Ready

Set
Grow
A Kid’s Guide to
Gardening in Kentucky.
 I’m a farmer, and I love it. The fact that you are
reading this guide tells me you also have interest.
Regardless of your level of experience, it can be a fun
and rewarding activity—one you can develop and
enjoy over your entire lifetime.
What makes gardening such a great activity is
that anyone can garden and there’s not just one way
to do it. Whether you have access to a small area
for container gardening or a large plot of land for
vegetable gardening, you’re limited only by your
imagination.
This guide will teach you not only how to get
your garden started but also how to take care of it, once it begins growing.
You’ll even get some ideas for using the delicious food that you grow. It is my
hope that you’ll learn some new things about gardening and, most importantly,
have fun trying things out. Best of luck to you and happy gardening!

James R. Comer
Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Agriculture

As First Lady of Kentucky I am delighted to assist

students of all ages plant their own gardens by lending
my support to Ready, Set, Grow: A Kid’s Guide to
Gardening in Kentucky.
One of the best things about planting your own
garden is that you get to make the decisions. You can
plant your favorite vegetables and then learn how to
prepare them in a delicious and easy manner for your
entire family to enjoy. The possibilities are endless!
In fact, I have my own gardens at the Governor’s
Mansion and throughout the state that I developed
where you can see a garden growing.
By visiting www.greenteam.ky.gov/garden/about.htma you can read all
about the Governor’s Garden program and how people just like you are making a
difference in their communities. Best wishes for a bountiful harvest!

Jane Beshear
First Lady of Kentucky
 Table of Contents
Our Food: Where Photosynthesis To Market,
Does it Come From? 2 Process 9 To Market 12

Our Food: Where Does it To Market, To Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Come From? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Other places to get food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Typical planting times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Why buy local food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

From Seed to Plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 So…Back to the Garden. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Seeds vs. plants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tasty recipes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Photosynthesis process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Want to see a garden growing?. . . . . . . . . . . 15
Interested in agriculture?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
What a Variety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Keep growing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gardening Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fun facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Make a rain gauge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Parts of a plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Build a seed starter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Planting and harvest guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Make a compost bin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

From Seed To Mature Plant. . . . . . . . . 8-9 Gardening Fun and Games . . . . . . . 19-28
After You Pick Them, Now What?. . . . . 10 The Governor’s Garden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Colorful eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 1

 Our Food – Where does it come from?
Much of the food we eat comes from gardens. Gardens come in
all shapes and sizes. We can have a small patch in our backyard,
but a large farm may have a garden that’s hundreds of acres.

The good thing is that ANYONE can

grow a garden – even on a small patio!
What can you find in a garden? Tomatoes,
corn, green beans, lima beans, broccoli,
squash, onions, eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower,
pumpkins, and much, much more.
How big should your garden
be? That’s totally up to you. You
Thinking Organic? can grow one plant in a pot
There are things you need inside your house, you can have
to know. Go to our website, several plants on your patio, or
www.kyproud/readysetgrow, you can fill an entire field. Most
for links to organic gardening people use a small area of land
information.
behind their house. Start small
and try a variety of vegetables.
You’ll enjoy watching them grow
and they’ll be easier to care for.
Let’s assume you will have a small area in
your backyard for a garden. Before you think
about planting, you should try to answer
these questions:

• How large do I want to make my garden? • Is water nearby, so you’re able to water the
• Does the area get eight hours of sun every garden from time to time?
day? Most plants do not grow well in the • Do you know what you would like to plant
shade and need plenty of sunlight. and when? Different seeds should be planted
• Is the area flat with plenty of space? at different times, based on the weather and
• Is the area well drained? how long they take to grow.

2 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

Typical Planting times for Some Garden Vegetables
Radishes Cabbages Corn (Sweet)
Several plantings, 7 to 10 days apart, Set out transplants any time from Plant when soil temperature reaches
are possible. Radishes pass peak quite early April to mid-June. Early maturing 60 degrees Fahrenheit or any time
quickly, so several plantings are needed types may be planted in early August thereafter. Last practical date for planting
to provide high-quality radishes for fall crop. an early variety is July 1.
throughout the spring and early summer.
Several fall plantings can be made in Broccoli Tomatoes
August and September. Set out transplants in early to mid-April. Plant seedlings in mid-May. Last practical
Broccoli is sensitive to hot weather and date for planting tomatoes is June 20.
Lettuce grows better in cooler temperatures.
Sow seeds in early spring. Lettuce flowers Peppers
and turns bitter with the onset of hot Carrots Plant seedling in mid-May. Last practical
weather. Fall plantings can be made Seed early or any time during spring and date for planting peppers is June 20.
in August. summer. Carrots seeded as late as August
1 may produce full-sized roots by fall. Squash
Onions
Seed mid-May. If harvested every other
Sow seeds as soon as the ground Potatoes day, plants will keep producing until
can be worked in spring for mature Best planted in early to mid-April; a long frost. Last practical date for seeding is
(storage) onions. Plant sets and growing season is need to produce full- July 20.
transplants in spring. sized tubers.
Cantaloupe
Spinach Beans (Snap) Seed mid-May. There are various
Sow seeds in early to mid-April. Leaves Plant any time after May 5. Most varieties differences in length of time from
develop bitter flavor and plants make will keep producing if they are kept planting to harvest. Last practical date to
seed heads with the onset of hot picked. Last practical date for planting is sow seeds of early maturing varieties is
weather. A fall crop may be planted August 1. June 20.
about August 10.

A s yo u g e t r e a dy to p l a n t:

• Choose an area facing south or southeast • Avoid planting in low areas, such as the
to get the most sun. bottom of a hill.
• Remove all grass and weeds from the area. • Till the soil to get it loose for planting. You
• If possible, have your parents help you get should have loose dirt that you can scoop up
a soil test. That will help you know how in your hands. If you grab a handful and it
much plant food you may need to add. clumps, it’s too wet.
You can get soil tests through your local • Plant away from trees, buildings and fences
county extension office. that could shade your garden.

Remember: the closer your garden is to your house or school the more you will use it!

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 3

 From Seed to Plant
Most garden plants start as seeds. Some vegetables – such as
corn, green beans, lima beans and others – are usually planted
straight into the garden. Other vegetables, however, need a
period of warmth before planting, so they are started as seeds
inside or in a greenhouse, then transplanted outside.

Seeds: Transplants:
If you buy a packet of seeds from a garden While most plants come from seeds, in some
center, carefully follow the instructions on cases, it’s better for the beginning gardener to
the packet. This is an example of what you’re use “transplants” or young plants that have
likely to see: already germinated and have been potted
individually. Good examples of transplants
Sugar are tomatoes, squash, broccoli, cauliflower

CORN
SEED s
Enhanced
$ and peppers. These particular vegetables need
very warm temperatures to grow, about 70
.75 oz
S W EET to 90 degrees. It’s best to start them indoors,
by placing the seed into warm, moist, soil
and planting more seeds than necessary.
Finally, you would “thin out” the growth
SWEET CORN to select and individually pot the best,
Early AND OFTEN HYBRID
most healthy transplants. That’s what you
Sweet tasting. 7-8” ears. Some mature will plant in your garden. Since this early
early and others continue to mature
throughout the season. Ready to harvest in
about 64 days.

SOW in fertile soil in full sun after all

danger of last spring frost and soil has
warmed thoroughly. Sow 6-10” apart in
rows 2-3’ apart, in blocks of at least 4
rows side by side rather than in one long
row. This ensures pollination and full ear
development. Cover with 2” of fine soil.
Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days.

Full Sun 2 in. 6-10 in. 64 days

4 READY, SET, GROW.

process takes time and effort, many gardeners
simply buy the plant after it has germinated at a Photosynthesis Process
nursery or garden center.
Whether you use seeds or transplants, in
Kentucky, the process normally starts in March.
After 4-10 days, the seed swells and breaks
apart. The roots start growing down into the soil, OXYGEN
taking food from the soil, while the plant sprouts
through the soil and reaches for the sun. This is
called germination.
As a plant grows, its leaves branch out and
LIGHT
get thicker. The plant needs good soil, water, ENERGY
sun and food, or nutrients, to grow. As the
plant grows, its gets energy and food from the
CARBON
sun and the environment in a process called
photosynthesis. Photosynthesis means “making DIOXIDE
things with light.”
Plants use energy from the sun to turn carbon
dioxide into oxygen in the atmosphere and water
into sugars and starches, which feed the plant.
In the next few weeks, the plant grows taller,
more leaves branch out and thicken, and tiny
flowers start to grow. These flowers will be where
WATER
the actual fruit will grow.
The flower releases pollen, which bees or
winds carry from one plant to another. This
fertilizes the plant and the vegetable’s fruit can
start growing. garden during this time. You may pull them, or
With most plants, you’ll first see a small green cut them out with a hoe. It’s important to keep
ball or knob, which grows constantly over several the garden’s soil soft, and hoeing will help keep
days. When the fruit is ripe, it will harden and, it in shape. You’ll also have to water occasionally
depending on the vegetable, change color. if the garden gets dry and you’ll have to watch
At that point, it is ready to pick and eat. The for insects and diseases that can damage your
whole process, which started in March, takes plants. If you see insects or diseases, your
on average about 90 days to complete. It’s pretty parents may need to help you control the
amazing, so enjoy watching your plant grow and problem.
enjoy eating the vegetables! Find helpful links to pest control solutions on
Remember, throughout the growing process, our website, www.kyproud.com/readysetgrow.
you’ll have to keep weeds and grass out of the

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 5

 What a Variety!
You may think all tomatoes are red. But you may surprised to
find that they also can be orange, yellow, pink, green—even
multi-color. There are so many different varieties, with names
like Better Boy, Golden Girl, Beefsteak and others. They’re
round, pear-shaped, and even small, like cherry tomatoes.

Peppers can be green, red, yellow, orange

or even other colors. Corn can be yellow or
white. Squash comes in a variety of colors. All
of these depend on the variety of seeds you
plant. If you want to grow something with a
unique size and color, look at the different
varieties available and then make your choice.

Keep Growing
The good news is that you can actually have
a spring, summer, AND fall garden. Different
plants have different growing seasons. It’s best
to look at the seed packet or visit a garden
center to see what you can grow during
spring, summer, and fall.

F UN F A CTS :

You might think a tomato is a vegetable, but it is

really considered a fruit. Why? Because it has seeds.
5 Kentucky ranks in the top 5 nationally
in the number of farms within a state.

1/2
Cut open a tomato and take a look at the seeds. They
can be collected, stored and used to grow tomatoes
Farmland covers more
in the future. Also, a fresh garden tomato tastes
than half of the all the
sweet – like a berry. You can taste the difference.
land in Kentucky.

143 Each farmer in the United

States grows enough food
to feed 143 people. 98% Percent of Kentucky’s farms
that are owned by families.

Information courtesy of the Kentucky Farm Bureau.

6 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

 PARTS OF A PLANT FUN ACTIVITY!
Make a seed starter.
FLOWERS For instructions go to page 17.

LEAVES
The Rest of the Garden:
FRUIT All vegetables in the garden grow in
much the same way, starting out as seeds
STEM or bulbs, and ending as healthy vegetables.
From planting to the dinner table, a

ROOTS tomato takes 60 - 90 days. The growing

season for other popular garden foods are
shown in the chart below:

Planting & Harvest Guide Plant/Grow HARvest

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov

BEANS (SNAP)
BROCCOLI
CABBAGE
cantaloupe
Carrots
CORN
GREENS* GREENS*
Lettuce Lettuce
Okra
ONIONS
Potatoes
PEPPERS
RADISH RADISH
SQUASH
Tomatoes
ZUCCHINI

* Greens refer to any number of different plants including the traditional spinach, mustard, collard, turnip, etc., as well as newer Asian varieties and Swiss chard.

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 7

 FROM SEED TO MATURE PLANT
Seedling Young M At u r e
GREEN B E A NS
Bell Peppers
Ca n t a l o u p e s
Ra d i s h e s
Lettuce

8 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

 Seedling Young M At u r e
T o ma t o e s
Corn
P o tat o e s
Zucchini
Onions

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 9

 After you pick them… now what?
If you haven’t seen vegetables grow in a garden, you might not
know what you do with them after they’re picked. Some can be
eaten raw. Others may be cooked or steamed. With some, you
have to prepare them before you eat them.

Depending on the vegetable, you may need

to do some preparation. For example:

• Corn: You’ll have to “shuck it.” Tear off the

outer green part, “the husk,” away from the
cob. You’ll also have to remove the fine hairs,
or “silk,” you’ll see at the top of the cob. You
can pick them off or use a vegetable brush.
After washing, the corn can be cooked in hot
water, or prepared in a variety of other ways.

• Green beans: People prepare green beans in

a variety of ways, one of the most common
methods is to snap off each end of the bean,
and snap the bean stalk itself into two or
three pieces. Then, they’re ready to cook.

• Lima beans: These are protected in an outer

covering, called a “hull.” Peel apart the hull
to find the beans inside. Pull them out and
cook them in hot water.

• Broccoli or cauliflower: These grow on their

plants as large “heads.” After you cut the

BE SAFE! The first and most important head off the plant, you can break them apart
into small pieces or florets. These can be
thing to know is: you need to thoroughly wash
eaten raw or cooked.
the vegetables. Don’t try to eat them right out
of the garden. There may be dirt or chemicals • Squash or eggplant: Once you pick these,
on the vegetables that need to be washed off. they may be sliced, peeled or diced and
cooked or put into a variety of casseroles.

10 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

• Spinach or kale: When these are ready, you • Carrots, onions and potatoes: These may
simply cut off the top leaves, wash and place surprise you because they grow under
in salads or cook them. ground. You’ll have to pull or dig them up
when ready, wash them off and prepare them.
• Cucumbers: Once you pick these, you can
slice and eat them, or use in other dishes. You • Pumpkins: These are especially fun because
can even create pickles from them. One hint: you can watch them grow, and they will break
Cucumbers grow fast. The bigger they get, the away from their stems when they’re ready.
tougher they are. You may want to pick them
when they’re smaller and more tender.

FUN ACTIVITY! Make a rain gauge

For instructions go to page 16.

C o l o r f u l Ea t i n g :

As you pick your vegetables think about Fiber – good for your heart and digestion.
separating them into color groups. Each
Iron – needed for healthy blood.
color group offers different phytochemicals,
antioxidants and nutrients that help you stay Magnesium – helps with healthy bones and
healthy. muscles.
When you grow, your body needs vitamins, Potassium – great for your blood pressure.
minerals, amino acids and other important
Vitamins – provide a variety of help for every
nutrients. Luckily, you can find most of them in
part of your body, from head to toe. Vitamins
various vegetables that you eat everyday.
help your entire body grow and remain healthy.
Here is some of the “good stuff” you’ll find in
your veggies: It’s good to eat a variety of vegetables, so
you’ll get the right balance of all the “good
Calcium – necessary for healthy teeth and
stuff” that will help you grow.
bones.

Outstanding
Get the blues Wonderful oranges (and
(and purples) Great greens whites yellows) Radiant reds

For brain/memory, For vision, bones For heart and healthy For vision, immune For heart, urinary
healthy aging, and teeth. cholesterol levels. system and heart. tract and brain/
and urinary tract. memory.

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 11

 To Market, To Market
Your vegetables just seem to taste better when you grow them,
or you buy them from a local farmers’ market. That’s because
they’re fresher and contain more of the “good stuff” (vitamins and
minerals) than those that are grown hundreds of miles away.

So what are you likely to

find at a farmers’ market?
Here are just a few examples:
• Apples
• Beets
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Sweet corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Okra
• White and green onions
• Paw Paws
IN KENTUCKY, we don’t have as long a growing season as • Peaches
our neighbors to the south. We get a lot of food from Florida,
• Pears
Southern California, and Mexico because they can grow fruits and
• Peppers
vegetables nearly 12 months a year. However, it takes time to get
the food grown in Florida or California here to Kentucky. Think • Plums
about it. A farmer has to pick it, box it up and take it to market. • Potatoes
Then the food has to be shipped an average of 1,500 miles to • Pumpkins
get to supermarkets in Kentucky. While that food is still good for • Raspberries
you, some of the “good stuff” is lost in the days it takes to get the
• Summer squash
vegetables from the field to the market here. And since food can
• Watermelons
spoil in just a few days, growing your own or buying from a local
farmers’ market should mean your food is fresher longer.

12 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

 Farmers’ markets are typically open from If you can’t find a place to purchase locally
June through September, depending on when grown food in your area, call the County
certain fruits and vegetables are ready. You’re Extension Office in your community and ask
always going to find something good. Look for for details.
one, visit and see for yourself!
Why buy local food?
Other places to get food: There are several reasons why we should try
In addition to your own garden, there are first to find locally grown food:
other places where you can find fresh, locally • As we mentioned earlier, fruits and
grown food: vegetables don’t stay fresh a long time. If
Farmers’ Markets – These are becoming these items have to be trucked to you from
more popular in Kentucky. You’ll see them hundreds of miles away, that takes several
organized weekly at various places around days and that makes them less fresh. Fresh
your community. Pickup trucks come full with food tastes better.
vegetables just picked and ready for you to • There are more vitamins and minerals in
purchase and eat. locally grown fresh food. Large growers
Urban or Community Gardens – If you don’t hundreds of miles away have to pick food
have land to grow a garden, many communities before it is completely ripe and process it
offer a large piece of land in which many people before shipping. When that happens, some
may grow individual gardens. Check with of the nutrients are lost. Locally grown fruits
officials in your own community for details. and vegetables are picked and sold when
School Gardens – Gardening has become a ripe, so you get the best!

“class project” for many. Students take turns • When you buy locally, you help Kentucky
working in a school garden and then share the farmers. They use the money to take care of
vegetables or donate them to a worthy cause. their own families and buy other things in
Many schools are using the food they grow to your community. That keeps more people
feed the students in the cafeteria. For more working and makes your community
information, check out Kentucky Department of stronger.
Agriculture’s Farm to School Program. • It is also good for the environment. The
Community Supported Agriculture farther food has to travel, the more resources
programs (CSA) - A CSA is a commitment are used. Buying local or growing your
between a farm and a group of people in which own food reduces fuel costs and carbon
the farm provides food to this group throughout emmissions that can harm the environment.
the growing season. Each week, the farm may
provide different fruits and vegetables. The
people in the group agree to pay the farm a
certain fee to grow the food and the farm agrees
FUN ACTIVITY! Build a compost bin
For instructions go to page 18.

to provide food to this group on a regular basis.

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 13

 So… Back to the Garden:
You’ve now seen the process food takes from seed to harvest.
While you and your family might eat what you grow, that food
could take a variety of forms.

Let’s takE The tomato, for example. It’s And in your home, you’ll find tomatoes in salsa,
great in salads or on sandwiches. But it has many pizza, and even for breakfast as tomato juice.
other uses. In other words, your food, from seed to
It might make its way to a restaurant, where table, goes through a lot of steps. That’s why it’s
the chef will use the tomato in salads, soups and important to buy and eat fresh foods, grown in
other foods. It could go to your school or a local Kentucky. That will make you Kentucky Proud.
hospital where it’s cooked to make spaghetti Here are recipes for your Kentucky Proud
sauce. Or it may arrive already processed, in produce.
the form of ketchup.

WATERMELON TOMATO SALAD Bacon and Tomato Dip

INGREDIENTS: INGREDIENTS:
5 cups – seeded watermelon cubes (3/4 inch) 1 cup fat free sour cream
3 cups – cubed tomatoes (3/4 inch) 1 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon – salt
2 large tomatoes, diced, reserve excess juice
1 small – red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/4 cup – red wine vinegar 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 tablespoons – extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon – black pepper
6 – lettuce leaves
PREPARATION:
PREPARATION: 1. Combine all ingredients.
1. Combine watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl. 2. Add reserved tomato juice until dip reaches desired
Sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. consistency.
2. Stir in onion, vinegar and oil. Cover and chill 2 hours. 3. Serve with fresh vegetables or reduced fat crackers.
3. Serve chilled on lettuce leaves, if desired.
4. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper to taste. Yield: 16 – 2 tablespoon servings.

Yield: 6 – 1 1/2 cup servings.

Courtesy of UK Extension. Courtesy of UK Extension.

14 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

 You can find the location of the nearest
Want to See a Garden Growing?
Governor’s Garden on the inside back cover of
You can - at one of six Governor’s Gardens
this book.
in Kentucky.
In 2009, First Lady Jane Beshear partnered
with government, education, and agriculture
Interested in Agriculture?
Perhaps all this garden talk has gotten you
organizations to start the Governor’s Garden
interested in learning more about agriculture.
Program. This program seeks to seeks to promote
There are several organizations for young
products grown and produced in Kentucky
people that will help you. Organizations such as
by local farmers. This program encourages
4-H clubs, the Future Farmers of America, IFAL
Kentucky businesses, organizations, schools, and
(Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders), and
communities, to cultivate and maintain their
the Kentucky Farm Bureau all have ways you
own gardens. The Governor’s Garden program
can learn more and get involved.
further seeks to educate the public about the
For more information check out the links on
health and economic benefits of community
our website, www.kyproud.com/readysetgrow.
gardening and utilizing locally grown foods.

Cucumber, Corn, and Bean Salsa APPLE CRANBERRY WALDORF SALAD

INGREDIENTS: INGREDIENTS:
2-3 large cucumbers 1 cup – chopped Granny Smith apple
2 tomatoes 1 cup – chopped Red Delicious apple
1 yellow bell pepper 1 cup – diced celery
1 small red onion 1 cup – halved seedless green grapes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 cup – halved seedless red grapes
1/2 cup black beans 1 ½ cups – dried cranberries
1/2 cup fresh whole kernel corn, cooked 1/2 cup – chopped walnuts
1 ounce package dry ranch dressing mix 8 ounces – non-fat vanilla yogurt
1/8 cup cider vinegar 2 teaspoons – honey
2 tablespoons sugar, optional ¼ teaspoon – cinnamon

PREPARATION: PREPARATION:
1. Finely chop cucumbers, tomatoes, pepper, and onion. 1. Combine chopped apples and diced celery and put
2. Combine in a large mixing bowl with chopped cilantro. in a medium sized bowl. Add grapes, cranberries, and
3. Drain and rinse beans and add to chopped vegetables. walnuts to the mixture. Stir ingredients together.
4. Add corn. If using canned corn instead of fresh, drain 2. In a separate bowl, add the yogurt, honey, and
off liquid prior to adding to vegetables. cinnamon. Stir together and pour over the fruit
5. In a small bowl, mix together ranch dressing packet, mixture. Cover and chill before serving.
vinegar, and sugar. Pour dressing over vegetables and
mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled. Yield: 8 – 1 cup servings.

Yield: 20 – 1/2 cup servings.

Courtesy of UK Extension. Courtesy of UK Extension.

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 15

 GARDENING ACTIVITIES

M a k e Y o u r O w n R a i n G a u g e i n S i x E a sy S t e p s

Step 4: Collect and Record

Place your rain gauge outside where it will collect
water and begin recording your measurements. Plan
to measure rain for an entire month. Check your
gauge each day and record the amount of rain to the
nearest tenth of an inch. Add up your measurements
at the end of the month. This is great practice for
adding fractions!

Step 5: Challenge Yourself

To challenge yourself, you can calculate average
rainfall per week. Take your total rainfall and divide
by the number of weeks you collected information.

Step 1: Get Your Rain Boots and Grab Step 6: Clean Up

Be sure to clean up your area and put all supplies
Your Materials!
back where you found them.
You will need a glass jar, a plastic ruler and tape.
Information is courtesy of American Farm Bureau
Step 2: Location Foundation for Agriculture.
Find a good location for your rain gauge outside.
Make sure it’s a safe place where it will be
undisturbed. If you’d like to compare rainfall at
different locations, such as home and school, you
can make more than one rain gauge.

Step 3: The Gauge

Place your ruler inside your empty jar, with the
numbers facing out. Make sure the end of the ruler
rests on the bottom of the jar and it stands straight
up and down. Use tape to hold in place, if needed.

16 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

 B u i l d a s e e d s t a r t e r i n t e n e a sy s t e p s

Step 5: Planting
Carefully place 1 or 2 seeds (depending on size) in
each fingertip, between the glove and the cotton ball

Step 6: Water
Add just enough water to each fingertip to make the
cotton balls damp

Step 7: Hang it Up
Carefully tie the ends of your ribbon into a knot.
Don’t pull the ribbons tight, because you’ll need the
top open for watering. With adult permission, use a
Step 1: Get Your Gloves and Grab Your few pieces of tape to hang your glove window box in
Supplies! a sunny window from this ribbon.
You will need a clear plastic glove*, cotton balls (5-
10), seeds (5-10), ribbon, single hole punch/scissors, Step 8: Check In
tape and water. Check your glove daily. You always want your cotton
balls damp, but not soaking wet.
*Note: do not use a stretchy, latex medical glove;
instead, use a loose fitting, thin, food-service Step 9: Clean Up
grade glove Be sure to clean up your area and put all supplies
back where you found them.
Step 2: Preparation
Take the plastic glove and spread it out flat. There Step 10: Watch Your Seeds Grow
are five fingers, which means you have five growing Watch your seeds grow! You get to be the farmer, as
areas for your seeds. you watch the lifecycle of a plant unfold before your
very eyes.
Step 3: Ribbon Hanger
Using a single hole punch or scissors, make 4-6 Information is courtesy of American Farm Bureau
holes around the top of the glove, about an inch for Foundation for Agriculture.
the edge. Lace your ribbon through these holes and
leave about a 6” tail on the end. You’ll use the tail to
hang your glove window box.

Step 4: Preparing the Growing Area

Place 1 or 2 cotton balls in each finger of the glove
and push all the way to the fingertip. Be sure the
cotton balls fully cover the tips of the fingers.

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 17

 C o m p o s t i n g i n n i n e E a sy S t e p s

Step Five: Water

Water, about once weekly—just enough to moisten
the compost so that the microbes that feed on the
waste can survive—but not so much that your pile
becomes slimy.

Step Six: Aerate

Expose your compost to the air by turning every
few days to allow oxygen to get to all of the compost
and help break down the waste. Earthworms will
also help the decomposition process. To find out
more about vermicomposting (using worms in your
compost) follow the links on our website, www.
Step One: Create Your Compost Bin kyproud.com/readysetgrow.
Buy or make a bin at least 3’x3’x3’ or larger. Make
sure the bin has an open bottom to provide the Step Seven: Control Moisture
compost direct contact with the earth. Put a lid on your compost to control the level of
moisture.
Step Two: Create the Foundation
Start with a layer of straw or twigs (the smaller the Step Eight: Maintain Your Compost
pieces, the better). Every time you add kitchen waste, cover it with a
pile of leaves or grass to ward off pesky flies and
Step Three: Begin Adding “Ingredients” foul odors.
Pile on veggie/fruit waste from the kitchen,
grass from the yard, even newspapers, shredded Step Nine: Testing Your Compost
cardboard, weeds, flowers, etc. It could take anywhere from three months to one
year for the compost to be complete. How do you
Step Four: Get the Right Balance of know when it is done? When you test it, the soil
should be dark, soft and crumbly, not fibrous. Also,
Carbon and Nitrogen
it should have a slightly sweet, earthy smell. If it is
Make sure you have a carbon/nitrogen ratio that is 3
fibrous, close the lid and just wait longer.
parts carbon, 1 part nitrogen.
• Examples of carbon (brown compost) include:
Use your compost for potting or gardening and
wood, bark, shredded cardboard, corn stalks,
it will greatly enrich the soil and the growth of
pine needles, grass, leaves, shredded newspaper,
whatever you choose to grow. If you don’t want
sawdust, even dryer lint!
to grow anything, you have at least reduced your
• Examples of nitrogen (green compost) include garbage waste by 50-70% and enriched the soil in
flowers, garden or kitchen waste, coffee grounds, your yard.
weeds, seaweed, hedge clippings, manures,
veggie scraps and grass clippings. Information courtesy of UK Extension.

18 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

GARDENING
FUN AND
GAMES

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 19

 Connect the dots and color me!

1 41
2
35
40 34
5 3 39 38
4 36 33
37
6 32

7 31
29
8 30
28
9
10 27
11 12 25 26
14 16 24
15 21
13 22 23
18 19
17 20

20 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

 1 2 3

4 5

7 8

9 10

11

12

13

14

15

16
Crossword

Garden
Vegetables
ACROSS DOWN
1. This grows to be purple 2. This can be “string” and “snap”
3. This sounds like it has been smashed 3. Popeye ate this to make him strong
4. This is green and is used in most salads 6. This has “ears”
5. These beans grow in a pod 7. You can make this scary-looking at Halloween
8. You have to have one of these on a BLT sandwich 9. This is great at a summer picnic
11. This grows into a big green head 10. When this grows, it has a big white head
12. You can make hot sauce out of this 15. This has “eyes”
13. You can make pickles out of this
14. When you slice this, it could make you cry
16. This is often cut into “florets”

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 21

 Word Search

Gardening Terms
k e m a y q h r e o c i r e e k
v e g e t a b l e s s t l t b d
p h o t o s y n t h e s i s u n
A n v l g e r m i n a t i o n o
u u e r n s q c r g h s r s w s
e t r d q s l s a s l p n u e s
s r n n e d e r l a y r o n d e
l i o s u e d n r k l s r k s d
r e r g p e c e c a l c i u m y
g n s x n r n u y g h i y h s r
i t g b v i t a m i n s a a e d
d s a g m n r e z i l i t r e f
f a r m e r s m a r k e t v d i
l o d k r m e z k n t h s e s b
w w e l i s v i i p f r e s h e
s e n e l l o p d t q p n t d r
Find the following hidden words

Garden Germination Calcium Harvest

Fertilizer Pollen Iron Grow
Soil Vitamins Fiber Seeds
Sun Minerals KentuckyProud
Photosynthesis Farmersmarket Vegetables
Nutrients Governorsgarden Fresh

22 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

Word scramble
Unscrample each of the clue words

GDNARE __ __ __ __ __ __ egner sanbe __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

lios __ __ __ __ aisbnmael __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

snu __ __ __ rcocblio __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

zrefirltie __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ eplgntag __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

ntlpas __ __ __ __ __ __ nonios __ __ __ __ __ __

dees __ __ __ __ niiccuhz __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

yshhonetptisso __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ eillaorwfcu __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

ntesurint __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ pkiumpsn __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

mtginanrioe __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ tpoaesot __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

olpnle __ __ __ __ __ __ ekal __ __ __ __

itsviam __ __ __ __ __ __ __ npsaich __ __ __ __ __ __ __

nlsemair __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ cubeusrcm __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

fresmra teamkr __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ rcotsra __ __ __ __ __ __ __

lprstaasnpn __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ qashus __ __ __ __ __ __

milcuac __ __ __ __ __ __ __ tggpaenl __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

orni __ __ __ __ ebtse __ __ __ __ __

rfieb __ __ __ __ __ psppere __ __ __ __ __ __ __

kcyenukt dpuor __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ tmworslean __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

msetotoa __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ rfhse __ __ __ __ __

oncr __ __ __ __ lonacuatpe __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Find the bonus word

Unscramble the letters in the grey boxes
above to reveal the bonus word. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ___

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 23

 Garden Maze
Help the bee find its way to pollinate the plant

24 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

Tomato Plant Challenge
Find the two tomato plants that are exactly alike

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 25

 Vegetable Salad 3

Write the name of each vegetable under its picture

and color accordingly.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

4
__ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

26 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

Watering the Garden
Can you identify the type of root vegetables the young boy is watering?
HINT: It is shown on the previous vegetable salad page. ANSWER __ __ __ __ __ __ __

READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky. 27

 ANSwers to FUN and GAMES
Page 21 Page 23
Crossword Word Scramble
Garden Vegetables Garden
Soil
Calcium
IRON
Potatoes
KALE
Sun FIBer Spinach
1
E 2G G P L A N T 3
squash fertilizer Kentucky Proud Cucumbers
Plants Tomatoes carrots
r p Seed Corn squash
4 5 Photosynthesis GREEN BEANS Eggplant
L ettuce L imas
6 nutrients Lima Beans Beets
e c n Germination Broccoli Peppers
7 8
n p tomato Pollen Harvest WATERMELONS
u r c 9
w 10
c Vitamins Onions fresh
11 minerals zucchini CAntaloupe
b m n h cabbage FARMERS MARKET Cauliflower
12
pepper t u Vegetables Pumpkins
13
a k cucumber l BONus Word: Composting
n i r i
14
O nion m f
15
p e l Page 24
Garden Maze
16
B roccoli o
t o w
a n e
t r
o

Page 22
Word Search
Gardening Terms
k e m a y q h r e o c i r e e k
v e g e t a b l e s s t l t b d
p h o t o s y n t h e s i s u n
A n v l g e r m i n a t i o n o
u u e r n s q c r g h s r s w s
e t r d q s l s a s l p n u e s
s r n n e d e r l a y r o n d e
l i o s u e d n r k l s r k s d Page 25
r e r g p e c e c a l c i u m y
g n s x n r n u y g h i y h s r
Tomato Plant Challenge
i t g b v i t a m i n s a a e d 2 and 7
d s a g m n r e z i l i t r e f
f a r m e r s m a r k e t v d i Page 26
l o d k r m e z k n t h s e s b
w w e l i s v i i p f r e s h e
Vegetable Salad
s e n e l l o p d t q p n t d r 1. Pepper, 2. Carrot, 3. Broccoli, 4. Onion, 5. Tomato.

Page 27
Watering the Garden
Answer: Carrot

28 READY, SET, GROW. A Kid’s Guide to Gardening in Kentucky.

The Governor’s Garden
Six locations where you can see the vegetable growing process:
Berry Hill Mansion – Frankfort Locust Trace AgriScience Farm – Lexington
Governor’s Mansion – Frankfort Kentucky Horse Park – Lexington
Kentucky FFA Training Center – Hardinsburg Kentucky Exposition Center – Louisville

For more details on the Governor’s Garden, visit, greenteamky.gov/garden.

29
Thanks!
The following organizations provided
information for this book:
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy
Governor’s Garden
Kentucky Farm Bureau
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
American Farm Bureau Foundation
for Agriculture