Oats, peas, beans, and barley might grow, but what will thrive in a child’s garden? It’s a little depressing to find wilting and slug-munched plants, especially if you’re a child who’s been excited to eat from your very own garden. If you’re poring through seed catalogues like I am, think about the kid-friendly prospects inside.
Peas and beans are great small space container crops. One added benefit of container crops is that they’re not always as prone to predators of the slimy persuasion. While slugs and snails can reach your containers, it might be easier to eat the goodies in the garden. Beans are excellent if you’re looking for a fast-growing superstar plant. Make sure that you get the runner variety if you’re planting in containers, since bush beans don’t always work with stakes. Beans like lots of sun. Peas are a good plant for a container garden as well, but they enjoy a little more shade than beans. Plant them in a cooler part of the garden, and they will last and produce longer.
Children seem to have a fascination with carrots. In our garden, this leads to a lot of digging them up and peeking at them! Get smaller varieties that mature quickly, if you can. If carrot rust fly is a problem in your area, you can use white landscaping cloth and place it gently over the carrots.
Cherry tomatoes are a delight, and growing tomatoes often gets children to eat this often-maligned fruit. We’ve had the most success with plants purchased from the store. Starting tomatoes from seed can be tricky without the right lighting conditions.
If you have a lot of shade, go green! Sorrel, lettuces, chives, and parsley are all cut and come again crops that work very well in lower light conditions. Plus, the kids can harvest and then come back again and again!
One last thought: violets. Violets are a magical thing for children to grow. These little floral delights are actually edible, and they look like little fairy plants to boot.
Have you tried growing any of these plants in a child’s garden?