[little miss sunshine]

Hi there,

 I'm a complete novice at growing my own veg so please forgive me if I sound dumb!
 I've got two young children and want to teach them how veg grow ( not on the shelves of Tesco!). I'm planning on starting our own little vegetable patch soon but I don't know what seeds to sow, or when to sow them. I'm really looking for advice on what are the easiest and most hardy vegetables to grow. We don't have the best soil as its rather clayey but I'm determined to grow someting!

Any advice would be great


Many thanks
Little Miss Sunshine

[muntjac]

welsome sunshine and ur gonna enjoy the site . read the gardening posts for all the details and help from all the members and we will make sure you have a nice supply of good home grown veggies for ya kids . and seeing as this is the cooking pages we will look to you for some nice recipes  

[Annie]

Atlast,John named you as the 900th member and I was begining to think he`d made you up,Welcome.Oops!now I`ve forgotten your question!

[WG.]

I'm really looking for advice on what are the easiest and most hardy vegetables to grow.

Hi Miss and welcome to the Forum.  Veg which I'd suggest as being easy and fairly quick growers (to keep the kids interested) ... provided you actually like these veg! ...

radish
lettuce
shallot from sets
spring onion
peas (need supporting)

You could then maybe get one or two courgette plants from a local nursery since the plants grow big (and yield tasty veg).  Courgettes would benefit from somewhat improved soil in the immediate area of planting.  Send a reply if you want more details or have a look through the Diary section of this website for more ideas.

[richyrich7]

You could try runner beans, in the past I have put one in a jam jar thats been lined with kitchen paper and soil down the middle, put a bean seed between the glass and the paper lining, water and leave it on a window sill. My kids have loved watching it sprout, roots forming and growing etc.

Alternatively you could have a sunflower growing competition some where in the garden.

[milkman]

If the kids like popcorn how about growing your very own supply!

[little miss sunshine]

hi

 Thanks everyone for your replies. richrich7 I work in a school and we've just started beans growing in clear cups, hopefully the kids will be inspired to go home and try out some other seeds (Im hoping!).  milkman the popcorn sounds gr8! I was thinking giving potatoes a whirl, if heard the're nice and easy.

[paul_holmes]

I think you sould try something like kohl rabi as if you havent seen it before, it looks like some sort of alien offspring and grows very quickly. One thing I know kids loved was to grow a pumpkin. I know its not exactly speedy stuff, but the weekly "lets measure the pumpkin" really got the kids excited, as thats happening you can grow a few other bits. Growing root veg, like carrots and potatoes has great rewards at the end when they actually have to dig up all the veg and see it in its natural state, educational and very rewarding for all. Goodluck.

[Annie]

Peas are good,they grow quite quickly and all kids love eating them from the pod,potatoes as they`re easy for small hands to plant and then need very little attention until its time to harvest which is fun.If you grow tomatoes make at least one a tumbling one in a pot outside so and let the kids have that and all the toms thay grow Cougettes are good as the y grow quickly and crop for a long period.Also don`t forget nastertians you can eat the flowers,they are good companion plants and kids love collecting the seeds.

[MisterPlough]

Hi Little Miss Sunshine,

I'd add my welcome too and impart what advice I have read recently. Some people say grow stuff that is expensive to buy or hard to get...... well I can see the sense in that but when it comes to kids, growing what they are likely to eat is probably more common sense.

Start off with some staples such as spuds, peas, carrots and lettuce/salad leaves. People rave about beetroot, which grows well and can be used in all sorts of ways.

I love the idea of measuring pumpkins as they grow!

To keep them interested, some quick cropping veg like kohl rabi will let them see the from plot to plate transition early enough in the summer that they don't lose interest.

Good luck.