Aren’t gumboots just the most versatile things ever? If you’re not jumping in mud puddles with them, using them to keep warm on those chilly days, or just looking plain cool, then you could put them to use in the garden. Put the garden in them, instead of them in the garden! This is such an exciting activity for the kiddies. Let’s face it, which kid wouldn’t want to plant things in their old boots? It is also perfect for making use of all those long-outgrown gumboots that are lying around. The kids may have grown up, but the boots can still be used for growing! 

Let’s get cracking.

What you will need:

• An old pair of gumboots
• Plastic pots with drainage holes, small enough to fit into the gumboots
• Some small-ish stones
• Potting soil
• Compost
• An old plastic container or bowl
• An old spoon or cup
• Any plant
• Plastic insects to put on the outside of the boots (optional)

Steps of the activity:

1. Start by placing an equal amount of stones in the bottom of each pot. 

2. Use an old bowl and spoon to mix together an equal amount of potting soil and compost, and spoon it into each pot.

Leave approximately 4 cm for the plants (depending on how large the root structure of each plant is). 

3. Create a well in the centre of the soil in each pot and place a plant in each, and then cover the roots with some more soil. 

4. Water the plants and then put the pots in the gumboots.

5. Place the gumboots in the garden somewhere visible, so that people can ‘ooh and aah’ over them.