Gardening for the disabled

[buzzingtalk]

I work in a supported living service for autistic adults and people with severe learning difficulties. We have a massive garden at work, and there is a run down veg plot at the back that used to be used by a previous client. We have a new client that likes gardening, and I have put forward to my boss that I would be up for sorting out the patch and doing some gardening with our guys, she is very keen for this to happen

Now its not a massive plot at all although I could make it bigger by making more of the space. The boss has said she can't really spend any money on it, but I can grow stuff for myself (I'll be giving some to my client of course, he likes veg & fruit) and do it as an activity with the guys which is great as I could do with some room to grow stuff.

What would you recommend growing? I need things that are fairly easy, prefably things our guys can get stuck in with and see growing, and things that aren't too time consuming. I'm definatley gonna grow some salad as he likes that and it is fast growing, some tomatos as they are cool to watch grow...but what else? Are carrots, broccoli, cabbage etc fairly easy? Does anyone else garden at work?

[Nicos]

What a brilliant idea!

My first thoughts are spuds- easy to care for esp if you grow the early varieties to try and avoid blight.
Carrots- easy to grow with fresh seed, but a bit tricky with the weeding until the tops become feathery. Yummy to eat straight from the ground. May need fleecing to avoid carrot fly.
Beetroot- obvious seedlings so easily weeded.
Lettuce...maybe 2 very different varieties
Radish...both can be eaten on site!
(I've never had a lot of success with brassicas- lots of netting and the butterflies still get in)
Toms look and smell lovely- very rewarding to grow( and eat!!)
Peas and stringless climbing beans
Oh...herbs like chives/sage

At least there's a nice introduction to manuring- or not.
How to sow seeds
How to plant spuds
Eating raw or cooking
Watering needs
Wildlife and preventing them attacking the crops
Natural diseases like blight- and how to avoid.
Building climbing frames/supports

That sort of combination of skills may well throw out some hidden talents!

Keep us updated with what you do...it's a lovely project

[Jono]

Potatoes might be good? They will break up the soil for the future, and they're a lot of fun to hunt for when they're ready to dig up.

[Bigmallly]

Don't forget the strawberries................

[vicky]

You could have a look at the threads on gardening in schools, of course not the same but the 'easiest' plants are discussed and also fun plants.

Brassicas are fairly difficult (caterpillars!) and sit in the ground for a long time - I'd go with something that has faster results.
Pumpkins are fun, peas (different coloured ones) and tomatoes

[Two_Sheds]

boss has said she can't really spend any money on it

Perhaps the Norwich 50 bike ride? You could raise sponsorship for money to spend on the garden

Are carrots, broccoli, cabbage etc fairly easy?

They wouldn't be my first choice, because they all need to be kept netted against pests.

Climbing beans (fresh or to use as kidney beans) and pumpkins/squash give you lots of bang for your buck: they're really popular with my school garden club

[salilah]

Climbing beans - e.g. Borlotti - wonderful colour
Dwarf French Beans - e.g. Rocquencourt, Purple Teepee etc - grow well, fun to pick, produce well, unusual colours
A couple of different courgettes - they use a lot of space and grow really fast, and it's fun finding them growing down the side of a bed, hiding!

Strong recommendation that you start with a smaller area and expand later once you are going well
Second strong recommendation - use a no-dig method (once the first dig has been done) - mark out the paths and stick to them, nobody walks on the beds - it is soooo much less effort! Beds no wider than 1.2m / 4ft so you can stretch across them
Third rec - check out the Seed Swap area to see if any parcels are going the rounds and get your name down - this will get you started with seeds. If you'd like some DFB and CFB seeds, or some (slightly old but still OK I think) courgette seeds, send me a message!

HTH
Salilah

[Marge]

Quick grow crops:
- perpetual spinach (just grows and grows!)
- radishes
- salad leaves
- herbs (buy cheap little plants to make it easier rather than from seed)

Longer term crops:
- chillies
- potatoes
- leeks
- courgettes (when you get these right they just grow and grow)
- runner beans

I would suggest considering having raised beds as well. I find my crops do much better with this system. Also think about companion planting, ie put in some marigolds too. They look good and keep away some pests too.

[Florence Fennel]

You've had lots of wonderful advice already, so I just wanted to wish you luck with your marvellous project.

[arpoet]

Just to say we have a dissabled group with 2 plots on our site.
I was down this afternoon so went to see if they were there, but it was all locked up and the guy opposit them said he had not seem then for a while.
I Know they struggle for funding to employ supervision ( most have learning difficulties as well as other problems ) so maybe they have packed up for the winter until funding come through.
I was going to ask them what they find best to grow.
I seem to think its more the taking part and comradship they enjoy, but they did keep coming out with bags of veg last summer.
We always shouted hello to them if we saw them and they were great bunch of people
Roger

[vicky]

There's an article in the current GYO mag featuring Thrive Thrive, charity using gardening and horticulture to change the lives of disabled people - helping disabled people to garden

[StephenH]

Broad beans - ideal children's and beginner's crop. Ditto nasturtiums and lettuce - I remember growing lettuces when I was 10ish. I don't think carrots, broccoli or cabbage would be good ideas - all a bit complicated.

I once worked in a hostel for mentally handicapped adults, and got a few of the more able ones interested in doing a bit of gardening in the grounds. One young man was dead keen, and went at it with a spade like Billy-oh. I had to persuade him to go a bit slower and pace himself, or he'd've been knackered within minutes, without discouraging him altogether, so that might be something to watch out for with your people.