BLog

Mom wasn’t a farmer—but she could grow a mean head of cauliflower.

One of my fondest childhood memories is spending long afternoons in the garden with my mom. Picture big ’80s hair, the original mom jeans, and knees patched from years of kneeling in the dirt. I remember planting marigolds among the vegetables while she explained how they helped deter pests. She taught me that nothing tastes better than food grown with your own hands—though at the time, carrots and peas were about as adventurous as I got.

As a kid, I loved the idea of eating something we grew ourselves. And even though I didn’t fully appreciate every vegetable back then, those moments stuck with me. Today, many of the lessons I share with customers at Sunnyside come straight from that garden—like training cucumbers up trellises to save space, or knowing when a tomato is truly ready to eat.

There’s still nothing quite like pulling sweet carrots from the soil or popping a sun-warmed cherry tomato into your mouth, knees muddy and hands dirty.

Why Gardening With Kids Matters

Gardening has a way of shaping us.

Introducing kids to gardening teaches patience, responsibility, and curiosity about where food comes from. It creates space for connection—unhurried moments spent together outside, learning as you go. The rewards are both tangible and emotional: fresh vegetables on the table, pride in a job well done, and memories that last far longer than a growing season.

Even small gardens can make a big impact. Whether it’s a backyard plot, a raised bed, or a few containers on a patio, gardening helps children feel connected to nature—and to the people they grow alongside.

Urban Gardening & Growing Traditions

As lifestyles change, so do our gardens. While some family gardening traditions have faded, urban gardening has steadily grown. More families are finding creative ways to incorporate gardens into city living, proving that you don’t need acres of land to grow something meaningful.

There’s something special about harvesting food you nurtured yourself—especially when that effort is shared with the next generation.

May Is the Perfect Time to Start

May is an ideal month to begin gardening in Minnesota, especially with kids.

• Cucumbers can be planted directly in the ground and trained up trellises to save space.
• Tomatoes are ready to be planted outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.
• Carrots are easy to start from seed and take 2–4 months to harvest.
• Lettuce is a great beginner crop—it grows quickly, doesn’t need much space, and can be planted in succession every 10 days for continuous harvests all summer long.

These crops are approachable, rewarding, and perfect for young gardeners eager to see results. The second best time, is anytime during our growing season.

Growing Together

Gardening isn’t just about what you grow—it’s about who you grow with.

Whether you’re continuing a family tradition or starting a new one, introducing children to gardening creates lasting connections to food, nature, and each other. And it all begins with planting that first seed.

Memories and sentiment from our General Manager, Sarah Davis.