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Planting a Pizza Garden

By Ali Faras

As a child, I loved to help water my grandmother's garden at her summer cottage. Truthfully, I only remember her growing carrots, but oh, how I wanted to help grow them. I do not recall ever enjoying the fruits of our labor, probably because I picked most of them far before I should have...and to my dismay, they were not much more than a small orange stub! But that didn't really matter. I still loved the "gardening" experience that I shared with my grandmother.

Today, I am an avid gardener. A couple of years ago, I took my niece shopping to get everything we needed for her "Pizza Garden." We did a planter garden with Basil, Oregano and two different kinds of tomatoes. She took care of it all summer and then we used it for the ingredients for a home made pizza. Every year since, she has planted her own little garden, and she is responsible for taking care of it.

Whether you have a large garden plot, a patio with a couple of containers, or a small area back by the alley (as I do!), introducing your children to the joy of gardening is giving them (and you) a true gift. Gardening is not only a great way to spend time with your kids outdoors, but it also teaches them valuable lessons about how things grow, and encourages them to use their senses. Heck, what kid or adult doesn't love playing in the dirt?!

Children of all ages are able to help in the garden. My 11/2-year-old daughter Haedyn will definitely be gardening with me this summer. (I actually just bought her some adorable little garden boots!) Last year, she had just started crawling, and would follow me around the backyard trying to steal the hose! From mixing the soil to watering and pinching back flowers, gardening can create wonderful memories for you and your child.

A Pizza Garden is a simple and fun gardening project to enjoy with your kids. And it produces delicious results!

Pizza Garden
I like to use an extra large round planting container - fill it with good soil and add slow release fertilizer to the mix. Next, separate the container into sections, like you would cut a pizza. Now for the fun part - picking your pizza ingredients!

Pizza Ingredients:

• Roma Tomatoes (other varieties work well too)
  
• Basil
  
• Rosemary
  
• Oregano
  
• Thyme
  
• Parsley
  
• Peppers
  
• Arugula
  
• Garlic
  
• Onions