School Is Out, Garden Is Open

MARYSVILLE, Ohio, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Miracle-Gro is encouraging parents who are looking for educational, outdoor things to do to start gardening with their children.  In a recent survey commissioned by the leading gardening brand, 98% of parents agreed planting is a great way to get kids outside, away from gadgets and 97% say planting is a great summer activity for their child. Getting out and planning is a healthy outdoor activity according to 85% of parents' surveyed, and almost all parents (99%) see nature as an important educational tool. Additionally, 69% of parents said that being in the garden or outdoors with their parents is one of their favorite childhood memories.

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"The key to getting your kids gardening is to make it fun, simple and interactive," said William Moss, Miracle-Gro spokesperson, Master Gardener, and former teacher in the Chicago public school system. "When I was teaching, I used gardening as a way to teach my students about science, nature and how things grow. It was a very effective and very fun tool."

From growing vegetable gardens to small herb plants, it's easy for parents to garden with their kids by following three simple steps from William Moss:

1. Choose the right soil -- Most plants need soil to find enough nutrients for growth. Try Miracle-Gro Expand 'n Gro Concentrated Planting Mix which can be used in pots or in the ground. The small, lightweight package is easy to carry and store, and it contains mix that expands up to three times its size with the addition of water.
2. Water Deeply -- In the summertime plants can dry out fast, especially those in containers. Check the moisture by poking a finger into the soil up to the first knuckle. If your fingertip is wet, the plant's fine. If your fingertip is dry, then give it a good thorough soaking.
3. Feed your plants -- There are various ways to get plants the nutrients they need to grow large and bloom.  You can choose to feed while watering by adding a Miracle-Gro Watering Can Single packet to a gallon of water. Follow the instructions for bigger, healthier plants.  Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed Continuous Release Plant Food is another easy way to fertilize. These are ready-to-use granules which shake directly onto soil, using the extended shaker spout, no measuring needed.

If you're not able to get outside into a garden or live in an urban environment, try indoor container gardening with the Miracle-Gro Culinary Herb Garden and Miracle Gro-Culinary Herb Kit. These all-inclusive kits contain everything needed for growing and enjoying fresh herbs indoors year round and are an easy way to teach your kids about vegetables or herbs.  According to those surveyed, 86% of parents say planting helps kids understand how to choose healthier foods.

For more great gardening tips this summer, visit: www.miraclegro.com

About the Survey  
The "Everyone Grows with Miracle-Gro" Survey presented by Scotts Miracle-Gro is based on a study conducted by StrategyOne from May 16-May 20, 2012.  The online study was conducted among 506 Parents (251 Moms, 255 Dads).   All parents were screened for having a child between the ages of 4-12 at home and have planted with their child in the past year.

About Scotts Miracle-Gro
With approximately $3 billion in worldwide sales, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Scotts Company LLC, is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S., the Company operates Scotts LawnService®, the second largest residential lawn care service business.  In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligène® and Substral®. For additional information, visit us at www.scotts.com.

SOURCE The Scotts Company LLC