It's easy to fall for a colorful planter and start imagining the little garden that will live in it. We certainly understand the appeal; we carry pots with chunky trays and speckled clay and colors we'd happily build a corner of a room around. Before choosing the plant, though, spend a little time with the window where you want it to grow.
That makes a useful first step for indoor gardening with kids. You can look at the space together, notice when the sun reaches it, and start figuring out what might be happy there. One pot gives you plenty to pay attention to.
Find a plant for the light you have
A room can feel bright to us without giving a plant much direct sun. Look at the actual spot, including how the light changes during the day, and take that information to a nursery when you choose a plant. Tell them if you have children or pets, too, so they can help you choose something appropriate for your household.
If you're hoping to grow herbs, the University of Maryland Extension's indoor growing guide explains that most need a sunny position and may need supplemental light in winter. A kitchen windowsill can be a lovely place for a plant, but what will grow there depends on its conditions.
Choose a stable spot where a grown-up can reach the pot easily. Think about watering and moving it as well as how it looks on the first day.
Give the water somewhere to go
Start with a container that has drainage holes and an appropriate potting mix. Set it on a saucer or tray to protect the surface underneath, and empty collected water rather than leaving the pot sitting in it. A pretty jar without a hole will need a different setup; it isn't a straight swap for a draining plant pot.
The Bad Dogs Studio Planter with Chunky Tray has a drainage hole, and the tray comes with it. The planter is about three inches tall and four inches across, so keep the plant's size in mind. It may need more room as it grows.
For something a little larger, the Daisy Portal Planter is about five inches tall and five inches across the top. It's hand-thrown brown stoneware, with a matte finish that lets the speckles in the clay show through. Confirm the drainage setup on the actual pot before planting. We like its color and texture, but those details don't tell you how to water the plant inside it.
Make checking on the plant something you do together
A child could draw the plant when you bring it home, count the leaves they can see, or make a paper label with a name for it. Come back to the drawing later. Is there a new leaf? Has one opened a little more? Having that first picture gives you something to compare.
For watering, we'd make the shared job “check the plant” rather than “water every day.” Different plants and pots need different care, and indoor conditions change. A grown-up can decide whether water is needed, then help the child with a measured amount.
You might find that drawing is the part they enjoy most, or that they're interested when something changes. Follow that interest. A sketch of the leaves or a paper picture of the pot can sit beside the gardening project; use art supplies labeled for their age and keep them separate from the potting materials.
A little room for soil, spills and figuring things out
Put down a washable tray or work on a surface you can clean, store the potting supplies out of reach afterward, and wash hands when you're finished. The ceramic pots we carry are breakable, so a grown-up should take care of moving them while a child has a smaller job.
If the plant struggles, go back to the light, water, drainage and space for its roots. A nursery or extension guide can help with the particular plant. You and your child may end up learning a few things about that corner of your home that neither of you had paid much attention to before.
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