Growing Vegetables with Children
Children’s Gardening
Test the theory that one way for children to eat vegetables is to get them to help grow their own. If you plant vegetables they already like then you are on to a winner. The staples of the vegetable plot in our chlidren's garden are courgettes. carrots and tomatoes.
Courgettes
- Plant Out: early spring onwards.
- Harvest: within 10 weeks from sowing.
- Where to plant: in the ground, large container (at least 30cm wide) or grow bag outdoors all in a sunny location.
- What to sow: seeds or plants.
- Latest sowing time: June.
Courgettes are ideal for children to grow as it is easy to get a huge crop for very little effort. You will only need one plant per person. Keep any remaining seeds for next year. The large seeds are easy to sow, will germinate in about a week and the seedlings can cope with prodding from little fingers.
Plant two seeds in a pot containing multi-purpose compost. Each seed should be pushed in vertically. Water well and keep on window sill. Discard the weakest. After 4 weeks transplant them to a permanent site. In the ground plant at least a metre away. Keep watering, daily if in pot or grow bag.
The bright yellow flowers and fruits of the courgettes are ornamental so if you are short of space consider planting them in a flower bed or the front garden.
Harvest when small, no more than 10cm long and, harvest at least once a week to keep the plant producing new flowers. You will then be able to pick courgettes up until September.
Use Courgettes: Not all children like courgettes so try grating them into a bolognaise sauce or cottage pie. At the end of a season let some grow really large and then carve a face in them as you would a pumpkin.
Carrots
Carrots are ideal for growing in containers as they do not like to be moved. So grow from seed and use a deep container (at least 20cm deep). Check out our growing crops in pots information. The seeds are very tiny so young children will need help with sowing.
- Plant Out: April to July.
- Harvest: within 12 weeks from June.
- Where to plant: Pot or the ground.
- What to sow: seeds.
- Latest planting time: August for harvesting baby carrots.
Once they have gown about 3cm thin them out by just snipping off the unwanted seedling at soil level. If you do not do this you carrots will not develop properly. Eating the thinnings can help maintain your child’s interest in the project. You will need to water regularly to deter the roots from splitting. Sow a few pots of carrots in succession so you can have a continuous supply. If your kids can’t wait 12 weeks until they develop fully, just eat the baby carrots.
Choose carrots suited for growing in pots, those with short stumpy roots are best. ‘Redcar’, ‘Chanteray Red Cored’ and ‘Mini Finger’ all work well in pots.
Use Carrots: British Carrots has loads of carrot recipes and also games for kids.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the best vegetables to grow with children and are perfectly suited for containers.
- Plant Out: Late May after the last frost.
- Harvest within: 12 weeks.
- Where to plant: Growbag, pot or the ground all in a sunny spot.
- What to sow: Plants.
Three plants will produce a lot of tomatoes in a good year, so don’t plant too many and three are just right for a grow bag. It is therefore easiest to buy plants rather than plant from seed. You could also try plants of different varieties.
There are two types of tomato plants those with a cordon which will need the side shoots pinching out and bush type that don’t require additional maintenance. One plant in a large pot unless you have tomatoes suited for small containers.
If you decide to grow your tomatoes in growbags it can be difficult to get the watering right. The soil tends to dry out quickly. There are two ways you can try and overcome this, both giving the roots more soil space. The first is to plant the tomato in a medium sized plastic pot, cut out the bottom of the pot and then slip the whole pot into the top of the growbag. Alternatively you could use two growbags one on top of the other. Slice a small hole in the bottom of the top growbag just below where the tomato will grow.
Tie your plants to a garden cane or stout stick for support and, if necessary, pinch out side shoots when they appear where the leaf stalk touches the stem.
Your tomato plants will require regular watering and weekly tomato feed after 6 weeks,
Use Tomatoes: To ripen home-grown tomatoes, place them in a paper bag with a ripe tomato and keep at room temperature. Have a look at the recipes and kids games at British Tomato Growers.
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