A Million Whys: The Garden Expedition for Curious Kids

All 150 questions

Tap a question to watch its video and read the answer.

Expedition 1: Starting a Garden

1. What is a garden, and why do people grow them?
2. How do you choose a good spot for a garden?
3. How can you make a sun map of your yard?
4. What do "full sun" and "part shade" mean on a plant tag?
5. What is a raised bed, and why do gardeners use one?
6. Can you grow a garden in pots and containers?
7. What is a plant hardiness zone?
8. Why does the last frost date matter to gardeners?
9. What is a microclimate in a garden?
10. How do you read a seed packet?
11. How deep should you plant a seed?
12. How far apart should seeds and seedlings be planted?
13. What tools does a young gardener need?
14. How do you stay safe while gardening?
15. What is square-foot gardening?
16. What is the difference between annuals, perennials, and biennials?
17. Which plants are easy for beginners to grow?
18. What are heirloom seeds?
19. Is a weed just a plant in the wrong place?
20. What is the difference between garden soil and potting mix?
21. How can you garden in a small space by growing upward?
22. How can you start a garden bed without digging?
23. What can gardeners do in winter to get ready for spring?
24. How much time does a garden take?
25. How can you start a tiny garden this weekend?

Expedition 2: Watching Plants Grow

26. What happens inside a seed when you plant it?
27. Why are some garden seeds coated in clay or stuck on paper tape?
28. Why do some seeds need a cold winter before they sprout?
29. Why does a sprouting bean stem poke up in a hook shape?
30. What are seed leaves, and how are they different from true leaves?
31. Why do seedlings get tall, weak, and pale on a windowsill?
32. What does it mean to harden off seedlings?
33. How can a cut stem grow new roots in a glass of water?
34. Which way do bean vines twine around a pole?
35. Why do grown-up sunflowers all face east?
36. Why do some garden plants need stakes or cages?
37. How does a flower become a fruit?
38. Why do squash plants have two kinds of flowers?
39. Why do tomato flowers sometimes need a gentle shake?
40. Why do green tomatoes turn red?
41. How do pumpkins grow so big?
42. How can corn grow so tall so fast?
43. How do you hill potatoes and dig new potatoes?
44. Why do garden plants droop on hot afternoons?
45. How do leaves breathe?
46. Why do lettuce and spinach suddenly shoot up and turn bitter?
47. How do you grow garlic from a single clove?
48. How do strawberry plants make new plants?
49. How do garden plants get ready for winter?
50. How can you chart a plant's growth with a ruler?

Expedition 3: Garden Visitors

51. Which animals might visit your garden?
52. Why are ladybugs helpful garden guests?
53. What are aphids, and how do gardeners handle them?
54. How can you attract helpful insects to your garden?
55. Why do hoverflies look like bees?
56. Which animals are considered garden pests?
57. How can gardeners protect plants without harsh chemicals?
58. How can a toad house help both toads and gardeners?
59. Why are birds such good pest patrol?
60. How can you make your garden friendly to birds?
61. How do you plant a garden that hummingbirds will visit?
62. Why do squirrels dig up garden bulbs?
63. Why do rabbits and deer nibble garden plants?
64. How can gardeners keep animals out safely?
65. What are native plants, and why do they help wildlife?
66. What flowers do pollinators love to visit in a garden?
67. What is companion planting?
68. What are the Three Sisters in gardening?
69. Do marigolds really protect vegetables?
70. Why do gardeners plant flowers among their vegetables?
71. Are ants friends or foes of garden plants?
72. What is an insect hotel?
73. What visits a garden at night?
74. Why do gardeners let spiders stay in the garden?
75. How can you do a wildlife survey in your garden?

Expedition 4: Water, Weather & Garden Care

76. How many inches of rain or watering does a vegetable bed need each week?
77. When is the best time of day to water plants?
78. Why is deep, slow watering better than a quick sprinkle?
79. What are the signs of a thirsty potted plant?
80. What is mulch, and why do gardeners love it?
81. What can you use as mulch?
82. How does a rain barrel save water?
83. What is drip irrigation?
84. How do self-watering pots work?
85. Why do plants need less water on cloudy days?
86. Why does a light frost harm tomatoes but not kale?
87. How do gardeners protect plants from a surprise frost?
88. How does a greenhouse stay warm?
89. What is a cold frame?
90. How does wind affect garden plants?
91. How can gardeners help plants through a heat wave?
92. What is the best way to weed a garden?
93. What does nipping off the tip of a stem do for a plant?
94. What does deadheading do?
95. Why do gardeners thin out seedlings?
96. How do gardeners decide what to plant each season?
97. What do gardeners do in autumn?
98. How do gardeners tuck their beds in for winter?
99. Can you grow food indoors in winter?
100. What should a gardener check every day?

Expedition 5: Compost, Soil & Plant Food

101. What are "greens" and "browns" in a compost pile?
102. Why does a compost pile need air and moisture?
103. What shouldn't go in a compost bin?
104. How does a worm bin turn scraps into plant food?
105. Why should you stay off wet garden soil?
106. How do you know compost is finished?
107. Which living things break down a compost pile?
108. What do gardeners mean by sweet soil and sour soil?
109. What does fertilizer do for plants?
110. What do the three numbers on a fertilizer bag mean?
111. Why can too much fertilizer hurt plants and waterways?
112. What does organic gardening mean?
113. What are cover crops?
114. Why shouldn't you plant tomatoes in the same spot every year?
115. What do yellow or purple leaves tell you?
116. What are peat moss and coir, and why are they in potting mix?
117. What are the white specks in potting mix?
118. Why do gardeners check soil temperature?
119. Do eggshells and coffee grounds really help plants?
120. Should you mix sand into clay soil?
121. Why do blueberries need special soil?
122. Why do gardeners call worm castings “black gold”?
123. How can people without a yard make compost?
124. Is banana peel or cooking water good for plants?
125. How does a garden close the circle of nutrients?

Expedition 6: Experiments & Harvest

126. How do you run a fair experiment in the garden?
127. Does talking or music help plants grow?
128. What happens to bean seedlings in sun, shade, and darkness?
129. How can you test whether old seeds will still sprout?
130. How does temperature change how fast seeds sprout?
131. Which mulch keeps garden soil moistest?
132. Can you regrow vegetables from kitchen scraps?
133. How do you keep a garden journal?
134. How do you know when vegetables are ready to pick?
135. Why does picking vegetables make some plants grow more?
136. Why do gardeners pick many vegetables in the morning?
137. Why should you wash vegetables from the garden?
138. Why should you never eat berries or plants from a garden or yard unless a grown-up checks?
139. How do you store garden vegetables so they last?
140. How can you save seeds from your garden?
141. Why don't saved seeds always grow plants just like their parents?
142. How can gardeners share extra vegetables?
143. How can you dry herbs and flowers?
144. What makes a great garden science fair project?
145. What can a garden teach you about patience and mistakes?
146. How can you keep a weather record for your garden?
147. What is a theme garden?
148. How can a school or community garden help the neighborhood?
149. Which careers grow out of a love of plants?
150. What will your garden grow next year?