plants for toddlers' nursery

[bikermike]

My lad’s nursery has asked for plants for them to watch grow. Of course this year being what it is , I have no spare plants (apart from some succulents and some cacti).

What could I shove in now that will be grow quickly? (I was wondering about nasturtiums or broad beans, as I have them to hand)

Or happy to buy (I think it’s important).

[veggiechicken]

Peas - cos they can eat them, shoots and all.

[bikermike]

oooh, I have peas. I wonder if I could pinch out the tips of some of the growing ones to get them going more quickly...?

[ESBkevin]

Nasturtiums, sunflowers, courgets all get big and impressive so you can almost watch them grow (kids can be impatient). Other things like lettuce and peas are edible too, even tomatoes grow at a decent pace if they are kept watered. Runner beans go once they get established.
I recall as nippers we put a runner bean seed in a jam jar trapped against some blotting paper on the side so you could watch the roots and shoots develop.

[1Bee]

Dwarf french beans?

[Guest]

radish even if they go to seed you can eat the pods. Herbs are good as they are smelly and tactile. Also a lot will attract good beasties when in flower. Cornflowers are a winner with my girls - can be grown anytime as they are hardy.

Somewhere round here VC has a growing scraps thread. Something different for children and they can take in kitchen waste. My 5 year old is so proud of her 3 apple seedlings grown from a supermarket apple.

[veggiechicken]

Somewhere round here VC has a growing scraps thread. Something different for children and they can take in kitchen waste. My 5 year old is so proud of her 3 apple seedlings grown from a supermarket apple.

Here it is!!
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...nge_85744.html

[elsie-scot]

Will repeat a previous suggestion on beans in clear container, we used cotton wool. It makes it very clear what is happening.

The other thing that is interesting is to put flowers in different food coloured water and watch change colour.

I did both of these things with. DD pre nursery, she loved it then and again when nursery repeat the activities.

Another thing DD did at nursery age was sow some mixed annual seeds in a cup. They did amazingly well.

[happyhumph]

Use clear pop bottles cut in half , fill bottom with compost and a few herb seeds, and squeeze the top in/over to make mini greenhouses.

[Guest]

Here it is!!
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...nge_85744.html

The one I was thinking was when you sprouted slices of brussels and there was a link to an article that gave loads of details for pineapple tops, parsnip and carrot tops but loads of other things. I think it was way before I joined.

[Bren In Pots]

Cress growing very quick, we used to sow it in half eggs shells filled with cotton wool.

[bikermike]

I've done cress at home with him. What do you do with it when it's grown - there's a limit to how many egg sandwiches one can eat...
We're also growing carrots and sunflowers.

(We took the easy route and bought a sweet pea in the end...)

[nick the grief]

first thought was Nettles, thistles and poison Ivy but I thought better of it

Dwarf french beans (the Prince or Orinocco) you can grow in 7" pots OK .
Crimson flowered broad beans ( look nice, taste nice and the scent from the flowers is incredible!).
Peas - get a couple of sorts - something like Ne Plus Ultra - grow to 7ft and super if eaten straight off the plant and something like Little Marvel which will only grow to 18".
and how about rainbow Carrots?

if you want a normal plant then Lambs ears is a must

ntg

[wargarden2023]

beet root the whole plant is edible !!!