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Growing with indoor smart gardens: 2 moms share their experiences
Nature has a wonderful habit of bringing people together. Smart gardens have made it possible for everyone to grow their favourite food and flowers indoors all year round, no matter their age.
We caught up with 2 modern moms, Annika from Estonia and Sarah from Canada, who’ve been growing plants in smart gardens with their children. Both moms have 3 children; Sarah has 3 boys, Annika has a boy and twin girls.
Annika is a trained nurse in intensive care who has worked internationally.
Sarah is a school teacher and hobbyist photographer who inspires people of all backgrounds with her thoughts and tips on Instagram.
What do you enjoy most about using a smart garden at home?
Annika: “It’s so simple and easy to use, requiring you to do virtually nothing except adding water. I love how smart gardens give children a close up view of how plants grow from seeds. You don’t have to rely on good weather to go outside and examine your plants - it all happens indoors before your very eyes. Another aspect is that you can use them to grow almost any plant during any season.”
Sarah: “The last couple of years I have been looking into smart gardens for my home. I love the idea of plants with a purpose, not only visually enjoying what you grow but also being able to eat what you grow.
I had tried many times, unsuccessfully, to grow herbs in my house. Anywhere I wanted to put them, there just wasn’t enough light; I spent a lot of time and money on killing plants. Now, step by step, my smart gardens produce a beautiful and sustainable piece of ‘art’ on my wall. The plants have everything they need to flourish and provide fresh produce all year round.”
Sarah’s boys love watching plants grow in their Smart Garden 9
How do your kids enjoy using the smart garden?
Annika: “My kids really enjoy checking up on the progress of their plants each day. They’re always eager to find out whether the plants have grown yet. Thankfully they don’t have to wait very long. Lately we’ve been growing flowers in our smart garden and it’s a joy to watch them bloom.”
Sarah: “My whole family enjoys our smart gardens. My kids are drawn to them and love watching the progress of each plant. Every morning we check on them and log their progress in the Click and Grow mobile app. Talking about the plants with my oldest son, McCoy, has really helped him with his oral language skills by introducing new words, helping him use descriptive words and forming sentences.”
Annika’s kids growing lavender and cockscomb in their Smart Garden 3
What are your kids’ favourite plants to grow?
Annika: “My twin girls are currently growing flowers they’ve chosen themselves. We have grown tomatoes too. It’s always fun to visit the grandparents who have their own greenhouse and grow a lot of their own food. After seeing grandma and grandpa grow their own food, they wanted to do the same at home.”
Sarah: “My boys’ favourite plants to grow in our smart gardens are baby tomatoes. We cannot keep tomatoes on the plant once they are ripe. All my boys watch the tomatoes and once they are red they pick them. With the tomato plants we have lots of conversations about pollination and why we have to pollinate our Click and Grow plants vs why we do not have to pollinate the outdoor plants.”
In your opinion, why is it good for kids to learn about gardening and Nature?
Annika: “It’s very important because, in these modern times, kids are moving further and further away from Nature. A lot of them live in cities where there’s not much greenery. They don’t get to witness how such grand trees can grow from such small seeds. Seeing something like this helps develop a child’s thoughts and perspective on Nature and on the world in general.”
Sarah: “I want my boys to have a healthy relationship with food and see it as something you need to nourish your body, not just something to mindlessly put in your body. I also think it is important to understand where food comes from whether it is produce, meat or packaged food and growing your own helps cultivate that curiosity. Even though my boys are only three, two and one; my oldest is already asking ‘why’ questions in regards to how the plants grow in our smart gardens.”
What are you planning on growing next in your indoor garden?
Annika: “Next up, we would like to grow some chili peppers. After that, we would like to grow some beautiful black pansies.”
Sarah: “We will always have tomato plants growing in at least one of the gardens but our next plants are going to be a variety of herbs so we have fresh ones on the go this winter. We love being able to add fresh flavours to our meals and like the convenience of harvesting as we need them.”
Thanks, Annika and Sarah, for sharing your experiences and for growing with us!
If you’d like to get your family involved in gardening, why not start today? Growing plants has so many beautiful benefits for kids and adults alike, teaching us amazing life lessons.
To learn more about what we believe in, head over to www.clickandgrow.com. Discover how the Smart Garden 3 and Smart Garden 9 make growing fresh, organic food and flowers easier than ever.
Be sure to check out our blog for valuable features such as green living tips, ways to create sustainable homes, the importance of food safety, how to grow plants indoors and much more.