Many of the activities on these pages may require adult supervision.
Be sure to tell a grown-up about what you're planning and ask for permission before getting started.

1. Rake Leaves and Shovel Snow

Ask what to do with the raked leaves.
Always put away the rake when you have finished the job. If raking works out well in the fall, ask if you can come back in the winter and shovel.

2. Clip Edges and Hedges

Home-owners often hire kids to clip grass where a lawn mower can't reach. The tool used is a scissorlike tool called grass clippers. If you have a lot of clippings jobs, you might want to own your own clippers, ones that are comfortable for you to use. Don't let them get rusty. Hedges are clipped with hedge clippers. The idea is to maintain the shape of the hedge by clipping any branches that stick out. Don't go making a new shape out of the hedge; just follow the design that's already there.

3. Weed Gardens

The point of weeding is to pull up any plants that aren't supposed to grow in a certain spot. It's not always easy to tell which is the correct plant and which is the weed. Ask. The owner of the garden would rather go over the plants with you thoroughly in the beginning than risk finding out too late that you didn't know a weed from a pepper plant. What do you do with the weeds once you've pulled them up? Ask again. Gardeners have different procedures, so don't feel stupid.

4. Spray with Your Own Safe Spray

Here's an idea for an enterprising superkid who knows gardeners who hate both plant-destroying bugs and unsafe bug killers. Make your own bug spray in a blender. First, get permission to use the blender and learn how to use it safely. Then, cut an onion in quarters and put it, along with 3-5 peeled cloves of garlic, into the blender. Add 1 teaspoon of tabasco sauce and 2 cups of water. Blend until smooth. Strain through an old nylon stocking to remove any small pieces that would clog your sprayer. Now add 1 tablespoon of detergent and 5 cups of water. The spray is ready to use. Fill an inexpensive spray can with the mixture and spray on infested flowers and vegetables once a week until the pests are gone. Don't rub your eyes if any of the mixture is on your hands, and if necessary, wear goggles while spraying to keep mixtures out of your eyes. Wash out the sprayer when finished.

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