It’s never too soon to introduce kids to gardens, as long as you have a reasonable expectation of what they can do.

Here are some tips on age-appropriate gardening activities, courtesy of KidsGardening.com:

— Ages 3-4 years old: Pre-schoolers love helping you pull weeds — until they get interested in a beetle crawling on the ground. Don’t even try to get any real work done when your child is in the garden; instead, explore it together.

— Ages 5-7: The process of doing something fun right now is more important than a future goal. Their favorite things to do are digging and watering, of course. Expect some mud and puddles.

— Ages 8-9: Second- and third-graders can read seed packets, make plant markers and even design a garden on paper with your help.

— Ages 10-12: Older children can appreciate the science behind gardening, read books and Internet sites on the subject and apply that knowledge. Try asking your child to test the acidity of the soil to determine the right fertilizer.