Too late to start?

[JenniC]

Hi all

Newbie here!

My son (4) planted me 4 tomato seeds in a tiny pot for mothers day and they have all germinated! We have separated and potted up into paper cups and have been keeping them on a sunny windowsill and today they were outside for a bit in the sun, hoping they will do OK. They're about 2inches and have their second set of leaves.

Am I too late to sow a few other seeds? My Kids think it's super exciting to see all these things growing so I want to encourage it.

I want to try some spinach, spring onions, bell peppers, rocket and lettuces and some strawberries. Any tips for these from seed? I don't have a greenhouse or fancy lights to relying on a sunny back door windowsill and a sunny garden... And some luck!

Thanks
Jenni (Cheshire)

[burnie]

Some of those items might not survive outside if the weather turns cold, peppers and tomatoes are described as tender plants and really ought to be under cover until June or July depending on local temperatures over night.
Salad crops like those you mentioned would be relatively easy, also some peas and possibly carrots, kids will like eating those. Most folk buy Strawberry plants rather than growing from seed, but have had great success with some Alpine strawberries I grew from seed, some of the plants produce white fruits, my grandkids love them.

[Chrissyteacup]

Hi welcome to the vine! How old are your kids what kind of space do you have? Squash are big seeds (easy for kids) grow quickly so give good rewards but if you’ve not much space you’d need to be careful what you chose I agree about the peppers and toms being tender plants and with growing lettuce!

[Jay-ell]

Welcome to the vine.

A lot of seeds can still be started off indoors on a sunny windowsill and planted out at the end of May when the risk of frost has past. Squash and pumpkins are big plants and can amount se some kids watching them grow and take over the garden plus the pumpkins can be ready to carve at Halloween.

Some things that can be sown outdoors now include radish (which will grow fast), lettuce, rocket, peas.

You could also sprout stuff on the windowsill. Take a couple of eggshells which only have to top removed and get the kids to paint faces on them. Stuff them with cotton wool then sprinkle seeds on the (mustard and cress are the traditional ones but you could use any veg, chives would do well). Let the seeds grow a bit then you snip the whole lot off and sprinkle them on a salad, sandwich or whatever. Rinse and repeat.

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine.

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Small pumpkin]

Welcome to the vine

I can highly recommend adding a courgette, pumpkin or squash of some sort and sunflower to your list. They are brilliant for encouraging kids into growing because they grow so fast. They still make me excited about growing and I'm way way way past being a kid .

I think you'll be fine with everything on your list. Except the bell peppers they will grow but you may not get a crop off them.

[nickdub]

still not too late for many seeds - some good advice on salad and strawberries already - I'd just add that kids are often also fascinated by how big plants can get in a year - so may be some sunflower seeds from a packet of wild bird food or a few "magic" runner beans ( beware of giants with the latter option).

[Snoop Puss]

Hello and welcome.

Another recommendation from me for sunflowers. Also a plant that produces yellow courgettes - lovely flowers and the fruit are a bit nicer (in my view) than green ones. Plus, the plants don't get quite as big, but still quite productive.

When I was a kid, I remember my dad growing sweetcorn. Not that easy to grow in a pot, but will do very well in a patch in your garden. Big plants and absolutely gorgeous flavour. Miles better than anything from the shops. I think it was that sweetcorn that really gave me the growing bug. Certainly not the huge, leathery, bitter broad beans he used to grow!

Looking forward to hearing how you do.

[Greenleaves]

Depending on space...plant a pumpkin for Halloween


Welcome to the vine, enjoy the benefits of the advice and humour

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Jenni as others have said there's plenty of time to sow seeds. If you have a Aldi, Lidl or Wilko near you can pick up seeds very cheap.

[JenniC]

Wow hello all and thanks for your replies. I'll definitely get 2 sunflower seeds on the go for each of the kids.

I've ordered some bare root strawberry plants and will have a go with some salad I think. I eat a lot of it so it will help with the food bill!

We have a good size garden but it's pots only as we have (dare I say incase it's a swear word !) artificial grass. Not sure if a pumpkin will be too big for our space but who knows, I will definitely try.

Do carrots take up lots of room? I assume I'll need quite a large tub for them🤔

My tomato plants are outside under cloches enjoying some sunlight today, its almost 14 degrees now in the sunshine

[Snoop Puss]

^It'll get very hot inside the cloches in the sunshine unless they have some ventilation. Make sure you don't frazzle them.

[JenniC]

^It'll get very hot inside the cloches in the sunshine unless they have some ventilation. Make sure you don't frazzle them.

OK thank you!! They're not in direct sunshine it's pretty cloudy.
Oh its all such a learning curve, I think of these plants like little newborn babies 😂😂🌱

[bramble]

Hi JennC and welcome.
Yes carrots will grow in large containers but they are slow to grow,
Good luck with all the growing, it's very exciting isn't it.