate the outside of our home. I look forward to picking out new plants every Spring and plotting where they would look best. I even tend to like the garden clean up process. Spending the day outside cleaning up the yard is so therapeutic to me. 

This Spring, I have some little feet to follow me around the garden. Which got me thinking about how I can involve those little feet and tiny hands in the gardening process. I like to garden but my time is reduced as a busy mom. In this blog post, we'll talk about some tips & tricks for how to make the most of your gardening with the least amount of effort and time. We’ll also share some fun ways you can involve the kid(dos) to get the best of both worlds! 

I reached out to Shannon of Millers Bay Farm for her tips & tricks as a local Farmer. I also spoke with my Aunt who is an avid Gardener & Elementary School Teacher. My Aunt grew up living on what used to be the Blue Fox Farm & Nursery Garden Centre which is where she grew her love for gardening. 

Prepping & Finding The Time For Your Gardens… 

In terms of finding the time, Shannon suggests to “Start the gardens when you're ready... AND have a little time. Your whole yard does NOT have to be attended to in one day! Although, it's too late for this year... consider planting even one or two little clumps of tulips, or other spring blooming bulbs. Nothing is more fun (for us, or our kiddos!) than keeping an eye on the bleak, barren garden soil for signs of new life in Spring!”

My Aunt shared her step by step garden prep checklist 

Walkthrough:

Take a quick stroll around the garden and make notes of what needs attention—dead plants, weeds, broken branches, etc.

Clear Debris: 

Remove fallen leaves, twigs, and any leftover annual plants from last year. Compost what you can!

Prune Carefully: 

Trim back dead or damaged branches from shrubs and perennials, but wait to prune Spring-flowering shrubs until after they bloom.

Divide Perennials: 

If plants are overcrowded, now is a good time to divide and replant them.

Weed Early: 

Spring is the best time to get ahead of weeds before they take over.

Refresh Mulch: 

Add a new layer of mulch to help retain moisture and keep weeds down, but avoid piling it up against plant stems.

Edge the Beds: 

Redefining the garden edges makes everything look tidy and sharp.

Check Tools: 

Spring is the perfect time to clean, sharpen, and organize garden tools.

Feed Your Plants:

Apply compost or a balanced fertilizer to give everything a good start.

Make It Easy:

If you're short on time (hello, new mom life!), set a goal to work in short bursts—15-30 minutes a day can make a huge difference.

Involving The Kiddos! 

Shannon had some great ideas for how to involve kids with gardening. She mentioned that with her kids, (the ones who were interested) she gave them 'responsibility’ for a small section of their garden. Her kids could choose the plants (within reason, and with a little guidance if necessary!), help prepare and plant, and keep an eye on their little plot all year long...weeding and caring for as necessary (and as time and interest allowed.) Shannon says that her children having 'ownership' definitely seemed to encourage interest and engagement in the process.”

We picked out some stories about Spring like the Tiny Seed by Eric Carle to read together. I also shared a post of the home made story I got my son to help me create about Spring time. We made the book pages with baby safe paint and thought of Spring time inspired nature, animals and plants to incorporate. I love how this book will be something we can look back on over the next few years with my son. My husband and I will have the book to look back on forever. I also added some fun floral and bird stickers to our windows as a cute sensory activity for my son.

My son loving the window stickers

A few pages from the Spring story book

Steal from my Aunt’s Elementary School Teacher Playbook

Little Rakers

Give them a small, kid-sized rake to help gather leaves or sticks into piles they can jump over or toss into a wheelbarrow.

Nature Hunt

Turn cleanup into a scavenger hunt—ask them to find interesting rocks, pinecones, or bugs while you work nearby.

Water Play

Let them “water” the garden with a small watering can (even if it’s empty, they’ll feel like they're helping).

Wheelbarrow Rides

 After loading up debris, reward them with a little ride around the yard.

Sorting Station

Have them help sort sticks, leaves, and flowers into different piles for composting or crafts.

Music & Snacks

Play some fun music outside and have a little snack picnic break together to make it a full experience.

Garden Art

 Give them sidewalk chalk to decorate rocks or draw near the garden while you prune and weed.

Bug Spotting

Encourage them to find worms or ladybugs and gently move them to safe spots.

Mini Planters

 Let them plant a few seeds in pots that they can be responsible for watering and checking every day.

Praise and Show Off

Take photos of their “helping” moments and show them how much they contributed. Maybe even let them pick a special flower or veggie to grow as “theirs.”

Picking The Best Plants: 

When shopping for plants, I asked Shannon if she had found the secret sauce to picking great plants? She said “Not that I've found yet! It’s a lot of trial and error. This can be the fun part... learning what thrives (and what doesn't) from year to year. Personally, I stick to traditional (ie 'tried and true') varieties... part of this too, is the desire to maintain somewhat of a farmhouse look to my ornamental gardens. Purchase from a trusted supplier who specializes in growing plants (or sources from someone who does) (ie generally not the big box stores)”

I’m really excited to bring my son to our local Nursery this year and of course bring him back to Miller’s Bay Farm as well. He was only a few months old the last time he was there so it will be so fun to see how much more engaged he is in his surroundings when we visit next. Plant shopping and getting your vegetables from a local farm like Miller’s Bay Farm is such a fun experience for babies and kids. 

My Aunt’s favourite things to consider when picking plants

Know Your Zone

Start by checking your plant hardiness zone (in Canada, that's based on climate). This helps you pick plants that will survive your winters and thrive in your summers.

Sun vs. Shade

Watch your garden during the day. Is it sunny all day, partly shaded, or mostly shady? Choose plants that match the light conditions.

Low-Maintenance Favourites: If you’re short on time (or have little helpers), pick hardy, low-maintenance plants.

A few examples of low-maintenance favs:

Perennials 

(come back every year): Coneflowers, hostas, daylilies, lavender

Annuals 

(need replanting yearly but bloom like crazy): Petunias, marigolds, impatiens

Native plants

They’re adapted to your area, so they often need less care

Purpose

Think about what you want your garden to do

For colour?

Look for long-blooming flowers

For pollinators? 

Try bee balm, milkweed, or sunflowers

For food? 

Go for herbs, tomatoes, or strawberries

Consider Timing

Mix early, mid, and late bloomers so something is always flowering from spring to fall

Child-Friendly Picks

Avoid thorny or toxic plants. (Good options include: Sunflowers, snapdragons, and nasturtiums)

Plan for Growth

Check how big plants will get so they don’t crowd each other out as they grow.

Colour Palette

If you like things to coordinate, pick a color scheme (like pinks and purples) or go wild with a rainbow mix.

Test the Soil

You can grab a simple soil test kit to see if your dirt needs a boost with compost or fertilizer before planting.

Start Small

It’s better to plant a small area and do it well than overwhelm yourself with a huge project, especially with kids in tow. 

Time To Go Plant Shopping!

If you've been following my blog for any amount of time, you’ve probably gathered that my two principles for shopping tend to be local or budget friendly. 

Naturally, I asked Shannon if there are any better investments you can make when it comes to selecting plants.  Shannon says “I'm a big fan of perennials here! I love my hydrangeas and hostas, in particular. Fast growing, can be split fairly frequently to build a full and lush garden within the space of just a few years (and not too serious a financial investment). They're also relatively low maintenance - especially in season. Since I don't have much time in June, July and August to be playing in my flower gardens (although I do very much enjoy it and find it therapeutic when I do...) perennials work well for me as the bulk of the effort involved can be invested during the Spring and Fall.”

I also love Hostas! I have shamelessly asked to split other family members Hostas the first year we moved into our house and were just starting our new garden out to help save costs. They survived and thrived in their new home!

Spoiler alert, the person I robbed for Hosta’s was my Aunt! She says that her favourite way to make investments in her own garden are to:

Go for plants that give you beauty year after year with little effort

Hydrangeas (gorgeous blooms all summer)

Hostas (perfect for shady spots)

Coneflowers (colorful and pollinator-friendly)

Boxwood shrubs (great for structure and year-round greenery)

Lavender (beautiful and smells amazing)

These are all hardworking plants that make your garden look lush without demanding too much from a busy mom.

Here Are Some Quick & Easy Ways To Keep Up With Your Gardens On A Busy Schedule: 

Shannon shares to “visit your gardens for short bits of time, more often. This keeps it (ie the weed situation!) from getting out of hand and becoming discouraging. If it works for you, try to build it into a part of the routine of your day that already exists. For example, on your way to get the mail... or after breakfast... or before/after nap time... walk past/through the garden and take 5 minutes to pull a few weeds or scratch around with the hoe. If some days you have just 2 minutes, no problem. If it's a super nice day and you want to make it 10, go for it!”I love Shannon’s idea of weaving your gardening into your current routine! 

My Aunt shares that her tips for garden maintenance on a busy schedule are to:

Mulch everything

It locks in moisture and keeps weeds down, so you spend less time watering and weeding.

Set a timer

Water early in the morning with a hose timer for low-effort hydration.

Deadhead on the go

Snip off old blooms during playtime outside. Kids love helping!

Choose perennials

Plant once and enjoy them year after year with minimal work.

Work in small bursts

10-15 minutes here and there adds up without feeling overwhelming.

My aunt adds “Don’t forget to make it fun. Gardening doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. Get the kids involved, take snack breaks outside, and enjoy the little moments. Also, remember that even a small pot of flowers on the porch counts as gardening—start where you are and grow from there.” 

My garden will not be perfect this year by any means. Although, by stealing a few of these tips & tricks I will at least have a garden to keep with some fun ways to engage my little man along the way. 

Thanks again to Shannon & my Aunt for these great tips & tricks to try!