Growing Your Own Food with Children: Edible Gardens
Growing their own food can give you, and your children, an enormous sense of satisfaction. It need not be difficult and, any time and effort expended, will be greatly rewarded. You may or may not have a budding gardener on your hands, but whatever you grow with your kids it is bound to be fun and you all get to harvest and eat it.
Buying plants from your local garden centre will help if you are short of time or if you want to reduce a child’s waiting time. You will not find the same availability as with seeds and they may work out more expensive. Some plants such as strawberries are just easier to grow if you start with the plant. You can order plug plants online and you may also find plants at your local horticultural society often based at allotment sites.
Sowing Seeds with Children
Growing a mixture of plants from seed and from young plants brought in will give your children a good breath of gardening experience. If you are really prepared try and order seed packets in the winter. Why not put a packet in their Christmas stocking. Pick a good weather day to sow seeds then you can sow them outside. Have a dustpan and brush ready as well as a jug of water to water in the seeds. Also have your plant labels readily available. Older children could make and label their own seed pots.
What Vegetables and Fruit to Grow With Your Kids
The best are those that:-
- Are easy to sow, especially those with large seeds like courgettes.
- Germinate quickly, to keep those short attention spans occupied.
- You can sow in situ, so you do not have the trouble of transplanting.
- Produce a crop quickly.
- Require minimum maintenance other than watering and feeding.
- Will continue cropping.
Grow food that you know your children already like or food you have a good chance of persuading them to munch. Vegetables and fruit that you can eat straight from the plant, such as strawberries and tomatoes are always a hit with kids. Harvesting food is one of hte best things about growing your own.
Kidsinthegarden has chosen seven crops which are fun to grow with your kids. They really are child’s play.
Growing vegetables with Children
Courgettes – One plant loads of courgettes.
Carrots - Go for the crunch and the fun of pulling up roots.
Pea Shoots – a quick nutritious salad crop.
Cut ‘n’ Come Again Salad – you cut it grows.
Tomatoes – straight from the plant, delicious.
Strawberries - they will taste better than shop brought ones
Blueberries – a superfood on your doorstep.
Also take a look at our other kids gardening pages.
Easy Grow Flower Seeds with Children - Children love to grow colourful flowers
Growing Crops in Pots with Children
Growing Cut 'n' Come Again with Children
Growing Herbs with Children - find out which herbs look, taste and smell good
Are the Children Still Hungry For More?
While you wait for your crops to grow or if you find you have left it too late to plant and sow this year take the kids to your local grow your own farm. It will give you a taste of what is to come and some ideas for future years. You could also do this if you find your crop had been destroyed by pest or disease or the children have already eaten everything you have grown.
Many stately homes had large kitchen gardens and those that are open to the public are worth a visit. Take a wander through your local allotments for more inspiration.