Whats easy to plant for a child .

[winolover]

My Daughter has a couple of home painted plant pots that she got for christmas, with a beautiful watering can,
anyway she is only 7 but wants to plant something in them to put infront of her play house, they are only small pots, what is easy to grow and wont be to big ?

[bobleponge]

Dont know if radish may be too hot for the littl'un but they grow dead quick, keeps the interest.
Cress is good too.

[winolover]

cress !! brilliant why didn't i think of that, it grows so fast and she could eat it..
i'll get her some this weekend from wilko's thanks Boblepong

[Epsom Gardener]

try putting a clove of garlic in. You can eat the sprouts like chives. Or the top of a carrot - you can eat those greens as well.

[winolover]

i didn't know you could do that ?
now i might just try that one myself !!

[quark1]

You didn't say how big the pots were - but would Sunflower Teddy Bear be an answer - they only grow to 18" tall and are lovely round fluffy blooms - a variety I'm trying this year.

[Winged one]

Does she want veg? Cos T&M do have a small variety of pea that might be interesting for one pot?

Or maybe some cut and come again salad leaves?

Or would they be too boring and grown uppy for her?

[Birdie Wife]

Nasturtiums, marigolds and calendula are good, vigorous and easy to grow, lots of colourful flowers too.

[shirlthegirl43]

my 12 year old son wanted to grow something on his windowsill that he would be able to munch when he got hungry - he is now happily nurturing a tray of 'cut and come again' salad leaves.

[winolover]

thanks every one,
the flower pots are on 3 inch high, i got some cress seeds for now, but will invest in some salad leaves, she will love them as she like eating veg from her grandads garden,

[Flummery]

People tend to suggest radishes and lettuce because you get quick results but kids don't generally like them. I 'helped' my grand-daughter (now 3) to plant up some pots last year - we put in a strawberry plant and some peas. She loved them both and could pick her own a few at a time. She also grew 3 spuds in a shrub tub - really enjoyed watering and topping up with compost and went home VERY excited with a carrier bag full of new potaotes when we harvested them. At home her Daddy bought a blueberry to keep outside the back door. She single-handedly demolished those too! Children also love the sweet Sungold tomatoes. I'm lucky to get any from my couple of plants when she's been to visit.

I would go for what they like to eat rather than what comes through soonest. You can start with a plant, not just seeds.

[winolover]

thanks Flummery,
i might invest in a tomatoe plant, just a small one,
she also has a sweet pea growing in one of her small pots,from seed but i think it might overtake the wondow ledge as it only been growing for 6 days and is already 3inch high ! but it'll look pretty in her play house,

[bobleponge]

Winolover,
Dont invest. I will send you a few cherry tom seeds for her, they will pop up in less than a week or so if they are kept indoors, then she can be taught potting on and feeding etc as well.
PM me with your address, they will be in the post tomorrow.

[yoanbob]

My nephews (4 and 7 yrs) have their own veg patch on the lottie, last year they grew 11 pumpkins which they made into lanterns and curry.
the 4 yr old was so proud of his green pumpkin he carried it around with him for a week!
this year they have decided to grow caugettes carrots and peas, they get there seeds (and gloves, trowels etc)as their easter present and they do all the digging weeding watering themselves. they love it.

[Headfry]

Don't forget to 'record' the growing plant
Height, girth etc - get her a little scrap book, put photos in there, the seed packet along with drawings of her plants, it gives kids an interesting reason to write, read and draw!
Good luck, please let us know how she gets on.