Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

July 26, 2003 - Issue 92

Juice Box Garden Stakes

Start a little kitchen garden with your child by growing vegetables, herbs or flowers in a small plot in the yard or in a container on the patio. To make sure you know which plant is sprouting, create these cute Juice Box Garden Stakes.

• 4.23 oz. juice drink boxes (1 box for each stake)
• Safety scissors
• Spray paint (choose a different color for each stake)
• Jumbo craft stick (six inches long)
• Craft glue gun
• Seed packets or seedlings

• Decide which vegetables, herbs or flowers you and your child would like to plant.
• Make sure it is the correct season or growing zone for the plants you have chosen. You can reference a gardening book or visit a gardening site on line to help you with your choices.
• Once you have made your decision, take a field trip to your local nursery where you can buy seed packets or seedlings. The nursery can also give you planting instructions.
• Now you are ready to make your garden stakes.
• Wash and dry empty juice drink boxes. Use one box for each stake.
• Cut off the bottom portion of the juice box.
• Using a craft glue gun, glue a jumbo craft stick to the back inside of the box. The craft stick should be about 1 1/2 inches up into the box in order to leave enough of the stick available put into the ground.
• Spray paint each garden stake with a different color, let dry. It may take two coats to cover the box thoroughly.
• If you have planted from seeds, use the pictures from the seed packages to decorate the outside of the garden stakes. If you have planted seedlings from the nursery, cut out pictures of your chosen plants from magazines and glue these to the outside of each garden stake
• Or, have your child create their own drawing that can be cut out and glued to the outside of each garden stake.
• Now plant each seed or small plant according the seed packet or nurseryman's directions and insert your garden stakes to remind you and your child of what you planted.

• If you live in a rainy area or your garden stakes will get wet from sprinklers, just over-wrap them with clear shelf paper so that the label is protected.

Follow Up

• Empty juice boxes also make great containers for little indoor gardens.
• Find an easy recipe to make with your child using the herbs or vegetables grown in your garden.
• Talk to your kids about the food pyramid. Show them how growing and eating fruits and vegetables is fun to do as well as being an important part of developing healthy eating habits.