Beginner gardener with children's club

[floissie]

Hi i am in dursley, gloucestershire, i have never really grown anything before, and have been given the job of running a childrens gardening club, we have through funding had a small raised bed garden built and am here to find out what to do and when as i dont have a clue, but i thought i would give it a go and learn along with the children. The children are aged 5 up to 11 and are a real handful but there are a few that are really keen hopefully they will encourage the others!!!!! I was sort of dropped in at this late stage as the person that started it all did a few bits and just then moved away with no ones knowledge. But we have now been given funding so we can carry on for at least the next 2 years, so i can plan and hopefully grow some great fruit and veg. Any help and advice is most welcome!!!!!!

[bluemoon]

Being a new gardener is daunting, doing anything with kids is downright scary... and you're dong both at the same time? You deserve a medal. Kids tend to not have the patience of we gnarled oldies so grow things which grow fast like cut and come again lettuce and dwarf French beans. Radish are the fastest crop, but kids often don't like the taste. If they're in for the long haul then massive pumpkins and sunflowers are always popular. Potatoes are quick and, although they take up a fair amount of space, children love seeing them dug from the ground, my grandson was three before he first watched OH digging a few new potatoes for tea, but he was fascinated. Courgettes are good because they crop so abundantly and at some point every child should be able to take a few courgettes home to try. Oh and peas, every child should learn the taste of raw peas, freshly picked. They might like to grow fruit too, strawberries are good, easy to harvest and no thorns, but a delicious taste.
I remember Dursley! The breeder of the first dog we had as a child lived there. Obviously it's a fair way from Yorkshire, but Mum and Dad arranged that we should collect her on the way home from a holiday in Cornwall and kept it as a complete surprise. So there we were, sunburned, shoes still full of sand and miserable about the holiday ending when we suddenly stopped for no apparent reason, Dad walked off down a lane and 20 minutes later returned with a fat little puppy in his arms... still brings tears to my eyes.

[rustylady]

Kids like quick results. You don't just have to use the outside beds. Mustard and cress grown on damp tissue or damp cotton wool packed into eggshells to make green "hair" are favourites.

[NOG]

I agree with the quick results...try Rocket....Lettuice...Beetroot...Raddish.

Welcome and if you want advice just ask....